Falling Water Levels at NYC Reservoir Uncovers Suspicious Package Submerged for Years

A sharp drop in water levels at a Staten Island reservoir has revealed a taped package containing a pistol and brass knuckles, drawing attention after a local resident discovered the items during an unsanctioned visit to the exposed shoreline, as reported by The New York Post.

The discovery was made at Silver Lake Reservoir, where water levels have fallen more than eight feet over the past year.

The decline is the result of a city-directed water conservation strategy that halted routine refilling of the reservoir.

Chris Sammon, a Staten Island native and avid fisherman, said he noticed the unusual package while exploring newly exposed areas of the reservoir.

“You can see somebody had bundled something up and taped it to this rock with like a mile of tape, which piqued my interest about it,” Sammon said.

Sammon said his initial concern was that the package could contain remains of an animal.

“I figured it was probably either somebody’s pet that they had given some kind of weird water burial to, or it was probably a weapon of some sort,” he told The Post.

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“So I was a little concerned that it was going to be some decomposed animal, but luckily it was not.”

Instead, Sammon discovered a pistol and a pair of brass knuckles wrapped together.

He said he immediately turned the items over to a nearby police officer, noting the possibility that the weapons could be tied to a long-unsolved crime.

“I would’ve kept the brass knuckles,” Sammon said, explaining why he chose to alert authorities instead.

NYC reservoir drops 8 feet, uncovering sinister package wrapped in tape https://t.co/JEzfy7v9rP pic.twitter.com/hJbCaUzrsq

— New York Post Metro (@nypmetro) December 28, 2025

The find was one of several unusual discoveries following the significant drop in water levels at Silver Lake.

According to city data, the reservoir held 239.5 million gallons of water as of Dec. 17, well below its roughly 400-million-gallon capacity.

That figure represents a steep decline from 361.5 million gallons recorded in October of the previous year, equating to an 8.5-foot reduction in depth.

“That I can remember, that’s definitely the lowest. I don’t think I’ve ever seen it getting close to that level. Every year it seems to go low, but not like that,” Sammon said.

The city’s New York City Department of Environmental Protection stopped refilling the reservoir during a summer heat wave, citing concerns about drinking water supplies amid conditions that mirrored last year’s historic drought.

While New York City ultimately avoided a formal drought declaration, 20 other counties in the state, including Nassau and Suffolk, were placed under drought watch.

As of Dec. 24, state reservoirs were reported to be at 74.5 percent capacity, more than 13 percent below normal levels.

“From the Cannonsville Reservoir far upstate to the southernmost tip of Staten Island, DEP carefully manages the city’s reserves of drinking water,” a DEP spokesperson said in a statement.

“DEP’s top priority is conserving as much water as possible in our upstate reservoirs to ensure this valuable supply is available when needed.”

The agency added, “For that reason, we do not plan to refill Silver Lake immediately, as its purpose is purely aesthetic.”

Despite warnings that Silver Lake is off-limits, residents have continued to explore the newly exposed shoreline.

In addition to the weapon cache, visitors have reported finding discarded phones, golf balls believed to have come from a nearby course, and large amounts of trash.

A pipe normally hidden underwater has also become visible, which DEP officials said is “part of the reservoir’s infrastructure.”

While no timeline has been set to restore water levels, DEP officials indicated refilling could occur if upstate reservoirs are replenished through rainfall or snowpack.

Until then, authorities continue to caution the public against entering restricted areas around the reservoir.

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