State orders Lake Needwood drained for repair assessments

State officials have ordered Lake Needwood drained in order to repair an earthen dam that began leaking during last week’s torrential rains, forcing the evacuations of thousands of Rockville residents.

The Maryland Department of the Environment’s Dam Safety Division, which has regulatory authority over the dam, declared the dam unsafe Wednesday and ordered corrective actions even though it no longer is leaking, Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission spokeswoman Marion Joyce said Thursday.