Monksville Reservoir facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Monksville Reservoir |
|
|---|---|
.jpg) |
|
 Monksville Reservoir
Location in New Jersey
Monksville Reservoir
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | Ringwood / West Milford, Passaic County, New Jersey |
| Coordinates | 41°07′20″N 74°17′59″W / 41.122217°N 74.299829°W |
| Type | Reservoir |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Max. length | 3 mi (4.8 km) |
| Surface area | 505 acres (2.04 km2) |
| Max. depth | 90 ft (27 m) |
| Water volume | 7 billion US gallons (26,000,000 m3) |
| Surface elevation | 400 ft (120 m) |
The Monksville Reservoir is a large, man-made lake in West Milford, New Jersey, United States. It was created in 1987 by building a dam on the Wanaque River. The reservoir is named after the old community of Monksville, New Jersey, which was moved and then covered by water when the lake was finished.
Contents
Why Monksville Reservoir Was Built
The Monksville Reservoir was built to help with water shortages in northern New Jersey. In the 1980s, there wasn't enough water because of dry weather. This new reservoir helped by adding more water to the nearby Wanaque Reservoir.
The Monksville Reservoir holds about 7 billion gallons of water. It is owned by two water companies: the Hackensack Water Company and the North Jersey District Water Supply Commission.
Where to Find Monksville Reservoir
This lake is located inside Long Pond Ironworks State Park. This park is in Hewitt, New Jersey, which is part of West Milford, New Jersey. The park is famous for its old stone walls and furnaces. These are reminders of a time when people worked with iron in this area.
The park is managed by the New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry. Before the reservoir was built, the state bought land here to make it part of the park.
When the reservoir was being planned, about 15 homes were bought by the state. The families living there had to move. Two historic homes were carefully moved to new locations. Other buildings were taken down. One business also had to move, and its building was demolished.
How Monksville Reservoir Was Built
Building the reservoir started in 1985. Workers cleared the land and crushed gravel right there on the site. This gravel was then used for construction.
A road called Stonetown Road was moved to go over the new dam. An old bridge that was put in place in 1977 was taken apart to be used somewhere else. The Monksville dam is about 0.4 miles long. Another road, Greenwood Lake Turnpike, was also moved to higher ground.
The dam holds back water from the Wanaque River. This river flows down from Greenwood Lake. A special overflow area, called a spillway, was built. This allows water to flow into the Wanaque Reservoir below. When the water level is low, water from Monksville Reservoir is released into the Wanaque Reservoir through an intake tower. This tower can mix water from different depths of the Monksville.
The dam was built using a special concrete mix called rollcrete. This mix was made from dirt, gravel, and cement found on site. Large trucks spread this dry mix. Then, water trucks would sprinkle the mix every 30 minutes, day and night, to help it harden. The side of the dam facing the water was covered with concrete. The other side was made of earth. In 2007, the earthen side was also covered with concrete.
Building the actual dam began in March 1987 and was finished by August 1987. The governor at the time, Thomas Kean, was there for the opening ceremony in the autumn of 1987. The reservoir filled up very quickly and was full by October 1987.
Fun Things to Do at Monksville Reservoir
The Monksville Reservoir is a popular spot for many activities.
- Fishing: Many people enjoy fishing here. The reservoir is known for its large fish, including muskellunge, walleye, bass, and trout.
- Boating: The lake is used by different boating groups.
- The Society for the Education of American Sailors (SEAS) uses the lake.
- It is also home to the Highlands Rowing Center, North Jersey Rowing, and the Advanced Community Rowing Association.
- The Suffern High School Varsity & Novice Crew teams use the reservoir for their practices.
