John Redmond Dam and Reservoir

John Redmond Reservoir

Location Coffey County, Kansas
Coordinates 38°14′N 95°46′W / 38.233°N 95.767°WCoordinates: 38°14′N 95°46′W / 38.233°N 95.767°W
Type Reservoir
Primary inflows Neosho River
Primary outflows Neosho River to Arkansas River
Catchment area 7,809 km² (3,015 mi²)[1]
Basin countries United States
Max. length 6.4 km (4 mi)
Max. width 3.7 km (2.3 mi)
Max. depth 4 m (14 ft)[1]
Water volume 0.06 km3 (0.014 cu mi) (normal level)[1]
Shore length1 95 km (59 mi)[1]
Surface elevation 316 m (1039 ft)[1]
Islands 3 on South section
Settlements Burlington
References [1]
1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure.

John Redmond Reservoir is on the Neosho River 4 miles (8 km) north of Burlington, Kansas and 1-mile (1.6 km) west of New Strawn, Kansas, in the Osage Prairie region of southeast Kansas. It was built and is operated by the Army Corps of Engineers originally for the purpose of flood control.

The lake is bordered by John Redmond Wildlife Area, which features recreational areas, including nature trails, camping sites, and artificial playgrounds.[2]

Geography

The John Redmond Wildlife Area is located on the Neosho River between Burlington (to the south) and Hartford (to the north) on the site of the now submerged Strawn, Kansas. The town of New Strawn is now on the East side of the reservoir.

History

The Neosho Valley flooded over 45 times in the 30 years leading up to 1950 when Congress would authorized the project for what was to be "Strawn Dam." Ironically, it was authorized and awaiting construction during the Great Flood of 1951, which inundated downtown Burlington and Strawn where some locations had floodwater 30 feet (9.1 m) deep.

Originally the project was authorized by Congress under the Flood Control Act of 1950 and called Strawn Dam in reference to Strawn, the town located where the reservoir is today. However, in 1958 the project was renamed "John Redmond Dam and Reservoir" in honor of the publisher of the Burlington Daily Republican and a beloved Kansan who trained under William Allen White. Redmond had been a longtime champion for flood control and water conservation along the Neosho River which had started to become a reality with the authorization of four dams in 1950, including this one.

The towns of Strawn and Ottumwa were relocated six miles (10 km) to the east on higher ground and named New Strawn at the time the dam was constructed. The entire design and construction was done by the Tulsa District Corps of Engineers at $29,264,000. The dam began to undergo construction on June 18, 1959 and went into service on November 17, 1964 several weeks before final completion to protect the Neosho River Valley from the expected winter and spring floods.[3]

The value of the dam was proven during the Great Flood of 1993, when floodwaters reaching up to the top of the release gates. However, when the dam reached capacity in July 1993, it necessitated the first release of the spillway.

Alternative Uses

During construction of Wolf Creek Generating Station, located 5 miles (8.0 km) east of the Reservoir, a second man made lake was created to serve as a water source, making it so a cooling tower would not be required. The water level is kept above a mandatory level by pumping water from John Redmond Reservoir when needed. Therefore, the reservoir serves as a reserve for Wolf Creek.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 "John Redmond Report" (PDF). Kansas Water Office. Retrieved 2009-03-28.
  2. ↑ "Corps Lakes Gateway: Kansas-John Redmond Reservoir". U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Retrieved 2009-03-28.
  3. ↑ "History Message". U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Retrieved 2009-03-28.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to John Redmond Reservoir.