Morse Reservoir is a large reservoir located in northwestern Hamilton County, Indiana. The reservoir is owned and operated by Citizens Energy Group, a corporation formerly known as the Indianapolis Water Company, which created the lake in 1956. The reservoir serves both as a significant source of drinking water and of recreation and flood control for nearby areas. It is primarily located within the town of Cicero, which itself is situated on the lakefront of Morse. The area around Morse has seen significant residential development in recent years.
Geography Morse Reservoir is located from the city of Noblesville, and from the city of Indianapolis. The reservoir has a surface area of , a length of around , and a shoreline length of approximately . The land surrounding Morse Reservoir is primarily agricultural, however there are also a significant amount of homes located on the shoreline of Morse. The reservoir feeds two treatment plants designed for water collection, as well as the feed of the larger White River to the east of the reservoir.
There are two parks located on the shoreline of Morse Reservoir, those being the Red Bridge Park and the Morse Park and Beach.
History Morse Reservoir began operation in March 1956 as part of plan to create a large water source for the Indianapolis metropolitan area to the south. The reservoir was created by the Indianapolis Water Company and the reservoir was named after Howard S. Morse, the company's former CEO who had, at the time of the reservoir's creation, had been associated with the company since 1925. The creation of the reservoir was performed through the damming of Cicero Creek via an earthfill dam. It was the third major reservoir constructed to serve the Indianapolis metropolitan area.
The construction of Morse Reservoir altered the development of the nearby town of Cicero, which saw the destruction of several structures including a bridge in order to facilitate the creation of Morse. However, the reservoir's construction also led to further development and growth in the town, which has since quintupled in population since the reservoir was completed. In the 1970s, the Indianapolis Water Company constructed a real estate project along the reservoir which spurred further growth in the region. Because the reservoir is designed to serve communities downstream of the reservoir, the city of Cicero cannot utilize the water from Morse for drinking purposes.
In 2005, the Morse Waterways Association was established with the goal of maintaining the reservoir. In recent years, the reservoir has begun to experience significant blooms of cyanobacteria. The reservoir has also been increasingly affected by droughts, with several in recent years causing water levels at the reservoir to drop considerably.
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