Kansas engineers fight to save Tuttle Creek reservoir from rising mud levels

RILEY COUNTY (KSNT) - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is putting a first-of-its-kind plan in place to save Tuttle Creek reservoir from increasing amounts of mud in the water.

KSNT 27 News talked to Laura Totten, a planner with the USACE's Kansas City District, about the large-scale project and what changes it will bring. She says the Water Injection Dredging (WID) project aims to cut down on sediment deposits in the reservoir which have filled around half of the water. If successful, this project will extend the usability of the reservoir and save it from slowly being overcome by its muddy problem.

Time running out

The USACE estimates Tuttle will be 75% full of mud by 2049 and, by 2074, have less than 10% of water storage left, according to the WID project's website. This is having a negative impact both for recreational activities on the water and for those who rely on the reservoir for daily life.

"Approximately 50% of the multi-purpose pool is filled with sediment," Totten said. "In approximately 100 years, the multi-purpose pool will be 93% full of sediment."

Tuttle Creek reservoir serves around 40% of the state's population with flood control and water supply, including for the major northeast Kansas cities of Manhattan, Topeka and Lawrence, according to the USACE website. Boat ramps buried in mud, loss of animal habitat in coves, abandonment of water intakes and other harmful impacts all come as a result of the rising amount of sediment and are destined to continue unless the WID is allowed to take place or another solution is found.

How does WID work?

WID involves the use of a barge with a special jet bar to produce low-pressure, high-volumes of water that stirs up sediment at the bottom, according to the USACE website. Water is then drawn from the reservoir by gravity through the dam's outlet works and sent further downstream.

Totten said the WID technology is a potential fix to the ongoing problems and could extend the lifespan of the reservoir. The WID has yet to be used in an inland reservoir, making this a first-of-its-kind experimental solution to the sediment in the water.

"This is one technology that could potentially be used in long-term sediment management at Tuttle Creek," Totten said.

Measuring what impact sending sediment downstream will have on the Big Blue River and other bodies of water downstream is part of the project's scope of study. If the WID proves successful at Tuttle, it has the potential to be used to fix sediment problems brewing in other lakes and reservoirs in the state.

"We have tested the sediment within Tuttle for anything that could be harmful," Totten said. "Our scientific testing has show there is nothing harmful."

Totten says three periods of dredging operations are scheduled for areas within four miles of the Tuttle Creek dam. WID project documents show this will be for five-day periods in the spring, summer and fall of 2025.

What impact will this have on wildlife?

Tuttle Creek reservoir is known for having plentiful fishing opportunities for channel and flathead catfish, along with largemouth bass, saugeye, crappie and other species, according to the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP). The reservoir also provides habitats for several federally-listed endangered species such as the northern long-eared bat, gray bat and western prairie fringed orchid.

"If sediment were to fill the reservoir, that would impact the fishing experience," Totten said.

Totten said the WID demonstration itself will not have an impact on fishing activities. The federally-protected species listed above are also not expected to be impacted by the WID, according to the USACE.

However, pallid sturgeon, Topeka shiner and piping plover may be altered by the dredging operations. For this, the USACE is working in close association with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to monitor these species.

WID meeting in Manhattan

Totten says a public meeting is scheduled to run from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 18 at Peace Auditorium at 1101 Poyntz Avenue in Manhattan. USACE staff will be on hand to talk about the project and explain how it works.

To learn more about WID project, click here.

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