Tuttle Creek Lake

infobox lake
lake_name = Tuttle Creek Lake
image_lake = Tcdam-fromwest.jpg
caption_lake =
image_bathymetry =
caption_bathymetry =
location = northeast Kansas
coords = coord|39|20|N|96|40|W|type:waterbody_region:US-KS|display=inline,title
type = reservoir
inflow = Big Blue River
outflow = Big Blue River to Kansas River
catchment = 25,000 km² (9,600 mi²)
basin_countries = United States
length = 25 km (16 mi)
width = 2 km (1.3 mi)
area = 50 km² (19 mi²)
depth =
max-depth = 15 m (50 ft)
volume = convert|0.41|km3|abbr=on|lk=on (normal level)
residence_time =
shore = 160 km (100 mi)
elevation = 328 m (1075 ft)
islands =
cities = Manhattan
reference = cite web|url=http://www.nwk.usace.army.mil/tuttlecreek/tuttle_home.htm|title=Tuttle Creek Lake|publisher=U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City District|accessdate=2007-01-15] cite web|url=http://www.kdwp.state.ks.us/fishing/where_to_fish_in_kansas/fishing_locations_public_waters/region_2/tuttle_creek_reservoir|title=Tuttle Creek Reservoir|publisher=Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks|accessdate=2007-01-15]

Tuttle Creek Lake is a man-made reservoir on the Big Blue River 5 miles (8 km) north of Manhattan, in the Flint Hills region of northeast Kansas. It was built and is operated by the Army Corps of Engineers for the purpose of flood control.

The lake is bordered by Tuttle Creek State Park, which features convert|1200|acre|km2 of recreational areas, including nature trails, camping sites, and even an artificial beach. [cite web |url= http://www.kdwp.state.ks.us/news/state_parks/locations/tuttle_creek |title= Tuttle Creek State Park |publisher= Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks |accessdate=2008-01-22] The state park also hosts the Country Stampede Music Festival every summer.

Geography

The border between Riley County (on the west) and Pottawatomie County (on the east) is submerged underneath the lake. The longest bridge in Kansas spans its northern tip.

History

The construction of the dam was given impetus by the Great Flood of 1951, which inundated downtown Manhattan. Nevertheless, the project met with heavy opposition from landowners whose land faced flooding. Residents of the Blue Valley organized opposition under the phrase "Let's quit this dam foolishness," and the campaign led to victory for Democrat Howard Shultz Miller in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1952. [Citation | title = The Republican 83rd | journal = TIME | date = November 17, 1952 | url = http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,817268,00.html ] Although the opposition was heated, it failed to ultimately stop the dam.

When the lake began filling up in 1962, it affected ten towns and entirely submerged many of them. The only one of these submerged towns to rebuild elsewhere was Randolph, where many of the streets are named after other towns that were submerged. The remnants of "Old Randolph", as it's known locally, can still be seen partially submerged to this day.

The value of the dam was proven during the Great Flood of 1993, when floodwaters reaching up to 63 feet (19 m) above normal were held back. However, when the dam reached capacity in July 1993, it necessitated the first release of the spillway. All 18 gates on the spillway were raised 4 feet (1.2 m) during the peak of the flood, producing a flow rate of 60,000 cubic feet per second (1,700 m³/s). The roar of the water was audible half a mile (800 m) away and some people in nearby Manhattan reported hearing the noise. After three weeks the gates were closed, revealing a convert|20|ft|m|sing=on deep canyon that had been carved in the earth of the spillway channel. The exposed rock is 290 million years old. Locally, this area is known as "The Canyon" and is a popular fossil-hunting area.

Earthquake threat

Although Kansas is not widely known as seismically active, the Humboldt fault line associated with the Nemaha Ridge passes through eastern Kansas, and probably the most active region on the line is in the general vicinity of the lake. It was recently determined that the geology of the area could potentially produce an earthquake capable of causing the dam to , which could risk the lives of thousands downstream in the Blue River and Kansas River valleys. The Army Corps of Engineers has started a project to strengthen the dam sufficiently to withstand such a quake. They have also established an interim warning system.cite web|url=http://www.nwk.usace.army.mil/projects/tcdam/index.htm|title=Tuttle Creek Dam Safety Assurance Program|publisher=U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City District|accessdate=2007-02-25]

References

External links

* [http://www.kshs.org/research/collections/documents/personalpapers/findingaids/stockwell_glenn.htm History of opposition to dam]