The West Branch Reservoir is a reservoir in the New York City water supply system . Formed by impounding the upper reaches of the West Branch of the Croton River , it is located in the Putnam County, New York , towns of Kent , and Carmel , about 50 miles (80 km) north of New York City .
17-558: Put into service in 1895, West Branch is one of 12 reservoirs in the system's Croton Watershed , and second northernmost. Building the Reservoir required displacing some of the earliest settlements along the West Branch of the Croton River including Coles Mills . It receives the flow of the upstream Boyds Corner impoundment, and, when needed, of Lake Gleneida , a controlled lake in
34-798: Is distributed. Water in excess of New York City's needs spills over the New Croton Dam at the New Croton Reservoir and is carried by the Croton River into the Hudson River at Croton-on-Hudson, New York , about 30 miles north of the Metropolitan area. The Croton Watershed is a term describing a part of the New York City water supply system. It is not synonymous with the biological feature Croton River watershed . Numerous small natural lakes and ponds, as well as large Lake Mahopac , are within
51-578: Is over 350 square miles (910 km ) in area and holds some 115 billion US gallons (440,000,000 m ) of fresh water. Largely physically overlapping the New York City water supply system 's Croton Watershed , the Croton River watershed represents the drainage and flow of some seven rivers, one dozen reservoirs , three controlled lakes , large Lake Mahopac , and countless smaller lakes and ponds. The vast majority of this water ends up at
68-668: The Catskill Aqueduct before entering tunnels that carry it to the Hillview Reservoir in Yonkers , at the city's northern boundary. There it enters the city's direct water supply distribution system, flowing via tunnels through the boroughs of The Bronx , Queens , and Brooklyn . The water finally stops at Staten Island . Water in excess of New York City's needs at the West Branch Reservoir goes over its spillway and into
85-588: The Croton Falls Reservoir . Together, their waters and the reservoirs linked to them represent the northern half of the New York City water system's Croton Watershed. Shortly after the confluence of the three Croton River branches the Croton River proper, along with its tributary, the Muscoot River , flow into the Muscoot Reservoir , after which it empties into the New Croton Reservoir , which feeds
102-411: The Croton Falls Reservoir . Together, their waters and the reservoirs linked to them represent the northern half of the New York City water system's Croton Watershed. Shortly after the confluence of the three Croton River branches the Croton River proper, along with its tributary, the Muscoot River , flows into the Muscoot Reservoir , after which it empties into the New Croton Reservoir , which feeds
119-635: The Jerome Park Reservoir in the Bronx via the New Croton Aqueduct , from which it is distributed to New York City. Water in excess of the City's needs spills over the New Croton Dam at the New Croton Reservoir and is carried by the Croton River into the Hudson River at Croton-on-Hudson, New York , about 30 miles north of the Metropolitan area. The Croton River watershed is a hydrological feature,
136-414: The New Croton Aqueduct supplying water to New York City via the Jerome Park Reservoir in the Bronx . Excess water leaves the spillway at the New Croton Dam and empties into the Hudson River at Croton-on-Hudson, New York at Croton Point , about 30 miles (50 km) north of New York City. The river has a watershed area of 361 square miles (930 km ). Limited recreation is permitted within
153-568: The 361 sq mi (930 km ) drainage basin of the Croton River and its tributaries. It is not synonymous with the Croton Watershed , a term describing the rivers, reservoirs, dams, pump systems, and other infrastructure of the southernmost watershed of the New York City water supply system . Numerous small natural lakes and ponds, as well as large Lake Mahopac , are within the river's watershed but not owned, leased, or controlled by
170-597: The City supply system. Primarily, however, it receives water from the much larger Rondout Reservoir in the Catskill Mountains on the west bank of the Hudson River via the Delaware Aqueduct . It serves as a supplementary settling basin for these waters before releasing its flow back into the aqueduct to be carried to the Kensico Reservoir in southern Westchester County . The Delaware Aqueduct inflow to
187-454: The City water supply system (even though they too ultimately drain into it). A map of the actual Croton Watershed is found here. The Croton River ( / ˈ k r oʊ t ən / KROH -tən ) is a river in southern New York with three principal tributaries: the West Branch , Middle Branch , and East Branch . Their waters, all part of the City water supply system, join downstream from
SECTION 10
#1732854728156204-576: The Croton Watershed. Its guidelines and requirements are listed here . Croton River watershed This page is about the Croton River watershed, a hydrological feature. For the component of the New York City water supply system with a similar name, see Croton Watershed The Croton River watershed is the drainage basin of the Croton River and its seven tributary rivers, a hydrological feature in southeastern New York State . Spanning large swaths of Putnam and Westchester counties, it
221-492: The West Branch Croton River, which is captured downstream by the Croton Falls Reservoir . Croton Watershed The Croton Watershed is the New York City water supply system 's name for its southernmost watershed and its infrastructure, an organized entity rather than a mere hydrological feature. Spanning large swaths of Putnam and Westchester counties in far southeastern New York State , it represents
238-750: The West Branch Reservoir will be shut down from October 2024 to May 2025 while a section of the Aqueduct is being repaired. During that time, the West Branch Reservoir will remain open with natural flow from the Croton River and the Boyd's Corner reservoir. There will be minimal downstream releases to increase the reserve in the Croton system. West Branch Reservoir has a 20 square mile (32 km) drainage basin, and can hold up to 8 billion US gallons (30,000,000 m) of water at full capacity. It consists of two basins, separated by State Route 301 . During drought periods
255-799: The West Branch also receives water pumped in from the Hudson River by the city's Chelsea Pumping Station near Beacon in Dutchess County , some 65 miles (105 km) from New York City. It was used for this purpose during the 1965–66 and 1985 droughts, as well as during May 1989. Water withdrawn from the West Branch ordinarily flows via the Delaware Aqueduct to the Kensico Reservoir in Westchester County for further settling. There it mixes with additional Catskill system water carried by
272-483: The drainage, flow, and operating systems of some seven rivers, one dozen reservoirs , and three controlled lakes falling within the Croton River watershed . Over 350 square miles (910 km ) in area, the Watershed holds some 100 billion US gallons (380,000,000 m ) of fresh water. The vast majority of this ends up at the Jerome Park Reservoir in the Bronx via the New Croton Aqueduct , from which it
289-495: The river's watershed but not part of the NYC water supply system (even though they too ultimately drain into it). A map of the actual Croton Watershed is found here. The Croton River ( / ˈ k r oʊ t ən / KROH -tən ) is a river in southern New York with three principal tributaries: the West Branch , Middle Branch , and East Branch . Their waters, all part of the New York City water supply system , join downstream from
#155844