Grassy Sprain Reservoir facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Grassy Sprain Reservoir |
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 Grassy Sprain Reservoir
Location in New York
Grassy Sprain Reservoir
Location in the United States
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| Location | Yonkers, Westchester County, New York |
| Coordinates | 40°58′18″N 73°51′4″W / 40.97167°N 73.85111°W |
| Type | reservoir |
| Basin countries | United States |
The Grassy Sprain Reservoir is a large storage area for water in northern Yonkers, New York. It covers about 150-acre (61 ha) of land. This reservoir is like a giant natural pool that holds water for the city. It plays a very important role in providing clean drinking water to thousands of people.
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About the Grassy Sprain Reservoir
A reservoir is a special lake built by people to store water. The Grassy Sprain Reservoir was finished in 1876. It was built by the City of Yonkers to be their main water supply.
The reservoir was created by building a dam. This dam held back the water from two rivers: the Sprain Brook River and the Grassy Sprain River. The reservoir can hold a lot of water, up to 2,900 acre-feet (3,600,000 m3).
How the Water is Used
Water from the Grassy Sprain Reservoir is not sent directly to homes. First, it goes to a special water treatment plant. At this plant, the water is cleaned and filtered. This makes sure it is safe and ready for people to drink and use.
The Grassy Sprain Brook Dam
The dam that formed the Grassy Sprain Reservoir is called the Grassy Sprain Brook Dam. It is made of earth, which means it's built from soil and rocks.
Dam Size and Purpose
The dam is about 40 feet (12 m) high, which is like a four-story building. It stretches for about 600 feet (180 m) across the land. This dam helps to collect water from a large area, about 1.91 square miles (4.9 km2).
In 1919, the city of Yonkers had about 100,000 people living there. At that time, experts thought the reservoir could supply enough water for the city for about 85 days. This shows how important the reservoir was, and still is, for the community.
