{{Use American English|date=July 2025}} {{Infobox body of water |name = Webster Reservoir |image = Webster State Park and Nicodemus National Historic Site, Kansas (7235143130).jpg |caption = Aerial view of Webster Reservoir |image_bathymetry = Map of Rooks Co, Ks, USA.png |caption_bathymetry = KDOT map of Rooks County (legend)
|location = Rooks County, Kansas |coords = {{coord|39|24|30|N|99|25|28|W|format=dms|type:waterbody_region:US-KS_source:gnis|display=inline,title}}
|type = Reservoir |inflow = South Fork Solomon River |outflow = South Fork Solomon River |catchment = {{convert|1150|sqmi|km2|abbr=on}} |basin_countries = United States |agency = U.S. Bureau of Reclamation |date-built = {{start date|1953|03}} |date-flooded = {{Start date|1956|05|03}}
|length = {{convert|7|mi|km}} |width = |area = {{convert|3767|acres|km2}} |depth = |max-depth = {{convert|42|ft|m}}<ref name=Fishing>{{cite web | title = Webster Reservoir Fishing Information | publisher = Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism | url = http://ksoutdoors.com/Fishing/Where-to-Fish-in-Kansas/Fishing-Locations-Public-Waters/Northwest-Region/Webster-Reservoir | accessdate = 2015-11-18}}</ref> |volume = ''Full:'' {{convert|76157|acre-ft|m3|abbr=on}}<ref name=Allocation>{{cite web | title = Webster Reservoir Allocations | publisher = U.S. Bureau of Reclamation | date = 2012-10-16 | url = http://www.usbr.gov/gp/aop/resaloc/webster.pdf | accessdate = 2015-11-18}}</ref><br>''Current (Nov. 2015):'' {{convert|17091|acre-ft|m3|abbr=on}}<ref name=Conditions>{{cite web | title = Current Reservoir Data for Webster Reservoir, KS | publisher = U.S. Bureau of Reclamation | url = http://www.usbr.gov/gp-bin/arcweb_wbks.pl | accessdate = 2015-11-18}}</ref> |residence_time = |shore = {{convert|27|mi|km}} |elevation = ''Full:'' {{convert|1893|ft|m|abbr=on}}<ref name=Allocation/><br>''Current (Nov. 2015):'' {{convert|1870|ft|m|abbr=on}}<ref name=Conditions/> |frozen = |islands =
|cities = Stockton, Damar, Webster <!-- Map --> | pushpin_map = Kansas#USA | pushpin_label_position = | pushpin_map_alt = Location of Webster Reservoir in Kansas, USA. | pushpin_map_caption = <!-- Below --> | website = |reference = <ref name=gnis>{{cite gnis| 472218 | Webster Reservoir | 2015-11-18}}</ref> }}
'''Webster Reservoir''' is a reservoir in Rooks County, Kansas, United States.<ref name=gnis/> Built and managed by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, it is used for flood control, irrigation, and recreation.<ref name=Whynot/> Webster State Park is located on its shore.<ref name=StatePark/>
==History== Construction of Webster Dam and Reservoir was approved as part of the Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program. Following the Great Flood of 1951, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation determined the project could provide additional flood control and irrigation support to the region. Contractors started construction in March 1953, but a combination of funding problems and adverse weather caused multiple delays over the following years.<ref name=Whynot/> The project's namesake, the small community of Webster, laid within the reservoir's intended basin and had to be relocated roughly {{convert|2|mi|km}} to the southeast.<ref name=Lindsey>{{cite web|last=Lindsey |first=Jean |title=History of Webster |url=http://skyways.lib.ks.us/orgs/svha/history/towns/webster.htm |work=Solomon Valley Highway 24 Heritage Alliance |publisher=State Library of Kansas |date=2010 |accessdate=2014-06-24 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407163120/http://skyways.lib.ks.us/orgs/svha/history/towns/webster.htm |archivedate=April 7, 2014 }}</ref> Water storage in the reservoir began May 3, 1956, and the Webster project became formally operational September 1, 1956.<ref name=Whynot>{{cite web | last = Whynot | first = Wyndham E. | title = Kirwin & Webster Projects | publisher = U.S. Bureau of Reclamation | date = 1996 | url = http://www.usbr.gov/projects//ImageServer?imgName=Doc_1305137946632.pdf | accessdate = 2015-11-19 }}{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
Area residents successfully organized Webster Irrigation District No. 4 and obtained a water right in December 1956. Construction of downstream irrigation infrastructure, including a diversion dam near Woodston, Kansas and the Osborne Canal, began in July 1957 and finished in April 1961.<ref name=Whynot/>
==Geography== Webster Reservoir is located in northwestern Kansas on the western edge of the Smoky Hills region of the Great Plains. It is located entirely within Rooks County.<ref name=KDOT>{{cite web | title = 2003-2004 Official Transportation Map | publisher = Kansas Department of Transportation | url = http://www.ksdot.org/Assets/wwwksdotorg/bureaus/burTransPlan/maps/HistoricStateMaps/2003-04Mapside.pdf | accessdate = 2015-11-18 | archive-date = 2016-03-04 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160304202254/http://www.ksdot.org/Assets/wwwksdotorg/bureaus/burTransPlan/maps/HistoricStateMaps/2003-04Mapside.pdf | url-status = dead }}</ref>
The reservoir is impounded at its eastern end by '''Webster Dam''' located at {{Coord|39|24|30|N|99|25|28|W|type:city}} (39.4083423, -99.4245476) at an elevation of {{convert|1893|ft|m}}.<ref name=damgnis>{{cite gnis | 480276 | Webster Dam | 2015-11-18}}</ref> The South Fork Solomon River is both the reservoir's primary inflow and outflow.<ref name=KDOT/>
