New Croton Reservoir facts for kids
Quick facts for kids New Croton Reservoir |
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 New Croton Reservoir
Location in New York
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| Location | Westchester County, New York |
| Coordinates | 41°13′58.65″N 73°50′23.27″W / 41.2329583°N 73.8397972°W |
| Type | reservoir |
| Primary inflows | Croton River |
| Primary outflows | Croton River |
| Catchment area | 57 sq mi (150 km2) |
| Basin countries | United States |
The New Croton Reservoir is a large lake in Westchester County, New York. It's a super important part of the New York City water supply system, helping to bring fresh water to millions of people! This reservoir is about 22 miles (35 km) north of New York City. Think of it as a giant collection point for water from all the other lakes and rivers in the Croton Watershed area.
Contents
Building the New Croton Reservoir
The story of the New Croton Reservoir began a long time ago. In 1842, a part of the Croton River was blocked by the Old Croton Dam. This created a smaller lake called Croton Lake. This was a big deal because it was New York City's very first water source from outside the city! The water traveled all the way to Manhattan through a special channel called an aqueduct.
Expanding the Water Supply
As New York City grew, it needed even more water. So, a much bigger dam, the New Croton Dam, was finished in 1905. This new dam made the existing Croton Lake much larger, creating the huge New Croton Reservoir we see today. At that time, it was one of the biggest reservoirs in the entire New York City water supply system.
The New Croton Reservoir is quite impressive! It collects water from a huge area of about 57 square miles (148 km²). The reservoir itself is about 9 miles (14 km) long. When it's completely full, it can hold an amazing 19 billion US gallons (72,000,000 m3) of water. That's a lot of water!
How Water Travels to the City
Water from the New Croton Reservoir flows into another special channel called the New Croton Aqueduct. This aqueduct carries the water to the Jerome Park Reservoir in The Bronx.
Once in The Bronx, this water mixes with water from another big channel, the Catskill Aqueduct. This mix of water then travels through the New York City areas of Brooklyn and Staten Island. This is how fresh drinking water reaches many homes and businesses in the city!
Gallery
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A view of the reservoir
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Water treatment at the reservoir
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A plaque at the New Croton Aqueduct
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The AMVETS Memorial Bridge, one of several bridges crossing the reservoir
