Water Levels At Shenipsit Lake Reservoir 'Typical' For Early Summer

TOLLAND, CT — So far, 2022 has been a typical year for the massive reservoir that serves a good chunk of north-central Connecticut and eastern Connecticut.

As of Thursday, water levels at Shenipsit Lake were about 3 feet away from "full." In other words, the Snip's at 82 percent of capacity, Connecticut Water Company officials said.

That is "pretty typical" for this time of year, which is a stark contrast from drought conditions in 2020 and historic rainfall in 2021, utility officials said.

Shenipsit Lake, the primary reservoir in the region, sits in parts of Tolland, Vernon and Ellington and has a capacity of 5 billion gallons. The potable water operation is overseen by Connecticut Water.

Gov. Ned Lamont recently proclaimed July "National Lakes Appreciation Month," in Connecticut, joining a number of other states in the nation that have made similar proclamations.

The month "celebrates" the "value that lakes and reservoirs bring to Connecticut: providing drinking water, irrigation, energy, recreation, scenic beauty and habitat for wildlife," among a plethora of other benefits.

Connecticut Water maintains 12 active surface water sources (lakes/reservoirs) throughout the state. Shenipsit Lake Reservoir offers a recreation program in partnership with the state Department of Public Health, and the utility's 2020 purchase of 154 acres of land adjacent was designed to further protect the reservoir as a public water supply source.