Wilson Lake (Kansas)

Water type: Artificial lake
Continent: North America
Climate: Subtropical

Wilson Lake is a reservoir in the U.S. state of Kansas, on the border of Russell County and Lincoln County. Built and managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for flood control, it is also used for wildlife management and recreation. Several parks are located along its shoreline, including Wilson State Park.

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation authorized construction of Wilson Lake for the purposes of irrigation, navigation enhancement, flood control, recreation, fish and wildlife habitat, and water quality assurance. However, the salinity of the water in the Saline River, which would feed the reservoir, made using it for irrigation unfeasible. The Bureau then turned over management and operation of the project to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The Corps of Engineers planned, designed, and constructed Wilson Dam, completing it in 1964 at a cost of $20 million, and continues to manage the reservoir to the present day.

Wilson Lake is located at an elevation of 1,516 feet (462 m). It lies in north-central Kansas in the Smoky Hills region of the Great Plains. Most of Wilson Lake lies in Russell County with a small portion of its southeastern arm extending into Lincoln County.

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