Middle Branch Reservoir is among the 12 reservoirs in New York City

New York City

New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

's Croton watershed. It is located in the Town of Southeast

Southeast, New York

Southeast is a town in Putnam County, New York, United States. The population was 17,316 at the 2000 census. The town is in the southeast part of the county. Interstate 84, Interstate 684, US Route 202, and US Route 6 pass through the town.- History :...

 in Putnam County

Putnam County, New York

Putnam County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, in the lower Hudson River Valley. Putnam county formed in 1812, when it detached from Dutchess County. , the population was 99,710. It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. The county seat is the hamlet of Carmel...

, 35 miles (65 km) north of the city.

It drains an area of 21 square miles (55 km²) reaching into Dutchess County

Dutchess County, New York

Dutchess County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, in the state's Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley. The 2010 census lists the population as 297,488...

. At full capacity, it holds 4.1 billion gallons (6.4 million m³). It covers 400 acres (1.6 km²), with an average depth of 31 feet (9.4 m), although some areas in the reservoir's southern extent reach 50 feet (15 m).

It was created in 1878 by damming the Middle Branch of the Croton River

Croton River

The Croton River is a river in southern New York that begins where the East and West Branches of the Croton River meet a little way downstream from the Croton Falls Reservoir...

.