Griffy Lake in Bloomington Indiana
As of the census 2010, Bloomington had an area of 23.59 square miles, whereby 0.199 are covered by water, and the rest is land. In matters concerning climate, it could help if you knew that southern Indiana receives well-distributed rainfall whereby the yearly average is almost 50 inches. Concerning geology, the city is a region characterized by irregular limestone terrain.
The city’s terrain is covered by caves, sinks, underground streams, ravines, and springs. In this terrain, you can locate the Mitchell plain and Norman Uplands located towards the southern side of Indiana. Therefore, it is concluded that the city has varied topography, which is an acute contrast to the more even terrain that starts from the center to the northern parts of Indiana. Lake Griffy, which is sometimes called Griffy Reservoir, is a large reservoir in Bloomington created by a dam on Griffy Creek in the early 1920s. Some years back, the lake used to serve as the main source of fresh drinking water.
However, the role was taken up by Lemon Lake and Monroe Lake in the late 1950s. The reservoir spans 109 acres, and its water volume is 1,280-acre-feet. The lake’s surface elevation is 633 feet, and its largest forested part is designated as the Griffy Lake Nature Preserve. Also, checkout this Spaying and Neutering Vet in Bloomington Indiana.
History of the Lake!
In the 20th century, there was a need to satisfy the requirements for the tremendously growing city, not to forget Indiana University. Thus, the government of Indiana opted for the construction of dams strategically on different tributaries of Clear Creek located towards the southern part of the town.
This led to the development of many reservoirs like Tin Lakes and Wapehani Lake, to mention but a few. However, because of the Mitchell Limestone sub-soils in the region, the reservoirs leaked water continuously, thus making it difficult for the government to supply water to the city and particularly to the university, where many students needed constant water supply.
This was when the university board decided to construct its reservoir. Therefore, the university President Lowe Bryan William drafted a committee led by E. R. Cumings, a geology professor, recommended a site to construct a new reservoir on March 8, 1910. This site is currently known as the University Lake. Cumings recommended that the dam be constructed on an impervious knob stone by blocking a ravine of a young tributary from Griffy Creek located on the northeast side of the IU campus.
Tributary of Beanblossom Creek
With that said, it could help if you knew that Griffy Creek is a tributary of Beanblossom Creek that, in turn, flows into the White River found in the West Fork of Indiana. Additionally, the University Lake that is 40′ tall underwent several construction stages between 1910 and 1914. After the university constructed the reservoir in 1923, the Bloomington Water Company started constructing an extensive dam on the creek.
In 1924 is when the Griffy Dan was constructed, thus forming Lake Griffy. Upon completion of the 40′ tall concrete arched reservoir, it led to the creation of the present-day Griffy Reservoir. The pond was later expanded to stand 44′ and 900′ long. It is quite an amazing place to visit and enjoy the nice scenery.
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