Dam and River Basin

Clinton Lake was constructed and is operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Located at Wakarusa River mile 22.2, approximately 1 mile west of the city of Lawrence, Kansas. The project primarily lies in western Douglas County although a small portion extends into eastern Shawnee County. The lake was constructed to control flooding, municipal and industrial water supply, recreation, fish and wildlife benefits and maintain minimum stream flow on the Wakarusa and Kansas Rivers.

The Wakarusa River is the main source of water flowing into Clinton Lake. The Wakarusa River Basin drains a total of 516 square miles, which extends west from its mouth on the Kansas River about 54 miles. The basin is nearly 17 miles wide. The Clinton Lake dam controls nearly 367 square miles, or approximately 70 percent of the entire Wakarusa River basin, which are located above the dam.Clinton Lake has a flood control pool of 12,800 surface acres and a multipurpose pool of 7,000 surface acres. Clinton Lake has 85 miles of shoreline at multipurpose pool level. At multipurpose pool level, Clinton Lake stretches 8 miles up the Wakarusa River valley. If the lake ever reaches flood pool level, the lake will extend 13 miles along the valley floor.

The dam consists of a rolled earth fill embankment with an uncontrolled spillway located about 1,200 feet north of the dam, and an outlet works composed of almost 710 feet of 13 foot high arched conduit. It is preceded by two rectangular passages, each 6 feet wide by 12 feet high. Each passage contains a hydraulically operated service gate and both share an emergency gate. Discharges enter a concrete stilling basin with staggered baffle blocks and a concrete end sill to provide energy dissipation. The intake structure and control tower contain all of the operating machinery and equipment.

Pertinent Data General

Authorization: Flood Control Act of 1962 (Public Law 87-874)
Maximum Discharge of Record near Lawrence: 40,600 c.f.s. (computed)
Channel Capacity: 4,000 c.f.s.
Cost (Dam): $49,234,000 (1978)

Dam and Embankment

Type: Rolled earthfill
Fill Quantity: 10,031,811 cu. yds.
Crest Elevation: 928.0 m.s.l.
Top Width: 30 feet
Maximum Base Width: 940 feet
Length: 9,550.0 feet
Maximum Height above Streambed: 85 feet
Freeboard: 6.7 feet
Date of Closure: 23 August 1975
Impoundment Began: 30 November 1977
Began Multipurpose Operations: April 1981
Multipurpose Pool Elevation: 875.5 feet m.s.l.

Reservoir

Multipurpose Pool: 875.5 feet m.s.l.
Flood Control Pool: 903.4 feet m.s.l.
Multipurpose Pool Storage: 110,400 acre-feet
Flood Control Pool Storage: 397,200 acre-feet

Spillway

Type: Uncontrolled
Crest Elevation: 907.4 feet m.s.l.
Width: 500 feet
Discharge Capacity at Maximum Surcharge: 44,137 c.f.s.
Side Slopes: 1 on 2.5

Outlet Works

Type: Gated Conduit
Conduit type, diameter: 13 foot high arch
Capacity at elevation 907.4 feet m.s.l.: 7,530 c.f.s.
Emergency Gate: One, 6 by 12 foot, cable hoist operated wheel gate
Service Gates: Two, 6 by 12 foot, hydraulically operated slide gates