Tuttle Creek Lake
Encyclopedia
Tuttle Creek Lake is a 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 1200 acres (4.9 km²) of recreational areas, including nature trails, camping sites, and an artificial beach
. The state park also hosts the Country Stampede Music Festival
every summer.
(on the west) and Pottawatomie County
(on the east) is submerged underneath the lake. The longest bridge
in Kansas spans its northern tip.
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. 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 four of them (from north to south): Cleburne at 39°31′49"N 96°38′6"W, Randolph
, Garrison Cross and Stockdale. The only town to rebuild elsewhere was Randolph, where the streets are named after the submerged towns. 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 20 feet (6.1 m) 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.
that a manatee
lives in the lake. The Manhattan Mercury has reported on the legend, and a facebook group exists for the Tuttle Creek Sea Cow.
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 fail, 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
.
Reservoir
A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
on the Big Blue River
Big Blue River (Kansas)
The Big Blue River is the largest tributary of the Kansas River. The river flows for approximately from central Nebraska into Kansas, where it intersects with the Kansas River east of Manhattan. It was given its name by the Kansa tribe of Native Americans, who lived at its mouth from 1780 to...
5 miles (8 km) north of Manhattan
Manhattan, Kansas
Manhattan is a city located in the northeastern part of the state of Kansas in the United States, at the junction of the Kansas River and Big Blue River. It is the county seat of Riley County and the city extends into Pottawatomie County. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 52,281...
, in the Flint Hills
Flint Hills
The Flint Hills, historically known as Bluestem Pastures or Blue Stem Hills, are a band of hills in eastern Kansas stretching into north-central Oklahoma, extending from Marshall County, Kansas and Washington County, Kansas in the north to Cowley County, Kansas and Osage County, Oklahoma in the south...
region of northeast Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
. It was built and is operated by the Army Corps of Engineers for the purpose of flood
Flood
A flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land. The EU Floods directive defines a flood as a temporary covering by water of land not normally covered by water...
control.
The lake is bordered by Tuttle Creek State Park, which features 1200 acres (4.9 km²) of recreational areas, including nature trails, camping sites, and an artificial beach
Beach
A beach is a geological landform along the shoreline of an ocean, sea, lake or river. It usually consists of loose particles which are often composed of rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles or cobblestones...
. The state park also hosts the Country Stampede Music Festival
Country Stampede Music Festival
The Country Stampede Music Festival is an outdoor country music and camping festival held at Tuttle Creek Lake State Park, north of Manhattan, Kansas. The festival has been held annually since 1996, on the last weekend in June....
every summer.
Geography
The border between Riley CountyRiley County, Kansas
Riley County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. The county's population was 71,115 for the 2010 census. The largest city and county seat is Manhattan. The county is part of the Manhattan, Kansas, Metropolitan Statistical Area.Riley County is home to two of Kansas' largest...
(on the west) and Pottawatomie County
Pottawatomie County, Kansas
Pottawatomie County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 21,604. The county seat is Westmoreland. The county takes its name from the Potawatomi tribe of Native Americans...
(on the east) is submerged underneath the lake. The longest bridge
Bridge
A bridge is a structure built to span physical obstacles such as a body of water, valley, or road, for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle...
in Kansas spans its northern tip.
History
The construction of the damDam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
was given impetus by the Great Flood of 1951
Great Flood of 1951
In mid-July 1951, heavy rains led to a great rise of water in the Kansas River and other surrounding areas. Flooding resulted in the Kansas, Neosho, Marais Des Cygnes, and Verdigris river basins. The damage in June and July 1951 exceeded $935 million dollars in an area covering eastern Kansas and...
, 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
Howard Shultz Miller
Howard Shultz Miller was a U.S. Representative from Kansas.Born in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, Miller moved with his family in 1882 to Morrill, Kansas. He attended the public schools of Brown County, and Sabetha High School. He taught school 1894-1899.He graduated from the University of...
in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1952. 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 four of them (from north to south): Cleburne at 39°31′49"N 96°38′6"W, Randolph
Randolph, Kansas
Randolph is a city in Riley County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 163. It is part of the Manhattan, Kansas Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:Randolph was originally located a mile east of its present location....
, Garrison Cross and Stockdale. The only town to rebuild elsewhere was Randolph, where the streets are named after the submerged towns. 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
Great Flood of 1993
The Great Mississippi and Missouri Rivers Flood of 1993 occurred in the American Midwest, along the Mississippi and Missouri rivers and their tributaries, from April to October 1993. The flood was among the most costly and devastating to ever occur in the United States, with $15 billion in damages...
, 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
Spillway
A spillway is a structure used to provide the controlled release of flows from a dam or levee into a downstream area, typically being the river that was dammed. In the UK they may be known as overflow channels. Spillways release floods so that the water does not overtop and damage or even destroy...
. 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 20 feet (6.1 m) deep canyon that had been carved in the earth of the spillway channel. The exposed rock is 290 million years old
Permian
The PermianThe term "Permian" was introduced into geology in 1841 by Sir Sir R. I. Murchison, president of the Geological Society of London, who identified typical strata in extensive Russian explorations undertaken with Edouard de Verneuil; Murchison asserted in 1841 that he named his "Permian...
. Locally, this area is known as "The Canyon" and is a popular fossil
Fossil
Fossils are the preserved remains or traces of animals , plants, and other organisms from the remote past...
-hunting area.
Urban legend
There is an urban legendUrban legend
An urban legend, urban myth, urban tale, or contemporary legend, is a form of modern folklore consisting of stories that may or may not have been believed by their tellers to be true...
that a manatee
Manatee
Manatees are large, fully aquatic, mostly herbivorous marine mammals sometimes known as sea cows...
lives in the lake. The Manhattan Mercury has reported on the legend, and a facebook group exists for the Tuttle Creek Sea Cow.
Earthquake threat
Although Kansas is not widely known as seismically active, the Humboldt faultHumboldt Fault
The Humboldt Fault or Humboldt Fault Zone, is a normal fault or series of faults, that extends from Nebraska southwestwardly through most of Kansas....
line associated with the Nemaha Ridge
Nemaha Ridge
The Nemaha Ridge is located in the Central United States. It is a buried structural zone associated with a granite high in the Pre-Cambrian basement that extends from approximately Omaha, Nebraska to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The ridge is associated with the seismically active Humboldt Fault zone...
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
Geology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
of the area could potentially produce an earthquake
Earthquake
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
capable of causing the dam to fail, which could risk the lives of thousands downstream in the Blue River and Kansas River
Kansas River
The Kansas River is a river in northeastern Kansas in the United States. It is the southwestern-most part of the Missouri River drainage, which is in turn the northwestern-most portion of the extensive Mississippi River drainage. Its name come from the Kanza people who once inhabited the area...
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
Dam safety system
Dam safety systems are systems monitoring the state of dams used for hydropower or other purposes. This includes the use of differential GPS and SAR remote sensing to monitor the risks imposed by landslides and subsidence. For large dams seismographs are used to detect Reservoir Induced...
.
