Overview
Deep Creek Lake is a roughly 3,900-acre hydroelectric reservoir in Garrett County—Maryland's largest inland lake—created in 1925 when the Youghiogheny Hydroelectric Company dammed Deep Creek on the Allegheny Plateau. Brookfield Renewable operates the dam and powerhouse, while the State of Maryland owns the lake bed and shoreline buffer managed by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources as the Deep Creek Lake Natural Resources Management Area.
At full pool the lake has about 65 miles of shoreline, an average depth near 25 feet, and a maximum depth of about 75 feet near the dam. Long, branching coves, forested ridges, and a high-elevation setting (full pool 2,462 feet) give Deep Creek a highland character distinct from Maryland's coastal plain waters.
The lake is western Maryland's premier boating and fishing destination, known for largemouth and smallmouth bass, walleye, and panfish, with fisheries guidance from Maryland DNR Fisheries. State parks, public ramps, marinas, and the nearby Wisp resort area support year-round recreation.
Operators target a full-pool elevation of 2,462 feet above mean sea level for the recreation season, with typical winter drawdowns toward about 2,455–2,457 feet under Maryland environmental permits that balance hydropower releases with lake levels. Because generation schedules and seasonal targets move the pool several feet, monitoring current lake levels is important for docks, ramps, and fishing access.
Current Conditions
Deep Creek Lake is currently 1.33 feet below full pool and has risen slightly over the past week.
- 7-day trendRisingLatest movement can differ from the seven-day trend.
- 7-day changeUp 0.23 ft
- 30-day changeUp 0.11 ft
- Drought conditionsNo Drought
About This Lake
Learn how this lake is managed, what affects its water level, and where Lake Insights gets its data.
Deep Creek Lake is a 3,900-acre reservoir on the Deep Creek managed by Brookfield Renewable (dam/hydro); Maryland DNR (lake bed, buffer, recreation/fishery).