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42-520: This 1,225-hectare (4.73 sq mi) reservoir was the former site of the town of Oakland Mill and the Melville Woolen Mills. The land was purchased from the Melville family in the 1930s. A rumor swirled that Oakland would be destroyed, but few left. An announcement was finally made in 1942 that a reservoir was to be built, but reality hit in 1947, when the timber cutters came to town. In 1951,

84-683: A watershed (including the water surface) of 950 square miles (2,460 km ). The removal of Bloede's Dam in September 2018, opened up 65 miles (105 km) of the Patapsco River watershed, which will potentially restore spawning runs of at least six species of native anadromous fish: alewife ( Alosa pseudoharengus ), blueback herring ( Alosa aestivalis ), American shad ( Alosa sapidissima ), hickory shad ( Alosa mediocris ), striped bass ( Morone saxatilis ), sea lamprey ( Petromyzon marinus ), as only one species, sea lamprey, were found using

126-498: A 1.75 acres (7,100 m ) pond in the 1950s, filled by seven spring heads that form the headwaters of the South Branch of the Patapsco River. Beginning in the 1770s, the Patapsco River became the center of Maryland industrialization. Milling and manufacturing operations abounded along the river throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, generally powered by small dams. The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad 's original main line

168-483: A large bridge on a curve. The design called for several variations in span and pier widths between the opposite sides of the structure. This problem was solved by laying the lateral pier faces on radial lines, making the piers essentially wedge-shaped and fitted to the 4-degree curve. The viaduct was built by John McCartney of Ohio , who received the contract after completing the Patterson Viaduct . Caspar Wever,

210-403: A nearly complete barrier to anadromous fish passage. Although a fish ladder was installed in 1992, it blocked five of six native fish species trying to run upstream to spawn. Efforts to remove Bloede's Dam began in the 1980s when nine drowning deaths occurred, and also to restore fish passage to a large portion of the Patapsco River watershed. Dam demolition began on September 12, 2018, opening

252-460: Is 4 feet (1 m) wide and supported by cast iron brackets and edged with ornamental cast iron railings. The viaduct contains 24,476 cubic yards (18,713 m ) of masonry and cost $ 142,236.51, equal to $ 4,201,024 today. The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was one of the oldest railroads in the United States. Construction began on July 4, 1828, with the original route following the upper branch of

294-420: Is 59 feet (18 m)= with a maximum depth of 144 feet (44 m). The reservoir is open to a vast array of activities. Patrons can bike, boat, hike, fish, birdwatch, and relax. Prohibited activities include camping, fires, swimming and alcohol consumption. Although not allowed, it is often very common to find swimmers in the heat of the summer. Baltimore Environmental Police Officers are patrol all three of

336-624: Is a 39-mile (63 km) river in central Maryland that flows into the Chesapeake Bay . The river's tidal portion forms the harbor for the city of Baltimore . With its South Branch, the Patapsco forms the northern border of Howard County, Maryland . The name "Patapsco" is derived from the Algonquian pota-psk-ut , which translates to "backwater" or "tide covered with froth". Captain John Smith

378-411: Is possible in areas of the Patapsco River, sometimes involving rope swings, inner tubing, and wading. The river also serves as a venue for rafting. The Patapsco is also great for fishing. The MD DNR stocks parts of Patapsco State Park in the early spring and offers some pretty decent trout fishing. The Northern Snakehead has also made the Patapsco their home. They can be found from historic Ellicott City to

420-482: Is still in use today, making it one of the oldest railroad bridges still in service. This Basket-handle arch stone bridge with three centers is divided into eight spans . The bridge deck is 26' wide, broad enough to hold a double track. It was designed by Benjamin Henry Latrobe, II , then B&O's assistant engineer and later its chief engineer. The main design problem to overcome was that of constructing such

462-516: Is subject to extensive stormwater runoff and other forms of water pollution . The Maryland Department of the Environment has identified the Lower North Branch as containing high levels of heavy metals ( chromium , arsenic , cadmium , copper , mercury , nickel , lead , selenium , and zinc ), as well as phosphorus , fecal coliform bacteria , and PCBs . The Piney Run Reservoir on

