Information
Landmark: Nesbitt ReservoirCity: Wilkes Barre
Country: USA Pennsylvania
Continent: North America
Nesbitt Reservoir, Wilkes Barre, USA Pennsylvania, North America
Overview
The Nesbitt Reservoir, tucked into Spring Brook Township in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, serves as a crucial source of water for the region.It’s a vital source of fresh drinking water for tens of thousands of people in the area, and it also anchors local environmental efforts, from wetland protection to careful runoff control.The reservoir sits beside Pennsylvania Route 502 in Spring Brook Township, just northeast of Scranton, where the road curves past a stand of tall pines.It sits about 1,112 feet-roughly 339 meters-above sea level, high enough for the air to feel crisp in the morning.The Nesbitt Reservoir draws most of its water from Spring Brook, the Lackawanna River’s second-largest tributary, where cool, clear currents eventually wind into the Susquehanna River Basin.The reservoir stores roughly 1.3 billion gallons of water-enough to make it one of the area’s biggest sources for the city’s supply, with its surface stretching wide under the afternoon sun.A stone dam, rising about 101 feet and stretching 780 feet across, holds back the reservoir, its design built to keep the water secure and the surrounding area safe.Nesbitt Reservoir’s main job is to supply drinking water to about 75,000 people in nearby towns, reaching into parts of Lackawanna and Luzerne Counties, where taps run clear and cold from its depths.Pennsylvania American Water Company (PAWC), a private utility, owns and runs the system, handling everything from water treatment to distribution and keeping the pipes in good shape.In 2012, crews wrapped up a $27.4 million overhaul of the dam, reinforcing its structure, boosting safety, and meeting Pennsylvania’s environmental protection standards.The upgrades strengthened the dam, widened the spillways, and added sharper, real-time monitoring.The reservoir sits in a ring of dense forest, where deer move quietly through the trees, birds call overhead, and fish ripple the water’s edge.This spot once had winding nature trails where you could follow the sound of rushing creeks, catch sight of glistening waterfalls, and stand at the edge of the reservoir.The reservoir’s waters hold a mix of freshwater fish-smallmouth and largemouth bass, chain pickerel, yellow perch, common carp, even spotted bass glinting under the sun.You can fish here if you’ve got the right permit from Pennsylvania American Water-keep it handy, like a crisp card tucked in your wallet.The reservoir once drew crowds for whitewater rafting-especially on the stretch from Nesbitt to Moosic-but now, because it serves as a drinking water source, public access for recreation is tightly restricted.To keep the water clean, the reservoir’s off-limits to most visitors, so you can’t hike, boat, or swim there-even the dock’s chain rattles in the wind.We keep the area locked to stop any contamination, even a stray speck of dust.The Nesbitt Reservoir plays a vital role in the region’s water system, delivering clean, dependable drinking water-every drop clear and cold straight from the source.The management works to protect the environment while meeting the demands of a growing population, like ensuring clean water flows to every home.The reservoir must stay healthy and secure-it’s our source of drinking water and the lifeline for the forests and wetlands around it.Nesbitt Reservoir isn’t just a stretch of blue on the map-it’s a carefully managed lifeline that delivers clean water to thousands, shelters herons and fish in its quiet coves, and helps keep the region’s environment in balance.Recreational activities are kept in check to protect the water, but the reservoir still stands as a key part of northeastern Pennsylvania’s scenery and vital infrastructure, its calm surface reflecting the sky.
