Good Question: Why is the water level low in the Cobbs Hill Reservoir?

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Why is some of the water in the Cobbs Hill Reservoir missing?

The path around the Cobbs Hill Reservoir is a popular spot for walkers and runners in the city. If you’ve visited the park in the last month or so, you might’ve noticed the water levels are lower.

Danielle asks: “What is going on at the Cobbs Hill Reservoir?” Another viewer is also curious, writing: “Why has much of the water been drained from the reservoir?”

There’s even a discussion about it on Reddit. Some are wondering if it’s being drained so that it can be cleaned. The City of Rochester confirmed that the Water Bureau is in the process of emptying the reservoir so that it can be cleaned and undergo routine maintenance.

That cleaning and maintenance project is expected to start in late October. The city says the reservoir should be totally empty by the end of September. It can hold up to 144 million gallons of water, so emptying it and filling it can be time consuming. It likely won’t be filled up again for a couple months.

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