Webster Reservoir
{{Infobox body of water
|name = Webster Reservoir
|image = Webster State Park and Nicodemus National Historic Site, Kansas (7235143130).jpg
|caption = Aerial view of Webster Reservoir
|image_bathymetry = Map of Rooks Co, Ks, USA.png
|caption_bathymetry = KDOT map of Rooks County (legend)
|location = Rooks County, Kansas
|coords = {{coord|39|24|30|N|99|25|28|W|format=dms|type:waterbody_region:US-KS_source:gnis|display=inline,title}}
|type = Reservoir
|inflow = South Fork Solomon River
|outflow = South Fork Solomon River
|catchment = {{convert|1150|sqmi|km2|abbr=on}}
|basin_countries = United States
|agency = U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
|date-built = {{start date|1953|03}}
|date-flooded = {{Start date|1956|05|03}}
|length = {{convert|7|mi|km}}
|width =
|area = {{convert|3767|acres|km2}}
|depth =
|max-depth = {{convert|42|ft|m}}{{cite web | title = Webster Reservoir Fishing Information | publisher = Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism | url = http://ksoutdoors.com/Fishing/Where-to-Fish-in-Kansas/Fishing-Locations-Public-Waters/Northwest-Region/Webster-Reservoir | accessdate = 2015-11-18}}
|volume = Full: {{convert|76157|acre-ft|m3|abbr=on}}{{cite web | title = Webster Reservoir Allocations | publisher = U.S. Bureau of Reclamation | date = 2012-10-16 | url = http://www.usbr.gov/gp/aop/resaloc/webster.pdf | accessdate = 2015-11-18}}
Current (Nov. 2015): {{convert|17091|acre-ft|m3|abbr=on}}{{cite web | title = Current Reservoir Data for Webster Reservoir, KS | publisher = U.S. Bureau of Reclamation | url = http://www.usbr.gov/gp-bin/arcweb_wbks.pl | accessdate = 2015-11-18}}
|residence_time =
|shore = {{convert|27|mi|km}}
|elevation = Full: {{convert|1893|ft|m|abbr=on}}
Current (Nov. 2015): {{convert|1870|ft|m|abbr=on}}
|frozen =
|islands =
|cities = Stockton, Damar, Webster
| pushpin_map = Kansas#USA
| pushpin_label_position =
| pushpin_map_alt = Location of Webster Reservoir in Kansas, USA.
| pushpin_map_caption =
| website =
|reference = {{cite gnis| 472218 | Webster Reservoir | 2015-11-18}}
}}
Webster Reservoir is a reservoir in Rooks County, Kansas, United States. Built and managed by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, it is used for flood control, irrigation, and recreation. Webster State Park is located on its shore.
History
Construction of Webster Dam and Reservoir was approved as part of the Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program. Following the Great Flood of 1951, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation determined the project could provide additional flood control and irrigation support to the region. Contractors started construction in March 1953, but a combination of funding problems and adverse weather caused multiple delays over the following years. The project's namesake, the small community of Webster, laid within the reservoir's intended basin and had to be relocated roughly {{convert|2|mi|km}} to the southeast.{{cite web|last=Lindsey |first=Jean |title=History of Webster |url=http://skyways.lib.ks.us/orgs/svha/history/towns/webster.htm |work=Solomon Valley Highway 24 Heritage Alliance |publisher=State Library of Kansas |date=2010 |accessdate=2014-06-24 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407163120/http://skyways.lib.ks.us/orgs/svha/history/towns/webster.htm |archivedate=April 7, 2014 }} Water storage in the reservoir began May 3, 1956, and the Webster project became formally operational September 1, 1956.{{cite web | last = Whynot | first = Wyndham E. | title = Kirwin & Webster Projects | publisher = U.S. Bureau of Reclamation | date = 1996 | url = http://www.usbr.gov/projects//ImageServer?imgName=Doc_1305137946632.pdf | accessdate = 2015-11-19}}
Area residents successfully organized Webster Irrigation District No. 4 and obtained a water right in December 1956. Construction of downstream irrigation infrastructure, including a diversion dam near Woodston, Kansas and the Osborne Canal, began in July 1957 and finished in April 1961.
Geography
Webster Reservoir is located in northwestern Kansas on the western edge of the Smoky Hills region of the Great Plains. It is located entirely within Rooks County.{{cite web | title = 2003-2004 Official Transportation Map | publisher = Kansas Department of Transportation | url = http://www.ksdot.org/Assets/wwwksdotorg/bureaus/burTransPlan/maps/HistoricStateMaps/2003-04Mapside.pdf | accessdate = 2015-11-18}}
The reservoir is impounded at its eastern end by Webster Dam located at {{Coord|39|24|30|N|99|25|28|W|type:city}} (39.4083423, -99.4245476) at an elevation of {{convert|1893|ft|m}}.{{cite gnis | 480276 | Webster Dam | 2015-11-18}} The South Fork Solomon River is both the reservoir's primary inflow and outflow.
