Introduction

 

John Redmond Reservoir is a Corps of Engineers lake located in east-central Kansas, in the Neosho River Basin (figure 12)(KWO, 2014). The John Redmond Reservoir watershed encompasses an area of 3,015 square miles and includes parts of Butler, Chase, Coffey, Greenwood, Harvey, Lyon, Marion, McPherson, Morris, Lyon, Osage, and Wabaunsee counties (figure 13)(Juracek, 2010). Land use in the John Redmond watershed consists of, 72% grasslands, 21% crop production, with the remaining 7% consisting of woodland, water, urban, and other areas (figure 13)(Juracek, 2010).

 

The construction of a reservoir in the Neosho River Valley was authorized by Congress in 1950 for flood control purposes (KBS, 2007). In 1958 congress named the project the John Redmond Dam and Reservoir after the late editor of the Burlington Daily Republic (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 2014). Redmond was a vocal proponent of flood control and water conservation along the Neosho River (USACE, 2014). Before construction could begin on the reservoir the town of Strawn had to be moved 6 miles to the east, as the former townsite was to be inundated by the reservoir (KBS, 2007). Construction of the reservoir finally began in 1959, with all major construction being completed by December 1965 (KBS, 2007). Prior to construction of the reservoir, the Neosho Valley had flooded a total of 57 times in 34 years (KBS, 2007). The worst flood came in 1951 when floodwaters ran up to 30 feet deep, and one-third million acres were inundated (KBS, 2007). The reservoir is also federally authorized for water supply, water quality, recreation, as well as fish and wildlife conservation (KWO, 2014).