The Reservoir Natural Resources Section is responsible for the management of Loch Raven, Prettyboy and Liberty Reservoirs and their surrounding City-owned buffer lands. The Section coordinates three programs to accomplish this task:

Environmental Program

• Inspections of dams and intake facilities
• Water quality monitoring of Loch Raven, Prettyboy, Liberty, and Conowingo Reservoirs
• Water quality monitoring of tributary streams
• Water quality monitoring of industrial and municipal discharges
• Zebra mussel monitoring in the reservoirs
• Benthic invertebrate monitoring in tributary streams
• Submersed aquatic vegetation monitoring in the reservoirs
• Fishery surveys in the reservoirs
• Prettyboy Dam tailwater fishery surveys in the Gunpowder Falls
• Gypsy moth egg mass surveys in the forests
• White-tailed deer population surveys in the forests
• Deer exclosure monitoring in the forests
• Wood duck nest box monitoring and maintenance
• Invasive plant species monitoring in the forests
• Weather monitoring 

Maintenance Program

• Three watershed maintenance facilities: Loch Raven, Prettyboy and Liberty
• Grass mowing
• Forest maintenance
• Snow plowing and salting of paved watershed roads (26 miles)
• Fire road maintenance (200 miles)
• Property and structure maintenance
• Graffiti removal
• Trash pick up

Visitor And Resource Protection Program

The mission of the Baltimore Environmental Police is “Protecting the Baltimore Metropolitan Water Supply Region from Terrorism, Pollution and Crime.” The force – a unit of the Baltimore City Department of Public Works – serves a multi-jurisdictional area with full powers of arrest.

The Baltimore Environmental Police ask citizens to report crimes and suspicious activity in and around the reservoirs or other critical infrastructure areas. Emergency calls should go to 911. Other reports should go to 410-517-3600.

You can also email the Acting Chief; Luke Brackett

Remember, visitors are welcome to enjoy our reservoirs and the surrounding forests, but these are not parks. Protecting our water supply is our first responsibility, so individuals who violate our reservoir regulations can and will be prosecuted.