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Coordinates: 42°19′21″N 71°30′45″W / 42.32250°N 71.51250°W / 42.32250; -71.51250
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{{Infobox protected area
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[[File:Metropolitan Water District map (Boston, MA, 1910).jpg|thumb|right|Metropolitan Water District system, 1910]]
| name = Sudbury Reservoir
| iucn_category =
| iucn_ref =
<!-- images -->
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| photo = Metropolitan Water District map (Boston, MA, 1910).jpg
| photo_caption = Metropolitan Water District system, 1910
<!-- map -->
| map = USA Massachusetts
| map_image =
| map_size =
| map_caption = Location in Massachusetts
| relief = 1
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| location = [[Middlesex County, Massachusetts|Middlesex County]] and [[Worcester County, Massachusetts|Worcester County]], [[Massachusetts]], United States
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| coordinates = {{coord|42|19|21|N|71|30|45|W|display=inline,title}}
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| area_acre = 4943
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| elevation = {{convert|249|ft|m|abbr=on}}<ref name=gnis>{{cite gnis|611400|Sudbury Reservoir}}</ref>
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| authorized =
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| established = 1894-1898
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| governing_body = [[Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation]]
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| website = [http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dcr/massparks/region-north/sudbury-reservoir.html Sudbury Reservoir]
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The '''Sudbury Reservoir''' (2.02 square miles) is a former [[Boston]] metropolitan water reservoir located in [[Framingham, Massachusetts|Framingham]], [[Marlborough, Massachusetts|Marlborough]], [[Southborough, Massachusetts|Southborough]], and [[Westborough, Massachusetts]], USA. It is now a state park administered by the [[Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation]].
The '''Sudbury Reservoir''' (2.02 square miles) is an emergency backup [[Boston]] metropolitan water reservoir in [[Massachusetts]], located predominantly in [[Southborough, Massachusetts|Southborough]] and [[Marlborough, Massachusetts|Marlborough]], with small sections in [[Westborough, Massachusetts|Westborough]] and [[Framingham, Massachusetts|Framingham]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.mass.gov/doc/sudbury-reservoir-fishing-map-and-rules/download |title=Wachusett and Sudbury Reservoirs Fishing Regulations |publisher=Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Water Supply Protection |via=mass.gov |access-date=November 26, 2019}}</ref> It was created when the [[Sudbury Dam]] was constructed to impound the Stony Brook branch of the [[Sudbury River]]; no part of the reservoir lies in the town of [[Sudbury, Massachusetts|Sudbury]]. Nearly {{convert|5000|acre}} in the Sudbury Reservoir watershed are administered by the [[Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation]] as a limited-access public recreation area.<ref name=dcr/>


==History==
⚫
The reservoir was first begun in 1878, as part of a system of reservoirs fed from the [[Sudbury River]] to supplement the [[Lake Cochituate]] system in [[Natick, Massachusetts|Natick]]. Today's reservoir was created by excavation from 1894-1898, with construction undertaken in sections. It was begun by the City of Boston but completed by the newly formed Metropolitan Water Board. All told, construction required moving about 4.5 million cubic yards of soil and boulders. Water began to fill the reservoir on February 8, 1897, with construction of the reservoir's new Sudbury Dam on the Stony Brook Branch of the Sudbury River completed later that year.
[[File:Sudbury Reservoir at Middle Road.jpg|thumb|right|A section of the reservoir as seen from Middle Road in Southborough]]
⚫
The reservoir was first begun in 1878, as part of a system of reservoirs fed from the [[Sudbury River]] to supplement the [[Lake Cochituate]] system in [[Natick, Massachusetts|Natick]]. Today's reservoir was created by excavation from 1894 to 1898, with construction undertaken in sections. It was begun by the City of Boston but completed by the newly formed Metropolitan Water Board (predecessor to the modern [[Massachusetts Water Resources Authority]]). All told, construction required moving about {{convert|4.5|e6cuyd|e6m3|abbr=off}} of soil and boulders. Water began to fill the reservoir on February 8, 1897, with construction of the reservoir's new [[Sudbury Dam Historic District|Sudbury Dam]] on the Stony Brook Branch of the Sudbury River completed later that year.<ref name=mwb/>