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504-731: The Capital Limited to Chicago and the National Limited to St. Louis . With the advent of Amtrak on May 1, 1971, B&O ended its passenger train service, except for local Baltimore and Washington commuter trains. In 1986, CSX acquired the B&;O and all of its trackage, including the Thomas Viaduct. Today, MARC 's "Camden Line" train service runs daily trains over the Viaduct. See Capital Subdivision . During design and construction,

546-638: The Patapsco River which led west to Ellicott's Mills (later renamed Ellicott City) from the lower Patapsco which is the "Basin" (now Inner Harbor ) at downtown Baltimore and the Baltimore Harbor and Port of the lower river estuary leading southeast 15 miles to flow into the Chesapeake Bay . ( See Baltimore Terminal Subdivision and Old Main Line Subdivision . ) In 1835, the Washington Branch

588-559: The Bloede's Dam fish ladder in 2012. One catadromous species would likely also benefit, the American eel ( Anguilla rostrata ), a fish species that lives in freshwater and migrates to the ocean to breed. The Bloede's Dam removal project was led by American Rivers and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources . Now that Bloede's Dam has been removed, removal of Daniels Dam upstream on

630-480: The Patapsco River, was struck by a container ship and partially collapsed into the river. The 19.4-mile-long (31.2 km) South Branch rises at Parr's Spring, where Howard County , Carroll , Frederick , and Montgomery counties meet. The latter begins at elevation 780 feet (240 m) on Parr's Ridge , just south of Interstate 70 and east of Ridge Road ( Highway 27 ), 2 miles (3 km) south of Mount Airy, Maryland . The South Branch Patapsco River traces

672-447: The Patapsco is a minor river flowing mostly through a narrow valley. Patapsco Valley State Park extends along 32 miles (51 km) of the Patapsco and its branches, encompassing 14,000 acres (5,700 ha) in five areas. The river cuts a gorge 100 to 200 feet (35–70 m) deep within the park, with rocky cliffs and tributary waterfalls. The last 10 miles (16 km), form a large tidal estuary inlet of Chesapeake Bay . Two lobes of

714-507: The South Branch of the Patapsco is polluted by excess levels of phosphorus and sediment. Environmental nonprofit organizations, such as The Friends of Patapsco Valley & Heritage Greenway, Inc. (PHG), lead clean-up efforts by the residents of surrounding communities. From 2006 to 2012, PHG volunteers participated in 183 stream clean-ups, removing 264 tons of trash from the streams of the Patapsco Valley watershed. Recreational swimming

756-573: The Thomas Viaduct was nicknamed "Latrobe's Folly" after the designer Benjamin Latrobe II because, at the time, many doubted that it could even support its own weight. Contrary to these predictions, the Thomas Viaduct survived the great flood of 1868 as well as Hurricane Agnes in 1972, two floods that wiped out the Patapsco Valley and destroyed nearly everything in their path; and to this day, it continues to carry 300- ton (270 tonne ) diesel locomotives passengers and heavy freight traffic . The bridge

798-403: The application of a grout mixture to the stone spandrels filling. Nevertheless, the bridge is still indicative of the way in which the B&O track and major structures were put down in the most permanent manner possible. At an unknown date, railing blocks were removed from the north side of the deck, and a bracketed walkway was added, giving more lateral clearance. Little work had been done on

840-518: The city's watersheds. Sometime shortly before late 2014, the dam tourist area lookout was fenced off. The trails around the reservoir consist of unpaved fire access roads, which are generally kept clear, and many miles of single track. There is a firing range north of the dam that is used by the Maryland State Police . Patapsco River The Patapsco River ( / p ə ˈ t æ p ˌ s k oʊ / pə- TAP -skoh ) mainstem

882-582: The deck of the viaduct while mock " baptizing " them with a pint of whiskey . Soon after its completion, two European engineers visited the Viaduct and reported on it. During the period of 1834-1835, Michel Chevalier was commissioned by the French government to study the North American canal and railroad networks. Chevalier produced a two-volume report, "Histoire et description des voies de communication aux etats-Unis (1840–1841). By 1838, Franz Anton von Gerstner

