Rocky Gorge Reservoir

{{short description|Maryland reservoir on the Patuxent River}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2022}}

{{Use American English|date=December 2022}}

{{Infobox body of water

| name = Rocky Gorge Reservoir

| image = Rocky Gorge Reservoir (26464835236).jpg

| location = Burtonsville, Maryland Laurel, Maryland

| coords = {{coord|39.124667|N|76.906099|W|format=dms|type:waterbody_region:US-MD|display=inline,title}}

| type = reservoir

| inflow = Patuxent River

| outflow = Patuxent River

| catchment = {{convert|132|mi2|km2|abbr=on}}

| basin_countries = United States

| area = {{convert|773|acre|ha|abbr=on}}

| depth = {{convert|74|ft|m|abbr=on}}

| volume = {{convert|5500000000|USgal|km3|abbr=on|lk=on}}

| elevation = {{convert|81|m|order=flip|abbr=on}}<{{gnis|597978}}

| pushpin_map = Maryland#USA

| pushpin_map_alt = Location of Rocky Gorge Reservoir in Maryland, US

| other_name = T. Howard Duckett Reservoir

}}

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.Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission. Laurel, MD. [http://www.wsscwater.com/home/jsp/content/wssc-history.faces "The WSSC -- A Thumbnail History."] June 2007. 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 {{convert|773|acre|ha}}.Maryland Department of the Environment. Baltimore, MD.[http://www.mde.state.md.us/programs/Water/TMDL/ApprovedFinalTMDLs/Documents/www.mde.state.md.us/assets/document/Patuxent_Reservoir_TMDL_main_06-13-08_final.pdf "Total Maximum Daily Loads of Phosphorus and Sediments for Triadelphia Reservoir (Brighton Dam) and Total Maximum Daily Loads of Phosphorus for Rocky Gorge Reservoir, Howard, Montgomery, and Prince George's Counties, Maryland."] Final. June 2008. p. 4. 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.{{Cite news|url=https://www.waysideinnmd.com/blog/rocky-gorge-reservoir/|title=Top 5 Things to Do at the Rocky Gorge Reservoir {{!}} The Wayside Inn|date=February 9, 2016|work=The Wayside Inn|access-date=July 13, 2017|language=en-US}} Local fish species include pike and largemouth bass.