History
Tar River reservoir

In 1958, the United States Army Corps of Engineers surveyed and proposed three sites for a reservoir to serve as the primary drinking water source for the City of Rocky Mount. The United States Army Corps of Engineers designated these sites along the Tar River for future growth and the city's water needs.

The Rocky Mount area experienced a severe drought in the fall of 1968, prompting the completion of the Tar River Reservoir in 1971 at an estimated cost of 1.1 million dollars. It is geographically located along NC Highway 97 and the Bend of the River Road. The average high water elevation is 125 feet above sea level and covers 1,859.5 acres, including the Sapony Creek area. The reservoir holds 4.3 billion gallons of water at a mean high water elevation. It is over 11 miles long. The deepest part of the reservoir is approximately 40 feet deep, and the average depth in the channel is 15 feet.