Geist Reservoir is a reservoir

Reservoir

A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...

 in Lawrence

Lawrence, Indiana

As of the census of 2000, there were 38,915 people, 14,853 households, and 10,337 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,937.8 people per square mile . There were 16,292 housing units at an average density of 811.3 per square mile...

, Indiana

Indiana

Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...

, U.S.

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

, constructed in 1943 by damming Fall Creek

Fall Creek (Indiana)

Fall Creek is a non-navigable waterway in Indiana, and a tributary of the White River. It is long and has a watershed drainage area of in central Indiana before flowing into the White River in Indianapolis...

 to provide water for Indianapolis. Upon completion, Geist Reservoir was the second largest man made lake in Indiana providing approximately seven billion gallons of water.

History

Geist Reservoir was named after Clarence Geist, a former owner of the Indianapolis Water Company who foresaw a deficit in Indianapolis's water supply, and envisioned Geist Reservoir to preemptively address the problem – but not without a casualty. Planning for the reservoir began as early as 1913, when hydraulic engineers estimated that White River

White River (Indiana)

The White River is a two-forked river that flows through central and southern Indiana and is the main tributary to the Wabash River. Via the west fork, considered to be the main stem of the river by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names, the White River is long.-West Fork:The West Fork, long, is...

 and Fall Creek would not provide enough water for the increasing needs of Indianapolis. Geist gradually bought some 5000 acres (20.2 km²) in Fall Creek Valley in the 1920s and 1930s, including the small town of Germantown, which today lies at the bottom of the reservoir.

Although controversial, the reservoir was completed in 1943, five years after Clarence Geist's death. In the 1960s further controversy arose over plans for commercial and residential development in the area around the lake. A proposal in the 1970s to triple the size of the reservoir was defeated, and a housing boom began in the lake area. In recent years the Geist area has experienced rapid growth. The area is noted for its unique topography and the reservoir.

Description

The dam which creates Geist Reservoir is located at the lake's southern end. Fed by Fall Creek on the north, the lake overflow is directed into the creek again at the south. The reservoir is mostly rather shallow (ten feet or less). The area has undergone rapid development, many high-valued homes now line the reservoir's waterfront and within some of the most affluent ZIP codes in Indianapolis.

Geist Reservoir is 1900 acre (769 ha) and spans three counties in Indiana (Marion

Marion County, Indiana

Marion County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. Census 2010 recorded a population of 903,393, making it the largest county in the state and 55th most populated county in the country, greater than the population of six states. The county seat is Indianapolis, the state capital and...

, Hamilton

Hamilton County, Indiana

Hamilton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. Census 2010 recorded a population of 274,569. The county seat is Noblesville....

, and Hancock

Hancock County, Indiana

Hancock County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2010, the population was 70,002. The county seat is Greenfield.-Geography:...

), four voting precincts, four school districts (Lawrence

Metropolitan School District of Lawrence Township

The Metropolitan School District of Lawrence Township is a school district in northeast Marion County, Indianapolis, Indiana. It covers an area of and in 2010 had a student enrollment just under 16,000....

, Hamilton Southeastern

Hamilton Southeastern Schools

Hamilton Southeastern School District is the primary school system for students living in Fishers, Indiana and portions of neighboring Noblesville, Indiana. The district consists of twelve elementary schools , three intermediate schools , three junior high schools , and two high schools...

, and Mt. Vernon), and features five different ZIP code

ZIP Code

ZIP codes are a system of postal codes used by the United States Postal Service since 1963. The term ZIP, an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan, is properly written in capital letters and was chosen to suggest that the mail travels more efficiently, and therefore more quickly, when senders use the...

s (46037, 46256, 46236, 46040, 46055).