Lake Elkhorn
Encyclopedia
Lake Elkhorn is a 37 acres (149,733.8 m²) reservoir
located in the Owen Brown
area of Columbia, Maryland
. It is surrounded by a park
and townhouse
s. The lake, which was built in 1974, is named for the Elkhorn branch of the Little Patuxent River. It is Columbia's third and largest lake. Its main features are a small dam
and a park with a picnic
pavilion and a two-mile (3 km) walking path around the lake. The path was built in 1982.
The lake is overseen by the Columbia Association. The lake's location behind a large number of townhouse
s, though considered an attractive feature to homeowners, has raised concern following the drowning of a small child on September 2, 2005. A movement was started soon after to erect a fence around the lake, but the community was split over this need, and a consultant concluded a fence was not necessary.
Reservoir
A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
located in the Owen Brown
Owen Brown, Columbia, Maryland
Owen Brown is one of the 10 villages in Columbia, Maryland, USA, incorporated in 1972. Neighborhoods in the village include Dasher Green, Elkhorn, and Hopewell...
area of Columbia, Maryland
Columbia, Maryland
Columbia is a planned community that consists of ten self-contained villages, located in Howard County, Maryland, United States. It began with the idea that a city could enhance its residents' quality of life. Creator and developer James W. Rouse saw the new community in terms of human values, not...
. It is surrounded by a park
Park
A park is a protected area, in its natural or semi-natural state, or planted, and set aside for human recreation and enjoyment, or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. It may consist of rocks, soil, water, flora and fauna and grass areas. Many parks are legally protected by...
and townhouse
Townhouse
A townhouse is the term historically used in the United Kingdom, Ireland and in many other countries to describe a residence of a peer or member of the aristocracy in the capital or major city. Most such figures owned one or more country houses in which they lived for much of the year...
s. The lake, which was built in 1974, is named for the Elkhorn branch of the Little Patuxent River. It is Columbia's third and largest lake. Its main features are a small dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
and a park with a picnic
Picnic
In contemporary usage, a picnic can be defined simply as a pleasure excursion at which a meal is eaten outdoors , ideally taking place in a beautiful landscape such as a park, beside a lake or with an interesting view and possibly at a public event such as before an open air theatre performance,...
pavilion and a two-mile (3 km) walking path around the lake. The path was built in 1982.
The lake is overseen by the Columbia Association. The lake's location behind a large number of townhouse
Townhouse
A townhouse is the term historically used in the United Kingdom, Ireland and in many other countries to describe a residence of a peer or member of the aristocracy in the capital or major city. Most such figures owned one or more country houses in which they lived for much of the year...
s, though considered an attractive feature to homeowners, has raised concern following the drowning of a small child on September 2, 2005. A movement was started soon after to erect a fence around the lake, but the community was split over this need, and a consultant concluded a fence was not necessary.