ROCKVILLE, Md. -- A week after the neighborhood around Lake Needwood in Montgomery County was evacuated due to fears the dam would break, officials announced Thursday that the lake will be drained.

The news is disappointing for anyone who has enjoyed boating or fishing on the lake or simply enjoyed the lake environment. In a week, Lake Needwood will become a muddy ravine.

Slideshow: Images From Dam

Valves have been opened wide, and the lake is draining at a rate of about three feet a day.

Last week, thousands of people who live near the lake were evacuated due to concerns about the dam's stability. Saying safety trumps recreation, officials with the Maryland Department of the Environment ordered the lake to be drained.

"That's really the cause of concern, that we would have a storm and it would rise to the level where the seepage occurred, and if it worsened, we would have to go back into evacuation mode," said engineer Michael Riley.

Last week's leaks at the base of the earthen dam have stopped, but now the question is whether the dam can withstand future flooding. Also, in the event of a repeat of last week's flooding, an empty reservoir could accommodate extra water without creating the pressure that sprung leaks last week.

Several species of fish live in the lake, and there is a plan under way to figure out how to net up some of the live fish and transfer them to another lake. Odor is another concern. Once the lake is drained, dead fish and drying muck might create a bad odor in the area.

Eventually, the lake could be refilled, but first engineers must study the dam, determine what needs to be done to shore it up and make the repairs before filling it back up. That process could take years.