Deep Creek Watershed Management Partnership

Deep Creek Watershed Management Partnership

The Deep Creek Watershed Management Partnership coordinates implementation of the Deep Creek Watershed Management Plan (adopted 2016). The Plan outlines 13 management goals to protect the health of Deep Creek Lake and its watershed, addressing topics such as land use, erosion and sedimentation, stormwater, sewer and septic systems, aquatic vegetation, recreational use, and water allocation.

Document Deep Creek Watershed Management Plan (2.26 MB)

How the Partnership is organized

Implementation is guided by an Administrative Council made up of Maryland DNR, Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE), and Garrett County Government, with support from a public-private Steering Committee. Issue-specific Working Groups are to help develop and advance projects tied to Plan goals.

To learn more about how the Plan was developed, visit the Maryland DNR Watershed & Climate Services webpage Deep Creek Watershed Management Plan 

Steering Committee

The Partnership is guided by a public-private Steering Committee that supports implementation of the Watershed Management Plan. The Steering Committee helps identify priority projects, coordinate partners, and align technical and financial resources to advance Plan implementation.

Membership includes representatives from:

• State agencies
  • Maryland DNR NMRA,
  • MD DNR Resource Assessment Services,
  • MD DNR Freshwater Program,
  • MD DNR Forest Service,
  • MD Department of the Environment Water and Science Administration
  • Garrett County Health Dept. Environmental Health
  • UMD-Extension
• County agencies
  • Planning and Land Management
  • Soil Conservation District,
  • Garrett County Forestry Board
• Deep Creek Lake Policy Review Board
• Nonprofits focused on Deep Creek Lake
  • Deep Creek Lake Property Owners Association
  • Deep Creek Watershed Foundation
• Brookfield Renewable (operators of the Deep Creek Hydroelectric Dam)
• Town of Friendsville
• The whitewater community and other stakeholder representatives

Interested in joining? We frequently add new members to ensure the Steering Committee reflects a broad range of expertise and stakeholder perspectives. To express interest, contact Molly Ramsey at mramsey@garrettcountymd.gov.

Recent Presentations

In 2025, presentations on the Deep Creek Watershed Management were delivered at the Deep Creek Watershed Foundation Symposium by county watershed coordinators, Molly Ramsey and Bruce Michael, as well as Maryland DNR staff, Cristina Sanders (NMRA Lake Manager) and Tom Parham (Resource Assessment Service).

• Tom Parham, DNR Resource Assessment Service, Director Tidewater Ecosystem Assessment, and Deep Creek Watershed Administrative Council: Document The State of the Lake: Better Understanding Deep Creek Lake’s Changing Water Quality Conditions Since 2009 (4.01 MB)
• Bruce Michael, Garrett County Deep Creek Lake and Watershed Coordinator, Deep Creek Watershed Administrative Council: Document A Historical Perspective of DCL Sediment Studies and Projects (3.49 MB)
• Molly Ramsey, Garrett County Watershed Coordinator and Deep Creek Watershed Administrative Council:  Document Deep Creek Watershed Management Plan: Progress 2016 – 2024 (1.81 MB)
• Cristina Sanders, MD DNR Parks NMRA Deep Creek Lake Manager:  Document Subaquatic Vegetation Management at Deep Creek (1.31 MB)

To watch videos of these and other presentations from the symposium, please visit the Deep Creek Watershed Foundation Symposium website

Contact

For more information on watershed projects the county is working on, please contact Molly Ramsey, Watershed Coordinator at mramsey@garrettcountymd.gov or 301-334-1923.