In 1950, the City of Morgantown acquired the property associated with the existing water works, including the Tibbs Run Reservoir. Among the last additions at Tibbs Run was a small chemical and meter building built in 1961 that is no longer visible. During the 1960s, the Tibbs Run Reservoir supplied water primarily for the Sabraton, Rock Forge, Marilla Park, and Jerome Park areas, while Cobun Creek Reservoir, built in 1957, and the Monongahela River supplied water to the rest of the expanding town. As continual improvements to the overall system ended the need for clean mountain water, the City of Morgantown stopped using the Tibbs Run Reservoir in 1969. After it closed, the area became an informal recreation site where locals fished for largemouth bass, bluegills, and catfish, and others swam or picnicked, until that activity ceased after the reservoir was drained in 1980. After the reservoir was drained, the basin returned in many ways to its natural state, with plants and trees growing in the reservoir clearing made more than 100 years earlier, and today a small seasonal pond stands around the old outlet tower as people walk the trails, enjoy the natural setting, view the gardens, and take part in activities and events at the West Virginia Botanic Garden.