DeRuyter Reservoir

DeRuyter Reservoir (also known as Tioughnioga Lake)[2] is a man-made lake located north of Puckerville, New York. Fish species present in the lake include smallmouth bass, pickerel, yellow perch, rock bass, black bullhead, common sunfish, and walleye. There is access by fee on the south shore at the general store.[3]

DeRuyter Reservoir
A portion of DeRuyter Reservoir pictured from the dam
LocationMadison County, Onondaga County, New York, United States
Coordinates42°48′53″N 75°53′27″W
TypeReservoir
Primary inflowsMill Brook
Primary outflowsLimestone Creek
Basin countriesUnited States
Surface area576 acres (2.33 km2)
Average depth15 feet (4.6 m)
Max. depth53 ft (16 m)
Shore length15.8 miles (9.3 km)
Surface elevation1,280 ft (390 m)[1]
Islands2
SettlementsPuckerville, New York
1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure.

History

In 1856, an estimate for a reservoir on Limestone Creek put the cost at $118,367.55.[4]:962 Construction of the reservoir was authorized by the Canal Board in January 1861, and it was opened in 1863.[5] Charles A. Beach was in charge of initial construction.[6]:1148 The upper Tioughnioga Creek was diverted into the reservoir.[7]:140 The initial purpose was to provide additional water to the Erie Canal during the dry season.[5] In 1862, the reservoir was "brought into use, though not completed". It was completed the following year, at a total cost of $126,026.82.[4]:964

In 1899, it was reported that the reservoir had 622 acres (2.52 km2) of surface area and a capacity of 500,000,000 cubic feet (14,000,000 m3). Located at the headwaters of Limestone Creek, the reservoir could provide an additional 4,000 cubic feet (110 m3) per minute to the canal, for 100 days. Though DeRuyter Reservoir was supposed to ensure the canal remained navigable between "Lock No. 39 and a point nine miles west of Higginsville, New York", the reservoir had proved insufficient by 1864, and it was suggested that a feeder canal be constructed at Fish Creek.[5][4]:264 By 1867, it was considered that the reservoir was 'entirely inadequate' to supply the canal.[4]:272

In the summer of 1950, the reservoir was drained to facilitate repairs costing around $100,000.[8] That year, The Post-Standard reported that the dam was "saturated by leaks". It reportedly was up to 70 feet (21 m) high and 1,500 feet (460 m) wide.[9] In 2019, the Rome Sentinel reported that the dam was going to be renovated.[10]

A panorama of DeRuyter Reservoir taken in Summer 2020 from the dam. Construction work on the dam has largely been finished, but is still ongoing.
  • A view of DeRuyter Reservoir in summer 2020, taken from the dam
  • A view of DeRuyter Reservoir in summer 2020, taken from the dam
  • The back of the DeRuyter Reservoir dam in summer 2020, construction is ongoing
  • The DeRuyter Reservoir dam in summer 2020
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References
  1. "DeRuyter Reservoir". dec.ny.gov. NYSDEC. 1998. Retrieved 4 May 2017.
  2. Hunter, Rod (1970-07-20). "Sportsman's Corner". The Post-Standard. p. 15. Retrieved 2020-08-04 – via Newspapers.com .
  3. Sportsman's Connection (Firm) (2011-01-01), Western Adirondacks New York fishing map guide: includes lakes & streams for the following counties: Allegany, Broome, Cattaraugus, Cayuga, Chautauqua, Chemung, Cortland, Erie, Livingston, Madison, Monroe, Niagara, Onondaga, Ontario, Orleans, Oswego, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Tioga, Tompkins, Wayne, Wyoming, and Yates., Sportsman's Connection, ISBN 978-1-885010-63-6, OCLC 986498446
  4. Whitford, Noble S. (1906). History of the Canal System of the State of New York Together With Brief Histories of the Canals of the United States and Canada: Volume I. Brandow Printing Company.
  5. Annual Report of the State Engineer and Surveyor for the Fiscal Year Ending ... State Engineer and Surveyor. 1899. pp. 499–500.
  6. Annual Report of the State Engineer and Surveyor for the Fiscal Year Ending . State Engineer and Surveyor. 1906.
  7. "Annual report of the State Engineer and Surveyor for the fiscal year ending ... 1906 Supplement". New York State Engineer and Surveyor. Retrieved 2020-08-04.
  8. "DeRuyter Reservoir to Be Drained While Dam Repaired". The Post-Standard. 1950-03-18. p. 16. Retrieved 2020-08-04 – via Newspapers.com .
  9. "State Finalizes Plans to Repair DeRuyter Reservoir Dam". The Post-Standard. 1950-07-18. p. 20. Retrieved 2020-08-04 – via Newspapers.com .
  10. "19th century reservoir to be rehabbed". Rome Daily Sentinel. Retrieved 2020-08-04.
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