GILBOA, N.Y. (AP) — New York City officials are concerned about low reservoir levels after months of little rain, saying they may delay repairs to a temporarily out-of-service aqueduct to bring more water into the stressed system.

Mayor Eric Adams issued a drought watch this month and urged city residents to save water by taking shorter showers and fixing leaky taps. But even with the voluntary measures, lower-than-normal rainfall since September has taken a toll on New York state’s vast network of reservoirs.

More than 100 miles (161 kilometers) north of Manhattan, the Schoharie Reservoir was less than a third of its capacity this week, exposing huge muddy slabs as the water receded. Scenes were similar in the Catskill Mountains near Ashokan Reservoir.

“The system as a whole is something we are concerned about. …The New York City system is currently at 63% capacity. Normally we would be at about 79% capacity. But the inflow coming into the reservoir system is near an all-time low,” Paul Rush, water supply manager for the city’s Department of Environmental Protection, said Wednesday.

Rush said during a visit to the Schoharie Reservoir this week that the water system needs a “significant rainfall.”

The dry weather comes during the temporary closure of an aqueduct in the state for repairs. The Delaware Aqueduct, which typically supplies more than half of the city’s water, was drained as part of a $2 billion project to address leaks.

Rush said the repair project was designed with points at which agency officials could decide whether to continue work based on factors such as supply levels and forecasts. One of those decision moments is coming soon.

“It is a possibility that we stop and turn the Delaware Aqueduct back on to restore full access to the entire range given these very, very dry conditions,” he said.