U.S. Route 24 runs generally east-west north of the reservoir. Kansas Highway 258 runs generally north-south along the top of Webster Dam.<ref name=CountyMap>{{cite web | title = General Highway Map - Rooks County, Kansas | publisher = Kansas Department of Transportation | date = January 2010 | url = https://www.ksdot.org/Assets/wwwksdotorg/bureaus/burTransPlan/maps/county-dgn/rooks.JPG | accessdate = 2015-11-18}}</ref>
There is one unincorporated settlement at Webster Reservoir: Webster, Kansas, the reservoir's namesake, located just southeast of the dam.<ref name=CountyMap/>
==Hydrography== The surface area, surface elevation, and water volume of the reservoir fluctuate based on inflow and local climatic conditions.<ref name=Conditions/> In terms of capacity, the Bureau of Reclamation vertically divides the reservoir into a set of pools based on volume and water level, and it considers the reservoir full when filled to the capacity of its active conservation pool.<ref name=Allocation/><ref name=Conditions/> When full, Webster Reservoir has a surface area of {{convert|3767|acres|km2}}, a surface elevation of {{convert|1893|ft|m}}, and a volume of {{convert|76157|acre-ft|m3}}. When filled to maximum capacity, it has a surface area of {{convert|11270|acres|km2}}, a surface elevation of {{convert|1938|ft|m}}, and a volume of {{convert|400422|acre-ft|m3}}.<ref name=Allocation/><ref name=Volume>{{cite web | title = Annual Report of Reservoir Regulation Activities - Summary for Calendar Year 2013 | publisher = U.S. Army Corps of Engineers | date = March 2014 | url = http://www.nwk.usace.army.mil/Portals/29/13AnnualRep.pdf | accessdate = 2015-11-18 | archive-date = 2015-09-10 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150910075014/http://www.nwk.usace.army.mil/Portals/29/13AnnualRep.pdf | url-status = dead }}</ref>
==Infrastructure== thumb|right|Webster Dam Webster Dam is an earth-fill embankment dam with a structural height of {{convert|154|ft|m}} and a length of {{convert|10604|ft|m}}.<ref name=Volume/><ref name=Dimensions>{{cite web | title = Webster Dam | publisher = U.S. Bureau of Reclamation | url = http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Facility.jsp?fac_Name=Webster+Dam&groupName=Dimensions | accessdate = 2015-11-18}}</ref> At its crest, the dam has an elevation of {{convert|1944|ft|m}}.<ref name=Allocation/>
==Management== The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation operates and maintains Webster Dam and Reservoir.<ref name=Contact>{{cite web | title = Webster Dam - Contact Information | publisher = U.S. Bureau of Reclamation | url = http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Facility.jsp?fac_Name=Webster+Dam&groupName=Contact+Information | accessdate = 2015-11-19}}</ref> The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWP) manages {{convert|8018|acres|km2}} of land around the reservoir and upstream along the South Fork Solomon River as the '''Webster Wildlife Area'''.<ref name=WildlifeArea>{{cite web | title = Webster Reservoir | publisher = Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism | url = http://ksoutdoors.com/KDWPT-Info/Locations/Wildlife-Areas/Northwest/Webster | accessdate = 2015-11-19}}</ref>
==Parks and recreation== The KDWP manages Webster State Park located on the shore of the reservoir. Occupying a total of {{convert|880|acres|km2}}, the park is divided into two areas: the Oldtown Area on the north shore and the Goose Flat Area on the south shore.<ref name=StatePark>{{cite web | title = Webster State Park | publisher = Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism | url = http://ksoutdoors.com/State-Parks/Locations/Webster | accessdate = 2015-11-19}}</ref><ref name=SPBrochure/> Both areas include boat ramps and camping facilities. The Oldtown Area also includes an amphitheater, swimming beaches, playgrounds, and a hiking trail.<ref name=SPBrochure>{{cite web | title = Webster State Park | publisher = Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism | url = http://ksoutdoors.com/content/download/953/4729/file/WEBSTER%20SP.pdf | accessdate = 2015-11-19}}</ref>
Webster Reservoir is open for sport fishing. Hunting is permitted on the public land around the reservoir although it is restricted in the Wildlife Area.<ref name=WildlifeArea/>
==Wildlife== Fish species resident in Webster Reservoir include bluegill, channel and flathead catfish, crappie, largemouth and smallmouth bass, rainbow trout, walleye, white bass, and wiper. Game animals living around the reservoir include deer, ducks, geese, pheasants, quail, and wild turkeys. Bald eagles are also present in the area.<ref name=WildlifeArea/>
==See also== * List of Kansas state parks * List of lakes, reservoirs, and dams in Kansas * List of rivers of Kansas
==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
==External links== *[http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Facility.jsp?fac_Name=Webster+Dam&groupName=Overview Webster Dam], U.S. Bureau of Reclamation *[http://ksoutdoors.com/State-Parks/Locations/Webster Webster State Park], Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism
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Category:Dams in Kansas Category:Reservoirs in Kansas Category:United States Bureau of Reclamation dams Category:Bodies of water of Rooks County, Kansas Category:Dams completed in 1956