UPPER ROXBOROUGH RESERVOIR became fully operational in 1909. Flat Rock Pumping Station was built around the time the reservoir was built. Water from the Schuylkill River was pumped up to the reservoir, where it passed through sand filters and was distributed to the surrounding community by gravity. After 53 years in operation, the facility closed in 1962 and since then has undergone a slow decline.
Mother Nature has taken over. You will get to see first hand how wonderfully she is doing.
The northern basin still holds water. The southern basin has dried out and the Philadelphia Parks Department has restored this area into a meadow that will be available to the public summer 2017.
THE GREAT TOAD MIGRATION: When spring conditions are just right, warm and rainy, the toads emerge from the woodlands by the hundreds. They begin their journey to the reservoir and back. Dozens of volunteers help out by slowing the traffic to avoid these toads.
WILDLIFE: I have been lucky to see 6 deer, a fox, hundreds of red winged blackbirds, groundhogs, snakes, and of course the toads.
THE ONLY WAY TO THE CACHE IS: Use the parking coords - please. You will then have to climb down a spillway and back up.. Then there is a nice mossy path, on the berm, leading to the cache. Enjoy continuing on the path if you would like - but DON'T go into the young meadow as it is not accessible for the public until summer 2017.
CITO is always nice. And no signature = no credit.