For the past few months, Yonkers residents, drivers along the Sprain Brook Parkway and Westchester golfers have been asking: What’s going on with Sprain Lake Reservoir?
The body of water has lost most of its luster, with most of the H20 gone.
Greenburgh Supervisor Paul Feiner said he has been getting numerous emails and calls from town residents who are worried and are used to seeing the beautiful reservoir. Some have speculated that the reservoir was drained as part of a criminal investigation looking for dead
bodies.
The answer is not that exciting, nor worrisome. “The dam is being lowered so we can work on the spillway and the gates in the gatehouse,”
explained City of Yonkers Engineer Paul Summerfield. “To keep the dam in working order, we are required by DEC to be able to empty the dam in 14 days.”
In order to begin that maintenance, which was required by the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation, the city had to open the faucet, or valve, on the reservoir last month. The water level is low enough to do the required maintenance work and the water level
will rise once the city closes the valve, which will be soon.
However, it will take about six months for Mother Nature to rain enough to fill the reservoir to normal levels. But there is no drought, and the fish in the reservoir have enough water to survive.
The repair will cost the city $2 million to complete.
