Hutchinson River Parkway Detritus Was Used to Fill Much of the Pelham Reservoir in 1925

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There is a lovely lake in Pelham.  Known as the "Pelham Reservoir," it long served as one of the principal sources of drinking water for our Villages.  By the mid-1920s, however, all of Pelham grew increasingly concerned with the quality of the water sourced from Pelham Reservoir.  As Pelham Manor, Pelham, and North Pelham worked on finding alternative water sources, construction began on the new Hutchinson River Parkway that cut through the small valley through which the Hutchinson River flowed.  

The New Rochelle Water Company had been working for years to bring Catskill Mountain water to Pelham Manor by connecting to the aqueduct system that carried that water through the Hudson Valley. Indeed, in November, 1928, the New Rochelle Water Company installed new pumping equipment that enabled it to draw Catskill water and deliver it to Pelham Manor. Barely a month later, the new pumping equipment began giving trouble and had to be repaired. 

During the repairs, Pelham Manor had to revert to consuming reservoir water during a prolonged drought. Once the pumping equipment was repaired, use of the reservoir water had drawn water levels to such a low that the repaired pumping equipment had to be deployed to refill the reservoir to ensure its availability during a water emergency rather than using it to move Catskill water to Pelham Manor.

To make matters worse, in late 1925 as construction crews excavated the landscape for the new Hutchinson River Parkway, they needed somewhere to deposit the dirt and debris.  In late November, for example, two steam shovels were stationed near today's Lincoln Avenue and were digging out about 1,000 cubic yards of material daily to get the river valley ready for the roadbed.  

According to a report in The Pelham Sun:

"The old Pelham reservoir north of the New Haven railroad tracks is now being slowly filled in with the material excavated north of East Lincoln avenue and although 100,000 cubic yards of material will be available in that way, it will be necessary to haul in from other places 96,000 cubic yards of dirt and gravel.  The reservoir extends from First street to Fourth street and is from 60 to 150 feet wide.  I has been cut in two by a dam and the filling is being done from the south end at present."

Detail of 1910 Map Showing Pelham Reservoir and Filter

Beds. Source: Bromley, George W. & Bromley, Walter S., Untitled

Map Bounded by Town of East Chester, City of New Rochelle, Pelham

Station, Clarefmont Avenue and Central Boulevard in Atlas Of Westchester

County, Vol. One, p. 17 (Philadelphia, PA: G. W. Bromley & Co., 1910).

NOTE:  Click on Image to Enlarge.

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Wed., Mar. 11, 2015:  Research Regarding the History of the Pelham Reservoir in Today's Willsons Woods Park.

Wed. May 27, 2015:  A Portion of the Pelham Reservoir Dam Was Destroyed in 1896 to Save the Filter Beds.

Tue., May 26, 2015:  1921 Report of Inspection of the Pelham Reservoir Water Supply System.

Mon., May 04, 2015;  Pelham Manor's Efforts to End Use of the Pelham Reservoir for Drinking Purposes.

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"Steam Shovels on Parkway Through By Next Summer
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Contract Calls for All Excavation Work to be Through by July, 1926
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The excavation work on the Hutchinson River Parkway will be completed by July 1, 1926 from New Rochelle Road to Boston Post Road, according to Superindent James O'Flannagan who is in charge of the work.  Two steam shovels are now stationed near East Lincoln avenue and First avenue and are digging out about 1000 cubic yards of material daily, in an effort to get the river valley ready for the roadbed of the boulevard.  The road will wind and thread its way along-side the channel of the Hutchinson River and will make an ideal drive on a crisp autumn day.

The old Pelham reservoir north of the New Haven railroad tracks is now being slowly filled in with the material excavated north of East Lincoln avenue and although 100,000 cubic yards of material will be available in that way, it will be necessary to haul in from other places 96,000 cubic yards of dirt and gravel.  The reservoir extends from First street to Fourth street and is from 60 to 150 feet wide.  I has been cut in two by a dam and the filling is being done from the south end at present.  

Superintendent O'Flanagan reports that the most serious difficulty has been encountered so far has beeen the 200 yards of solid rock found north of East Lincoln avenue.  It has also been difficult to relocate 500 feet of 10-inch water main, but an acetylene torch has been used to cut up the water main into lengths convenient for transference.

Besides steam shovels, compressed air drills and dynamite will be called into service and work will continue all winter on the Parkway.  There is 5000 cubic yards of rock to blast out, most of which is found near Boston Road and just north of East Lincoln avenue."

Source:  Steam Shovels on Parkway Through By Next Summer -- Contract Calls for All Excavation Work to be Through by July, 1926,The Pelham Sun, Nov.. 27, 1925, p. 3, col. 2.

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