The town of Cannonsvile was destroyed to make room for the reservoir, which lies within the towns of Tompkins and Deposit.
Its 455 square miles (1,180 km2) drainage basin is the largest of all of the NYC reservoirs. Capacity is 95.7 billion US gallons (362,000,000 m3). Water from the reservoir flows through the 44-mile (71 km) West Delaware Tunnel into the Rondout Reservoir, before joining the 85-mile (137 km) Delaware Aqueduct, which provides New York City with about 50% of its drinking water.
The Cannonsville Dam is being considered as a site for a 14.08MW hydroelectric generating station.[3]
Recreation
No motor boats are allowed on the reservoir; non-motorized boats that have been steam-cleaned and that have required tags may be used in the reservoir during the summer.[4]
^Boating, New York City Department of Environmental Protection. Accessed October 4, 2023. "All boaters must obtain a free DEP Access Permit and all boats must be steam cleaned by a DEP certified steam cleaning vendor before being placed on a resevoir[sic].... Recreational boating (boating for non-anglers) is allowed on Cannonsville, Pepacton, Neversink and Schoharie Reservoirs during the summer.... Non-motorized kayaks, canoes, rowboats, and sculls with the appropriate recreational boat tags may be used."