This is one of ten caches placed for
Cache Across Maryland
(CAM) 2012.
Each location was picked specifically to give you a taste of the
state
and show you just a part of its beauty.
By visiting all ten CAM caches, you'll be able to see why Maryland
is truly
"America in Miniature". We hope you enjoy them!
THIS CACHE IS ONLY AVAILABLE FROM DAWN TO DUSK!
The Prettyboy watershed, home for the headwaters of the
Gunpowder River, is a place loved by residents and visitors alike
for its rural and scenic beauty.
Prettyboy Reservoir sits behind the scenic Prettyboy Dam on the
Gunpowder River. Popular for hiking, mountain biking,
road cycling, fishing, and boating Prettyboy makes a fun weekend
adventure only minutes up Interstate 83 from Baltimore City.
Hunting is also permitted (archery only); special permits apply.
Prettyboy is also popular for swimming, though this activity is
prohibited. Sport bike riders and sports car enthusiasts also flock
to the roads in the parklands that surround the reservoir.
Prettyboy Reservoir occupies 206.5 sq/km of northern Baltimore
County, Md. also known as the Hereford Zone. Even though the reservoir is located in
the county, Baltimore City owns the reservoir and the surrounding
land. The reservoir is one of three reservoirs created to supply
the Metropolitan Baltimore municipal water system. Prettyboy
Reservoir, along with Loch Raven Reservoir that is downstream on
the Gunpowder Falls, provide about 61% of the drinking
water for the entire Baltimore Metropolitan system. For this
reason, the Prettyboy is considered a “source water” or
drinking water watershed. The reservoir on average contains about
19 billion US gallons (72,000,000 m3) of water.
The water from Prettyboy Reservoir is transferred to Loch Raven
Reservoir via Gunpowder Falls rather than directly to Baltimore. It
is then transferred via tunnel from Loch Raven to the Montebello
Filtration Plants in Baltimore for treatment and distribution.
Prettyboy Dam, completed in 1932, impounds the Gunpowder Falls to
create the Reservoir. The dam has a spillway crest elevation of 520
ft (160 m) above Mean Sea Level and covers about 1,500 acres (6.1
km2).
The listed coordinates will take you to 3 plaques located at the
middle of Prettyboy Dam. Please locate the construction plaque for
the answers to the following questions, which will give you the
coordinates to Stage 2 at:
N 39 37.ABC
W076 42.DEF
A = 2nd
digit in the maximum depth of the water.
B = 1st
digit in the total capacity of the reservoir.
C = 2nd
digit in the total height from the rock foundation to the
sidewalk.
D = 1st
digit in the number for the Backwater above the dam.
E = 2nd
digit in the circumference of the reservoir.
F = The
number of bridges built.
Parking for Stage 2 is located at: N39 37.193 W076 44.117
From here it will be a 1.2 mile hike to the cache. Most of the hike
will be on gentle rolling fire roads, but please be prepared.