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Little Seneca Lake
Little Seneca Lake 2008.jpg
March 2008
Location of Little Seneca Lake in Maryland, USA.
Location of Little Seneca Lake in Maryland, USA.
Little Seneca Lake
Location in Maryland
Location of Little Seneca Lake in Maryland, USA.
Location of Little Seneca Lake in Maryland, USA.
Little Seneca Lake
Location in the United States
Location Boyds, Maryland
Coordinates 39°11′17″N 77°18′24″W / 39.18799°N 77.306671°W / 39.18799; -77.306671
Type Reservoir
Primary inflows Little Seneca Creek
Primary outflows Little Seneca Creek
Catchment area 21 square miles (54 km2)
Basin countries United States
Surface area 505 acres (204 ha)
Average depth 24.7 ft (7.5 m)
Max. depth 68 ft (21 m)
Water volume 4.5 billion US gallons (17,000,000 m3)
Surface elevation 384 feet (117 m)

Little Seneca Lake is a large, man-made lake in Maryland. It's located near the town of Boyds in Montgomery County. This lake is actually a reservoir, which means it was built to store water.

About Little Seneca Lake

Little Seneca Lake covers a big area, about 505 acres. That's like 380 football fields! The lake is pretty deep too. On average, it's about 25 feet deep, but in some spots, it goes down to 68 feet. Imagine stacking 11 average-sized teenagers on top of each other – that's how deep it can get!

This lake was created by building a dam across Little Seneca Creek. Its main purpose is to hold water for emergencies. It helps make sure people in the Washington, D.C. area have enough drinking water. The lake is also a fun place for people to visit and enjoy the outdoors.

Water for Your Tap

Little Seneca Lake MD
An aerial photo of Little Seneca Lake, taken in 2011.

The dam that formed Little Seneca Lake was finished in 1984. The Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) operates this dam. They manage the water supply for many homes and businesses.

WSSC works with other water companies. These include the Washington Aqueduct and the Fairfax County Water Authority. Together, they share the water from Little Seneca Lake. This teamwork helps provide clean drinking water to a large region.

Fun Things to Do

Little Seneca Lake is part of Black Hill Regional Park. This park offers many activities for visitors. You can go fishing or boating on the lake. It's a great spot to spend time outdoors.

The lake is regularly stocked with fish. This means new fish are added so there are always plenty to catch. Some of the fish you might find here include largemouth bass, tiger muskie, channel catfish, sunfish, perch, and crappie.

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