Rocky Gorge Reservoir
Maryland reservoir on the Patuxent River
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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).
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| Rocky Gorge Reservoir | |
|---|---|
| T. Howard Duckett Reservoir | |
| |
  Rocky Gorge Reservoir  Rocky Gorge Reservoir | |
| Location | Burtonsville, Maryland Laurel, Maryland |
| Coordinates | 39°07′29″N 76°54′22″W |
| Type | reservoir |
| Patuxent River | |
| Patuxent River | |
| 132 mi2 (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] |
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.
Namesake
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]