The dam at Jennings Randolph Reservoir impounds the North Branch Potomac about 10 miles upstream from Luke, and about 40 miles downstream of the Fairfax Stone. Originally named the Bloomington Dam and Lake, the project was renamed in 1987 to honor longtime West Virginia Senator Jennings Randolph, who had a major interest in water resources projects nationwide. The earthen fill dam is 296 feet high, made of rock and stone quarried nearby. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built the dam beginning in 1973. It took more than a decade to complete and was filled in 1982.
Water from the lake is drawn through several intakes at different depths, depending on the quality and quantity of water available. The water is used mainly for water supply in the Washington area (200 miles downstream) and for flood control in the Upper Potomac. Another major purpose of the dam is to improve the water quality of the North Branch Potomac and provide recreational applications.
Water draining into the lake comes from an area with a large number of abandoned coal mines. Drainage from the mines, which is high in sulfur and other contaminants, creates acidic conditions that are harmful to fish. As the acid water enters the lake, it settles into layers. Reservoir managers can select the best water for release to the North Branch to improve water quality downstream.
Water quality improvement in the North Branch has been a major success story in the Upper Potomac in the past decade. Before the dam was built, the North Branch at this point had virtually no aquatic life. In recent years, the river has been able to support a naturally reproducing trout fishery.
Jennings Randolph is the only major reservoir on the main stem of the Potomac River. It is the only one built of the original 16 dams proposed in a famous US Army Corps of Engineers report published in 1963, which recommended construction of a system of dams throughout the Potomac Valley. All the other proposals encountered stiff opposition. The $175-million facility includes a 33-story control tower, a 90-foot high dike, a large spillway, and a 1619-foot tunnel that was used to divert the flow of the North Branch during the construction period. The dam is the third largest dam of its type east of the Mississippi.
Jennings Randolph Reservoir, with 950 acres, is the largest in the Potomac basin. It has two boat launching areas in West Virginia and Maryland. The visitor center, in West Virginia, gives an overview of the dam and the intake tower. There are two overlooks from the Maryland side, on Rt. 135 via Chestnut Grove or Walnut Bottom Road.
Picnic areas and a 90-site campground are located on the West Virginia side, both operated by the Corps of Engineers. Sailing, boating, and water skiing are permitted on the lake. The boat launching area receives heavy usage during the summer months. Usage may be restricted if the lake is drawn down for water quality or water supply needs downstream, usually in late summer or early fall. On certain weekends in April and May of each year, the dam releases a flow of 800 to 1000 cubic feet per second especially for use in whitewater activities below the dam. The North Branch below the dam is full of large rapids that make it popular for serious whitewater canoeists.
Fishing in the Jennings Randolph Reservoir is regulated by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and current Maryland fishing regulations apply. A Maryland license is required, although West Virginia license holders may fish in the lake.
Jennings Randolph Lake, P.O. Box 247, Elk Garden, WV 26717. Telephone: 304-355-2346. |