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924-408: The fishery and creating a rocky rapid for kayaking. Two dams upstream of Bloede's Dam, Simkins and Union, were removed in 2010. The removal of Bloede's Dam leaves Daniels Dam, 9 miles (14 km) upstream, as the last remaining dam along the mainstem Patapsco River. In the early hours of March 26, 2024, the 1.6-mile-long (2.6 km) Francis Scott Key Bridge , which carried Interstate 695 over

966-506: The government bought the Melville Woolen Mill for $ 1.5 million. It bought the farms and houses that were in the way of the lake. The tenant workers were forced to leave. The mill was dynamited, although its five-story shell remained. It took years for the water to rise high enough to cover the crumbling walls. Over several years, the natural springs, tributaries, and other water sources filled in where Oakland Mills once stood to create

1008-654: The harbor deviate from the "mainstem" harbor: the Middle Branch Patapsco River, into which Gwynns Falls ; and the Northwest Branch Patapsco River, into which Jones Falls flows. The inner part of this estuary provides the harbor of Baltimore . Thoms Cove is further down the main harbor. The Patapsco estuary is south of the Back River and north of the Magothy River . The Patapsco has

1050-489: The harbor. This is a list of all crossings of the main stem of the Patapsco River, as well as its two downstream short branches, the Middle Branch and Northwest Branch. Listings start downstream and continue upstream to the sources of the rivers. [REDACTED] I-395 Thomas Viaduct The Thomas Viaduct spans the Patapsco River and Patapsco Valley between Relay, Maryland and Elkridge, Maryland , USA. It

1092-603: The mainstem Patapsco River would open to anadromous fishes the remaining 6.5 miles (10.5 km) of Patapsco River mainstem, the entire 19.4 miles (31.2 km) length of the South Branch Patapsco River, 3.5 miles (5.6 km) of the North Branch Patapsco River up to the Liberty Dam , and many of these rivers' tributaries. The eastern portion of the Patapsco River is in a highly urbanized area and

1134-550: The mouth. The first land record regarding Parr's Springs, the source of the South Branch, dates from 1744, when John Parr laid out a 200 acres (81 ha) tract he called Parr's Range. During the Civil War, Parr's Spring was a stop for the Army of the Potomac 's Brig. Gen. David M. Gregg 's cavalry, on June 29, 1863, while en route to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania . Parr's Spring was dug to form

1176-569: The railroad's chief of construction, supervised the work. The span of the viaduct is 612 feet (187 m) long; the individual arches are roughly 58 feet (18 m) in span, with a height of 59 feet (18 m) from the water level to the base of the rail. The width at the top of the spandrel wall copings is 26 feet 4 inches (8 m). The bridge is constructed using a rough-dressed Maryland granite ashlar from Patapsco River quarries , known as Woodstock granite . A wooden-floored walkway built for pedestrian and railway employee use

1218-420: The reservoir. Water overflowed the crest for the first time on February 6, 1956. The North Branch of the Patapsco River is the primary tributary that feeds the reservoir. Other tributaries include Beaver Run, Keyser Run, Prugh Run, Morgan Run, Middle Run, Locust Run, and Cooks Branch. Reservoir length is 11 mi (18 km) with a shoreline length at full pool of 81 miles (130 km). The average depth

1260-615: The shops of Ellicott City. A 1956 flood severely damaged the Bartigis Brothers plant . In 1972, rainfall from the remnants of Hurricane Agnes damaged Ellicott City and the Old Main Line. Two died in the July 2016 Maryland flood ravaged Main Street, followed two years later by a May 2018 Maryland flood that took the life of a rescuer. The mouth of the Patapsco River forms Baltimore Harbor,

1302-652: The site of the Battle of Baltimore during the War of 1812 . This is where Francis Scott Key , aboard the British HMS ; Tonnant , wrote " The Star-Spangled Banner ", a poem later set to music as the national anthem of the United States. Today, a red, white, and blue buoy marks where the ship was anchored. Bloede's Dam , a hydroelectric dam built in 1906, was on the Patapsco River within Patapsco Valley State Park ,