When completed, the reservoir's surface area was 2.02 square miles, its average depth was 17 feet and maximum depth was 65 feet, and its capacity was 7.253 billion gallons. The reservoir was linked to the [[Wachusett Reservoir]] on the west by the [[Wachusett Aqueduct]] (1898), and to the [[Weston Reservoir]] to the east by the [[Weston Aqueduct]] (1901).
When completed, the reservoir's surface area was {{convert|2.02|sqmi|km2}}, its average depth was {{convert|17|ft|m}} and maximum depth was {{convert|65|ft|m}}, and its capacity was {{convert|7.253|e9USgal|e9L|abbr=off}}.<ref name=handbook/> The reservoir was fed from the [[Wachusett Reservoir]] on the west by the [[Wachusett Aqueduct]] (1898), and by local streams. To improve the water quality of the local streams, [[Marlborough Brook Filter Beds|filter beds]] were constructed adjacent to the reservoir. The reservoir's water was delivered to the [[Weston Reservoir]] to the east by the [[Weston Aqueduct]] (1901), or via a channel to the Framingham reservoirs and the [[Sudbury Aqueduct]] to the [[Chestnut Hill Reservoir]].


In 1947 the obsolete Whitehall, Hopkinton, Ashland and Cochituate Reservoirs became state parks, and in 1976 the entire Sudbury System was officially reclassified as an emergency water supply. Today only the Sudbury Reservoir and Foss Reservoir (Framingham Reservoir No. 3) remain as reserve drinking water supplies.
In 1947, the obsolete [[Whitehall State Park|Whitehall]], [[Hopkinton State Park|Hopkinton]], [[Ashland State Park|Ashland]] and [[Lake Cochituate|Cochituate]] reservoirs became state parks; and in 1976, the entire Sudbury System was officially reclassified as an emergency water supply. Today only the Sudbury Reservoir and the [[Framingham Reservoir No. 3 Dam and Gatehouse|Foss Reservoir (Framingham Reservoir No. 3)]] remain as reserve drinking water supplies with the Weston and Sudbury aqueducts serving as reserve transmission.<ref name=dcr/> In an emergency the Sudbury and Foss reservoirs can be placed into service either as a primary source, as an alternate pass-through for Quabbin/Wachusett reservoir water in the event of a transmission problem blocking the normal transmission pathways, or as a supplemental source in a major drought. In all cases, the water would be untreated and would likely require boiling for consumption.


== See also ==
==Permitted activities==
The area's limited public access allows for picnicking, hiking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and shoreline fishing with restrictions.<ref name=dcr/>
* [[List of Massachusetts State Parks]]


== References ==
==References==
{{reflist|refs=
* Metropolitan Water Board (Massachusetts), ''Annual report'', 1898, pages 66-72.
<ref name=dcr>{{cite web|url=http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dcr/massparks/region-north/sudbury-reservoir.html |title=Sudbury Reservoir |work=MassParks |publisher=Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs |access-date=February 9, 2014}}</ref>
⚫
* Science and industry, Volume 6, The Colliery Engineer Company, International Textbook Company : Scranton, Pennsylvania, February-December 1901.

* American Association for the Advancement of Science, ''A handbook of the principal scientific institutions of Boston and vicinity'', Rockwell and Churchill Press, 1898, page 85.
<ref name=mwb>{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/stream/annualreportmet03boargoog#page/n97/mode/2up |title=Third Annual Report |publisher=Metropolitan Water Board |location=Boston |year=1898 |pages=66–72 |access-date=February 25, 2017}}</ref>
⚫
* [http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/northeast/sudbury.htm Sudbury Reservoir (Department of Conservation and Recreation)]

<ref name=handbook>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3OFX0rDCFGgC&q=sudbury+reservoir |title=A Handbook of the Principal Scientific Institutions of Boston and Vicinity |author=American Association for the Advancement of Science |publisher=Rockwell and Churchill Press |location=Boston |year=1898 |page=85 |access-date=February 25, 2017}}</ref>
}}

==Additional sources==
⚫
* Science and Industry, Volume 6, The Colliery Engineer Company, Scranton, Penn: International Textbook Company, February–December 1901.

