Rocky Gorge Reservoir

Rocky Gorge Reservoir
T. Howard Duckett Reservoir
Rocky Gorge Reservoir Show map of Maryland Rocky Gorge Reservoir Show map of the United States
Location	Burtonsville, Maryland Laurel, Maryland
Coordinates	39°07′29″N 76°54′22″W / 39.124667°N 76.906099°W / 39.124667; -76.906099
Type	reservoir
Primary inflows	Patuxent River
Primary outflows	Patuxent River
Catchment area	132 sq mi (340 km2)
Basin countries	United States
Surface area	773 acres (313 ha)
Average depth	74 ft (23 m)
Water volume	5,500,000,000 US gal (0.021 km3)
Surface elevation	266 ft (81 m)<[1]

Rocky Gorge Reservoir is located on the Patuxent River in Howard, Montgomery, and Prince George's counties in Maryland, between Laurel and Burtonsville. The reservoir was created in 1952 by the construction of the T. Howard Duckett Dam on the Patuxent.^[2] The dam is visible from Interstate 95 near milemarker 34. Because of its close association with a dam by the name, the reservoir is sometimes called the T. Howard Duckett Reservoir. It has a surface area of 773 acres (313 ha).^[3] The reservoir is maintained as a drinking water source by the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC).

WSSC provides recreational facilities to the public on portions of the Rocky Gorge property, including hiking, picnicking, fishing, boating, horseback riding, and hunting.^[4] Local fish species include pike and largemouth bass.

T. Howard Duckett drafted the law officially establishing the WSSC as a permanent bicounty agency.^[5] Following lobbying by E. Brooke Lee, the law was passed, effective May 1, 1918.^[5] Duckett was named one of the three first official commissioners.^[5]

• Triadelphia Reservoir

• "Patuxent River Profile" (PDF). Montgomery County, Maryland Department of Environmental Protection. February 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 14, 2012.
• Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission
• topo map