Smithville Lake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Smithville Lake |
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Lower portion of the lake from the east. The dam is the flat area on the upper left
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 Smithville Lake
Location in Missouri
Smithville Lake
Location in the United States
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| Location | Clay / Clinton counties, Missouri, United States |
| Coordinates | 39°25′N 94°32′W / 39.42°N 94.53°W |
| Type | reservoir |
| Primary inflows | Little Platte branch of the Platte River |
| Primary outflows | Little Platte branch of the Platte River |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | 7,190 acres (29.1 km2) |
| Shore length1 | 175 miles (282 km) |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
Smithville Lake is a large lake in Clay County, Missouri, close to the town of Smithville. It is a 7,190-acre (29 km2) reservoir, which means it's an artificial lake created to store water. The lake was formed on the Little Platte branch of the Platte River.
Smithville Lake is very important because it supplies drinking water to the towns of Smithville, Missouri and Plattsburg, Missouri. Even Kansas City, Missouri has set aside some of the lake's water for its own use in the future.
Contents
Smithville Lake: A Big Reservoir
The United States Army Corps of Engineers built and manages Smithville Lake. This group is in charge of many projects, including flood control. Their office in Kansas City oversees areas like Missouri, Kansas, and parts of Nebraska and Iowa.
Smithville Lake helps control floods in the area. It is the 10th largest lake managed by the Corps of Engineers in its district. However, it has the third longest shoreline, stretching for 175 miles (282 km). There are also 5,000 acres (20 km2) of public land around the lake for everyone to enjoy.
How Smithville Lake Was Built
The plan to build the Smithville Dam was approved in 1965. Construction of the dam started in 1972. The dam itself was finished in 1977. The lake began to fill with water in 1979.
The Smithville Dam
The dam is made of earth and is very long, about 4000 feet (over 1.2 kilometers). It stands 105 feet (about 32 meters) high at its tallest point. The dam can hold a huge amount of water, up to 246,500 acre-feet. The Corps of Engineers owns and operates the dam, making sure it works properly.
Learning About the Lake: The Visitor Center
Near the dam, you can find the Jerry L. Litton Visitor Center. This center shares the history of the area around the lake. It also has items that belonged to Jerry L. Litton. He was a Congressman who sadly passed away in a plane crash in 1976. This happened on the night he won the Democratic nomination to become a U.S. Senator.
