| Round Valley Reservoir | |
|---|---|
| Location | Clinton Township, New Jersey |
| Lake type | Reservoir |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | over 2,300 acres (9.3 km2) |
| Max. depth | 180 ft (55 m) |
| Water volume | 55,000,000,000 US gal (0.21 km3) |
| Surface elevation | 381 ft (116 m) |
The Round Valley Reservoir in Clinton Township of the U.S. state of New Jersey was formed in 1960 when the New Jersey Water Authority constructed two large dams and flooded a large valley in the state's Hunterdon County. The reservoir is named after the naturally formed circular valley surrounded by Cushetunk Mountain. The deep Valley was caused by erosion of the soft sedimentary rock. The surrounding ridges of Cushetunk Mountain endure because they were underlaid with dense and durable volcanic rock diabase that cooled slowly under the surface of the earth.
Reaching depths of 180 feet (55 m), this 2,350 acre (8 km²) reservoir is best known for its pristine clear blue waters. The reservoir contains 55 billion US gallons (210,000,000 m3) of water for use in central New Jersey, and is distributed during times of drought via the nearby south branch of the Raritan River . The New Jersey Division of Wildlife (a department of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection) claims the reservoir is the southernmost body of water that contains naturally reproducing lake trout. Some of the other species of fish in the lake include bass, pickerel, catfish, american eel, yellow perch, brown trout, and rainbow trout. The park also has a wilderness area for camping, swimming facilities, a boat ramp and nature hiking and biking trails. The reservoir has been called the Bermuda Triangle of New Jersey, and over 25 people have drowned there since 1971. 6 of them have never been found.[1]