Clinton Lake (Kansas) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Clinton Lake |
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Clinton Lake
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| Location | Douglas County, Kansas |
| Coordinates | 38°55′15″N 95°19′47″W / 38.92083°N 95.32972°W |
| Type | Reservoir |
| Primary inflows | Wakarusa River, Rock Creek, Deer Creek |
| Primary outflows | Wakarusa River |
| Catchment area | 367 sq mi (950 km2) |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Managing agency | U.S. Army Corps of Engineers |
| Built | 1975 |
| Max. length | 9,550 ft (2,910 m) |
| Max. width | 940 ft (290 m) |
| Surface area | 7,000 acres (28 km2) |
| Average depth | 7 ft (2.1 m) |
| Max. depth | 55 ft (17 m) |
| Water volume | 110,400 acre⋅ft (0.1362 km3) |
| Shore length1 | 85 miles (137 km) |
| Surface elevation | 875.5 ft (266.9 m) |
| Settlements | Lawrence, Kansas |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
Clinton Lake is a large reservoir (a man-made lake) located southwest of Lawrence, Kansas. It was created when the Clinton Dam was built. The lake and its surrounding land cover about 35 square miles (91 km²). The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers takes care of this area.
How Clinton Lake Gets Its Water
Clinton Lake is mainly formed by the Wakarusa River. This river flows east from Shawnee County, Kansas. The Wakarusa River passes through the Clinton Dam. It then continues south of Lawrence before joining the Kansas River near Eudora, Kansas.
Many smaller streams also feed into Clinton Lake. These are called tributaries. Some of the main ones include Deer Creek, Rock Creek, Washington Creek, Dry Creek, Coon Creek, and Camp Creek.
Several towns are located near Clinton Lake. These include Clinton, Stull, and Lawrence.
Animals and Nature at Clinton Lake
The forests around Clinton Lake are home to many different animals. You can often see white-tailed deer, quail, wild turkey, doves, rabbits, and squirrels.
Many types of birds also visit the lake. These include bald eagles, great blue herons, gulls, and cormorants. Birds that travel long distances, like American white pelicans and Canada geese, can also be seen flying over or resting on the lake at different times of the year. Clinton Lake is also a great place for fishing, as it has many kinds of fish.
