[2] It was formed by the construction of a dam on the Rockaway River completed in 1904[1] on the site of the original town of Boonton.

[11] In June 2014, Jersey City installed a new $5.8-million (equivalent to $7.35 million in 2023[12]) gravity pipeline that brings water from the reservoir to the on-site treatment facility.

[13] On September 28, 2018, officials from Jersey City and the Morris County Park Commission announced a plan to create a nature preserve and 7.7-mile (12.4 km) educational hiking trail around the reservoir that will allow for passive recreation while protecting the water supply with additional security measures.

[15] In March 2019, a body was found floating in the reservoir,[16] eventually identified as Boonton resident Sean Stohl who had been reported missing since November 2018.

[17] On August 23, 2020, the body of a 55-year-old female was recovered by dive teams and a state police chopper.