Lake Facts

Tuttle Creek Lake plays a vital role in flood control within the Kansas River Basin. Tuttle Creek Dam impounds the Big Blue River, and helps to buffer the effects of floods and droughts. Tuttle Creek Lake is credited with preventing $3 billion in flood damages to date.

Purposes of the lake are flood control, recreation, fish and wildlife conservation, water quality control and downstream navigation supplementation.

At multipurpose pool, elevation 1075.0 msl, the lake covers about 12,350 acres, extending some 16 miles above the dam, and averaging a mile in width. At flood control pool, elevation 1136.0 msl, the lake swells to cover about 53,700 acres and extends upstream 35 valley miles.

The Big Blue River basin comprises a total area of 9,628 square miles. Three-fourths of the basin is situated in Nebraska, and the remainder in Kansas. The source of the Big Blue River is near Grand Island, Nebraska. From there, the river flows generally eastward about 50 miles to Ulysses, Nebraska, then southward over 300 miles to Tuttle Creek Lake.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has the responsibility for managing the 33,574 acres of land and water at Tuttle Creek Lake. Nestled in the Flint Hills of Kansas, Tuttle Creek Lake is located in the largest remaining expanse of tallgrass prairie on the continent.

Lands around the lake are managed by the Corps of Engineers and the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks to preserve their natural value. Land management practices such as weed strips, food plots and prescribed burning help conserve soil and benefit wildlife.

Tuttle Creek Lake has been a magnet for outdoor enthusiasts since 1962. Ten parks offer an array of lakeside pursuits. Camping, boating, fishing, swimming and picnicking are popular.