Lake Centennial (Maryland) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Centennial Lake |
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Looking out over Lake Centennial from the walking path surrounding it.
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 Centennial Lake
Location in Maryland
Centennial Lake
Location in the United States
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| Location | Ellicott City, Maryland, United States |
| Coordinates | 39°14.6′N 76°51.3′W / 39.2433°N 76.8550°W |
| Type | Reservoir |
| Primary outflows | Centennial Branch, Little Patuxent River |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | 54 acres (22 ha) |
| Surface elevation | 344 ft (105 m) |
Centennial Lake is a beautiful man-made lake in Howard County, Maryland. It covers about 54 acres and is part of a much larger 325-acre park called Centennial Park. You can find it near the towns of Columbia, Maryland and Clarksville.
This lake was created by building a dam across the Centennial Branch of the Little Patuxent River. The park around the lake offers many fun activities. It has a special wildlife area, a walking trail, and places for boating and fishing. The Howard County Department of Recreation and Parks takes care of the lake and the park.
About Centennial Lake
Centennial Lake is a type of lake called a reservoir. This means it was built to store water. The lake is an important spot for helping different kinds of fish, like trout and bass, to live and grow.
Sometimes, there are special rules for fishing to help protect the fish. However, if there are too many fish, these rules might be changed to allow more fishing. Right now, the usual fishing rules from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources apply here.
How the Park Was Created
The land for Centennial Park was bought by Howard County in the 1970s. This was done to create the beautiful park and lake that we enjoy today.
In 2015, the lake's water level was temporarily lowered by almost 10 feet. This was necessary so that important repairs could be made to the dam's gates. After the repairs were finished, the lake was filled back to its normal level in January 2016.
