Improvements to the dam and water supply intake at the Cooper Lake reservoir in the Town of Woodstock have been completed, Kingston mayor Steve Noble announced last Friday. The $18-million project came in two million dollars under budget, the mayor reported.
The level of water in the reservoir, primary supply for the City of Kingston’s tap water, had been kept artificially low during construction, causing the city to issue a drought alert.
Construction included a new water supply intake tower, new outlet works, new metering chamber and controls, a new spillway and energy dissipation structure, the raising and flattening of the slope of the main dam, and leveling of the 1500-foot-long west dike.
Schnabel Engineering and Thalle Construction were responsible for the design and construction of the project.
“We are proud of our pristine water and, with these improvements, have undertaken the costliest capital project in the Kingston Water Department’s history,” said Noble.
With the construction over, the city ends its drought alert. The reservoir level can be restored by rains like that experienced this past Sunday night and Monday morning. At full capacity, the reservoir will contain 1.2 billion gallons of water principally from the Mink Hollow stream.