U.S. Route 24 runs generally east-west north of the reservoir. Kansas Highway 258 runs generally north-south along the top of Webster Dam.{{cite web | title = General Highway Map - Rooks County, Kansas | publisher = Kansas Department of Transportation | date = January 2010 | url = https://www.ksdot.org/Assets/wwwksdotorg/bureaus/burTransPlan/maps/county-dgn/rooks.JPG | accessdate = 2015-11-18}}
There is one unincorporated settlement at Webster Reservoir: Webster, Kansas, the reservoir's namesake, located just southeast of the dam.
Hydrography
The surface area, surface elevation, and water volume of the reservoir fluctuate based on inflow and local climatic conditions. In terms of capacity, the Bureau of Reclamation vertically divides the reservoir into a set of pools based on volume and water level, and it considers the reservoir full when filled to the capacity of its active conservation pool. When full, Webster Reservoir has a surface area of {{convert|3767|acres|km2}}, a surface elevation of {{convert|1893|ft|m}}, and a volume of {{convert|76157|acre-ft|m3}}. When filled to maximum capacity, it has a surface area of {{convert|11270|acres|km2}}, a surface elevation of {{convert|1938|ft|m}}, and a volume of {{convert|400422|acre-ft|m3}}.{{cite web | title = Annual Report of Reservoir Regulation Activities - Summary for Calendar Year 2013 | publisher = U.S. Army Corps of Engineers | date = March 2014 | url = http://www.nwk.usace.army.mil/Portals/29/13AnnualRep.pdf | accessdate = 2015-11-18 | archive-date = 2015-09-10 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150910075014/http://www.nwk.usace.army.mil/Portals/29/13AnnualRep.pdf | url-status = dead }}
Infrastructure
Webster Dam is an earth-fill embankment dam with a structural height of {{convert|154|ft|m}} and a length of {{convert|10604|ft|m}}.{{cite web | title = Webster Dam | publisher = U.S. Bureau of Reclamation | url = http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Facility.jsp?fac_Name=Webster+Dam&groupName=Dimensions | accessdate = 2015-11-18}} At its crest, the dam has an elevation of {{convert|1944|ft|m}}.
Management
The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation operates and maintains Webster Dam and Reservoir.{{cite web | title = Webster Dam - Contact Information | publisher = U.S. Bureau of Reclamation | url = http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Facility.jsp?fac_Name=Webster+Dam&groupName=Contact+Information | accessdate = 2015-11-19}} The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWP) manages {{convert|8018|acres|km2}} of land around the reservoir and upstream along the South Fork Solomon River as the Webster Wildlife Area.{{cite web | title = Webster Reservoir | publisher = Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism | url = http://ksoutdoors.com/KDWPT-Info/Locations/Wildlife-Areas/Northwest/Webster | accessdate = 2015-11-19}}
Parks and recreation
The KDWP manages Webster State Park located on the shore of the reservoir. Occupying a total of {{convert|880|acres|km2}}, the park is divided into two areas: the Oldtown Area on the north shore and the Goose Flat Area on the south shore.{{cite web | title = Webster State Park | publisher = Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism | url = http://ksoutdoors.com/State-Parks/Locations/Webster | accessdate = 2015-11-19}} Both areas include boat ramps and camping facilities. The Oldtown Area also includes an amphitheater, swimming beaches, playgrounds, and a hiking trail.{{cite web | title = Webster State Park | publisher = Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism | url = http://ksoutdoors.com/content/download/953/4729/file/WEBSTER%20SP.pdf | accessdate = 2015-11-19}}
Webster Reservoir is open for sport fishing. Hunting is permitted on the public land around the reservoir although it is restricted in the Wildlife Area.
Wildlife
Fish species resident in Webster Reservoir include bluegill, channel and flathead catfish, crappie, largemouth and smallmouth bass, rainbow trout, walleye, white bass, and wiper. Game animals living around the reservoir include deer, ducks, geese, pheasants, quail, and wild turkeys. Bald eagles are also present in the area.
See also
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- [http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Facility.jsp?fac_Name=Webster+Dam&groupName=Overview Webster Dam], U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
- [http://ksoutdoors.com/State-Parks/Locations/Webster Webster State Park], Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism
{{KS-Reservoirs}}
{{authority control}}
Category:United States Bureau of Reclamation dams