Brighton Dam
Triadelphia Reservoir
2 Brighton Dam Road, Brookville, Maryland 20833
Amenities: Portable toilets in the parking lot.
Special Attractions: Brighton Dam, straddling the border between Howard County on the east and Montgomery County on the west, forms the southern boundary of Triadelphia Reservoir. It is one of the area’s premier birding locations for much of the year. The sidewalk along the north side provides a view of one of the county’s premier birding sites. A recreation/picnic area is adjacent to the parking lot below the dam along the Patuxent River. For a few weeks in spring, the Azalea Gardens on the north side of the road are a significant attraction.
Maps and permit available in the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) office in the parking lot. Access permits are required for all land and water uses of either Triadelphia or T. Howard Duckett reservoirs.
Handicapped Access: Crossing Brighton Dam Road is not always easy. The water is only visible over the almost four foot cement barrier adjacent to the sidewalk. The sidewalk is usually not shoveled after snowstorms. There are wide paved paths in the picnic area below the dam; however, slopes are steep.
Habitat: The dam spans the southern end of Triadelphia Reservoir. Brighton Dam Road runs along the top of the dam. Standing on Brighton Dam facing north, one is looking at a cove of Triadelphia Reservoir. The deciduous wooded edges on the east are in Howard County; those on the west are in Montgomery County. There may be unvegetated spits of land visible depending on the height of the water. A small section of the main reservoir can be seen in the distance. Various buoys and posts serve as convenient perches for birds. Precipitation, water usage, and dam maintenance affect the water level—and the potential birds. During low water, a spit emerges from the Howard side.
Layout: Brighton Dam Road runs along the top of the dam. From the parking lot, cross the road to access the sidewalk on the north side (no permit needed for sidewalk use). The sidewalk is wide enough for tripod use, but heavy traffic requires care in maneuvering around people and scopes. Snow and ice are not removed. There is a good view of water and sky.
From the dam, one looks out on an expanse of water constituting the southern end of the reservoir. This site draws birders looking for varied waterfowl, herons, gulls, terns, eagles, and Cliff Swallows (that nest on the dam).
Compilers: Nancy Magnusson and Joanne Solem
