Final answer:
The initial depth of the reservoir was approximately 226.09 meters.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the initial depth of the reservoir, we need to calculate the original depth before the increase. We can use the formula for percentage increase: increase = percentage increase * original value. In this case, the increase is 52 meters and the percentage increase is 23%. Let's replace these values in the formula and solve for the original value:
52 meters = 0.23 * original value
To isolate the original value, we divide both sides of the equation by 0.23:
original value = 52 meters / 0.23
Using a calculator, we can find that the original depth of the reservoir was approximately 226.09 meters.