==External links==
⚫
*[http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dcr/massparks/region-north/sudbury-reservoir.html Sudbury Reservoir] Department of Conservation and Recreation
*[https://www.mass.gov/files/documents/2016/08/tl/dfwsudbu.pdf MassWildlife Map and information]

{{Protected Areas of Massachusetts}}
{{Massachusetts canals and reservoirs}}

{{authority control}}


[[Category:Reservoirs in Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Reservoirs in Massachusetts]]
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[[Category:Southborough, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Southborough, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Westborough, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Westborough, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Parks in Middlesex County, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Parks in Worcester County, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Lakes of Middlesex County, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Lakes of Worcester County, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:1898 establishments in Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Infrastructure completed in 1898]]

Latest revision as of 18:55, 26 August 2023

Sudbury Reservoir
Metropolitan Water District system, 1910
Map showing the location of Sudbury Reservoir
Map showing the location of Sudbury Reservoir
Location in Massachusetts
LocationMiddlesex County and Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States
Coordinates42°19′21″N 71°30′45″W / 42.32250°N 71.51250°W / 42.32250; -71.51250[1]
Area4,943 acres (20.00 km2)[2]
Elevation249 ft (76 m)[1]
Established1894-1898
Governing bodyMassachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation
WebsiteSudbury Reservoir

The Sudbury Reservoir (2.02 square miles) is an emergency backup Boston metropolitan water reservoir in Massachusetts, located predominantly in Southborough and Marlborough, with small sections in Westborough and Framingham.[3] It was created when the Sudbury Dam was constructed to impound the Stony Brook branch of the Sudbury River; no part of the reservoir lies in the town of Sudbury. Nearly 5,000 acres (2,000 ha) in the Sudbury Reservoir watershed are administered by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation as a limited-access public recreation area.[2]

History[edit]

A section of the reservoir as seen from Middle Road in Southborough

The reservoir was first begun in 1878, as part of a system of reservoirs fed from the Sudbury River to supplement the Lake Cochituate system in Natick. Today's reservoir was created by excavation from 1894 to 1898, with construction undertaken in sections. It was begun by the City of Boston but completed by the newly formed Metropolitan Water Board (predecessor to the modern Massachusetts Water Resources Authority). All told, construction required moving about 4.5 million cubic yards (3.4 million cubic metres) of soil and boulders. Water began to fill the reservoir on February 8, 1897, with construction of the reservoir's new Sudbury Dam on the Stony Brook Branch of the Sudbury River completed later that year.[4]

When completed, the reservoir's surface area was 2.02 square miles (5.2 km2), its average depth was 17 feet (5.2 m) and maximum depth was 65 feet (20 m), and its capacity was 7.253 billion US gallons (27.46 billion litres).[5] The reservoir was fed from the Wachusett Reservoir on the west by the Wachusett Aqueduct (1898), and by local streams. To improve the water quality of the local streams, filter beds were constructed adjacent to the reservoir. The reservoir's water was delivered to the Weston Reservoir to the east by the Weston Aqueduct (1901), or via a channel to the Framingham reservoirs and the Sudbury Aqueduct to the Chestnut Hill Reservoir.

In 1947, the obsolete Whitehall, Hopkinton, Ashland and Cochituate reservoirs became state parks; and in 1976, the entire Sudbury System was officially reclassified as an emergency water supply. Today only the Sudbury Reservoir and the Foss Reservoir (Framingham Reservoir No. 3) remain as reserve drinking water supplies with the Weston and Sudbury aqueducts serving as reserve transmission.[2] In an emergency the Sudbury and Foss reservoirs can be placed into service either as a primary source, as an alternate pass-through for Quabbin/Wachusett reservoir water in the event of a transmission problem blocking the normal transmission pathways, or as a supplemental source in a major drought. In all cases, the water would be untreated and would likely require boiling for consumption.

Permitted activities[edit]

The area's limited public access allows for picnicking, hiking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and shoreline fishing with restrictions.[2]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Sudbury Reservoir". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  2. ^ a b c d "Sudbury Reservoir". MassParks. Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. Retrieved February 9, 2014.
  3. ^ "Wachusett and Sudbury Reservoirs Fishing Regulations". Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Water Supply Protection. Retrieved November 26, 2019 – via mass.gov.
  4. ^ Third Annual Report. Boston: Metropolitan Water Board. 1898. pp. 66–72. Retrieved February 25, 2017.
  5. ^ American Association for the Advancement of Science (1898). A Handbook of the Principal Scientific Institutions of Boston and Vicinity. Boston: Rockwell and Churchill Press. p. 85. Retrieved February 25, 2017.

Additional sources[edit]

  • Science and Industry, Volume 6, The Colliery Engineer Company, Scranton, Penn: International Textbook Company, February–December 1901.

External links[edit]

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sudbury_Reservoir&oldid=1172384785"