Melvern Lake

Melvern Lake
Location of Melvern Lake in Kansas, USA.
Location of Melvern Lake in Kansas, USA.
Melvern Lake
Location of Melvern Lake in Kansas, USA.
Location of Melvern Lake in Kansas, USA.
Melvern Lake
KDOT map of Osage County (legend)
LocationOsage County
Coordinates38°29′23″N 95°47′57″W / 38.4896432°N 95.7992600°W / 38.4896432; -95.7992600[1]
TypeReservoir
Primary inflowsMarais des Cygnes River
Basin countriesUnited States
Managing agencyU.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Built1970
Surface area10.8 sq mi (28 km2)
Water volume363,000 acre-feet (0.448 km3) Max 154,000 acre⋅ft (0.190 km3) Normal
Surface elevation1,033 ft (315 m)[1]
SettlementsMelvern, Olivet, Lyndon, Lebo
References[2]

Melvern Dam is a dam in Osage County, Kansas.

The earthen dam was completed in 1970, and the reservoir completely filled in 1975, as a flood control project of the United States Army Corps of Engineers.[3] The dam impounds the Marais des Cygnes River, notorious for its destructive flooding, notably in the Great Flood of 1951. The dam is 188 feet (57 m) high, is 9,650 feet (2,940 m) long at its crest, and is owned and operated by the United States Army Corps of Engineers.

The reservoir it creates, Melvern Lake, has a water surface of 10.8 square miles (28 km2) and a maximum capacity of 363,000 acre-feet (0.448 km3), although normal storage is 154,000 acre-feet (0.190 km3).[4] Recreation includes fishing, hunting, boating and camping in the five parks surrounding the lake (Outlet Park, Arrow Rock Park, Coeur d'Alene Park, Turkey Point Park, and Sun Dance Park)[5] and the adjoining state park, Eisenhower State Park.

  1. ^ a b "Melvern Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved Jan 17, 2021.
  2. ^ "Melvern Dam". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved Jan 16, 2021.
  3. ^ "Kansas City District – Melvern Lake".
  4. ^ "Lakin Watershed Dam 4". Archived from the original on 2012-10-12. Retrieved 2012-08-11.
  5. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-02-21. Retrieved 2012-08-11.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)