| Georgetown Reservoir | |
|---|---|
 TheCastle Gatehouse, modeled after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers insignia | |
  Georgetown Reservoir | |
| Location | District of Columbia |
| Coordinates | 38°54′44.43″N77°5′33.94″W / 38.9123417°N 77.0927611°W /38.9123417; -77.0927611 |
| Type | Reservoir |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Water volume | 140,000,000 US gallons (530,000 m3)[1] |
TheGeorgetown Reservoir is areservoir that provides water to theDistrict of Columbia. Part of the city’swater supply andtreatment infrastructure, it is located in thePalisades neighborhood, about two miles downstream from the Maryland–D.C. boundary.
The reservoir was built by theUnited States Army Corps of Engineers as part of theWashington Aqueduct project. It was partially completed by 1858, but work was suspended for lack of funds. Construction began again in 1862, and was complete in 1864.[2] Additional construction and modifications to the reservoir were carried out in the 1860s and 1870s.[3]
Water from theDalecarlia Reservoir is pumped to the Georgetown Reservoir for furthersedimentation before being treated at theMcMillan Reservoir. The reservoirs and the nearby Dalecarlia water treatment plant are operated by the Army Corps of Engineers. The treated water is distributed throughout the city inwater mains managed by theD.C. Water and Sewer Authority.
At the outlet of the Georgetown facility is asluice gate building that controls the flow of water intoWashington City Tunnel, which leads to the McMillan Reservoir. This structure, called theGeorgetown Castle Gatehouse, was built by the Army (c. 1901) in the shape of a castle.[3]
Due to its distinctive shape and location, the reservoir basin serves as a landmark for theRiver Visual approach to nearbyRonald Reagan National Airport.[4]