Liberty Reservoir - Misplaced Pages Continue

1344-709: The southern boundary of Carroll County and the northern boundary of Howard County . The North Branch flows 20.9 miles (33.6 km) southward from its origins in Carroll County. Liberty Dam and its reservoir on the North Branch are major components of the Baltimore City water system. The Patapsco River mainstem begins at the confluence of the North and South Branches, near Marriottsville , about 15 miles (24 km) west of downtown Baltimore. Through most of its length,

1386-479: The viaduct until the repairs of 1937 and 1938, which, according to a 1949 report by the Chief Engineer of the B&O, would keep future maintenance to a minimum. From the 1880s to the 1950s, Thomas Viaduct carried B&O's famed Royal Blue Line passenger trains between New York and Washington. Until the late 1960s, the bridge also carried B&O passenger trains traveling to points west of Washington, such as

1428-575: Was commissioned by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O); built between July 4, 1833, and July 4, 1835; and named for Philip E. Thomas , the company's first president. Some claim it to be the world's oldest multiple arched stone railroad bridge. However, the Sankey Viaduct on the Liverpool and Manchester Railway was opened in 1830 and finally completed in 1833. At its completion, the Thomas Viaduct

1470-449: Was completed, a 15-foot (5 m) obelisk with the names of the builder, directors of the railroad, the architect (engineer) and others associated with the viaduct was erected at the east end in Relay, by builder John McCartney. On one side the monument reads: The Thomas Viaduct, Commenced July 4, 1833 Finished, July 4, 1835 . He also celebrated the completed work by having his men kneel on

1512-549: Was constructed in 1829 west along the Patapsco Valley; the nation's first railroad, the route remains, though much altered. Many railroad bridges were built in the valley, including the Thomas Viaduct , which is still in use, and the Patterson Viaduct , now in ruins. The 1907 hydropower Bloede's Dam powered flour mills. An 1868 flood washed away 14 houses and killed 39 people around Ellicott City . A 1923 flood topped bridges. In 1952, an 8 ft (2.4 m) wall of water swept

1554-412: Was constructed, including the Thomas Viaduct. This new line branched at Relay , the site of a former post road hotel and changing point for stage horses. The 1830s Relay House served as a hotel until it was replaced by the $ 50,078.41 (equal to $ 1,273,661 today) Viaduct Hotel in 1872. The Gothic combination railroad station and hotel operated until 1938 and was torn down in 1950. When the Thomas Viaduct

1596-518: Was designated a National Historic Landmark on January 28, 1964, and administratively listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 15, 1966. In 2010, the bridge was designated as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Civil Engineers . In 2014 and 2015, the non-profit historic preservation organization Preservation Howard County placed

1638-585: Was essential for supply trains to reach the capital of the Union during that conflict. Union troops stationed along its length heavily guarded the bridge to prevent sabotage. In 1929, extensive mortar work on the masonry was carried out, and again in 1937. To counteract the deterioration of the masonry, the Thomas Viaduct underwent more cosmetic upgrades in 1938 performed by the B&O Maintenance of Way Department. The work consisted primarily of improving facilities for drainage, relocation of loose arch ring stones, and

1680-512: Was the "... leading engineer and scholar of the emerging railroad industry on the continent of Europe." Because of railroad growth in the United States, von Gerstner felt the need to study American railroads, including the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and the Thomas Viaduct. Until after the American Civil War , the B&O was the only railroad into Washington, D.C. ; thus, the Thomas Viaduct

1722-462: Was the first European to explore the river, noting it on his 1612 map as the Bolus River. The "Red river", named after the clay color, is considered the "old Bolus", as other branches were also labeled Bolus on maps. As the river was not navigable beyond Elkridge, it was not a significant path of commerce; in 1723, only one ship was listed as serving the northern branch, and four others operating around

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1764-407: Was the largest railroad bridge in the United States and the country's first multi-span masonry railroad bridge to be built on a curve. In 1964, it was designated as a National Historic Landmark . In 2010, the bridge was designated as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Civil Engineers . The viaduct is now owned and operated by CSX Transportation and

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