County Coffey

River Basin Neosho
Top of Dam Elevation** 1081ft.

John Redmond Bathymetry Map (pdf)
ASTRA

John Redmond Fishing Map (pdf)
ASTRA

Bathymetric Survey of John Redmond Reservoir, Coffey County, Kansas
Kansas Biological Survey, Decemeber 2007.

John Redmond Fact Sheet (pdf)
Kansas Water Office
Real-time Data Site for John Redmond
Corps of Engineers
John Redmond Site
Corps of Engineers

Top of Flood Pool 1068 ft.
Original Storage Capacity* 650,260 acre-ft.
Capacity at Most Recent Survey* 574,918 acre-ft.
Estimated Current Capacity* 558,322 acre-ft.
Actual Sedimentation Rate* 2075 acre-ft./yr
Design Sedimentation Rate** 1020 acre-ft./yr
Loss of Capacity to Date* 14.14 Top of Multipurpose Pool 1039 ft.
Original Storage Capacity* 82,230 acre-ft.
Estimated Current Capacity* 43,512 acre-ft.
Actual Sedimentation Rate* 874 acre-ft./yr
Multipurpose Pool Surface Area* 8,084 acres
Average Water Depth*** 6.2 ft.
Capacity at Most Recent Survey* 50,501 acre-ft.
Design Sedimentation Rate** 404 acre-ft./yr
Loss of Capacity to Date* 47.09%
Hydraulic Residence Time*** 1 months Watershed Sediment Yield 0.69 acre-ft/mi²/yr
Design Life for Sediment Storage 50 Years
Years to Fill Sediment Storage Multipurpose Pool From Time of Gate Closure 24 Years
Year Sediment Storage is Filled 1988
Original Sediment Survey Year* 1963
Most Recent Survey Year* 2000 Watershed includes portions of Butler, Chase, Coffey, Greenwood, Harvey, Lyon, McPherson, Marion, Morris, Osage and Wabaunsee counties.
Watershed Drainage Area** 3015 mi²
Major Streams Cottonwood River, Cedar Creek
Hydrologic Unit Code 11070201, 11070202, 11070203
Percent of Watershed in Organized Watershed District* 45%
Elevation of Top of Watershed** 1500 ft.

Current Federally Authorized Purposes** Flood control, water supply, recreation, water quality, fish and wildlife.
State Designated Uses*** General purpose, expected aquatic life, primary contact recreation, food procurement, industrial water supply.
Designed and built by the Tulsa District Corps of Engineers at a cost of $29,264,000. The town of Strawn was relocated six miles eastward on higher ground when the dam was constructed. The old town is now underwater. Closure of the embankment was completed in September 1963. The project was copmleted for full flood control operation in December 1964. All major construction was completed December 1965. Ultimate development was initiated January 1, 1976 and the conservation pool elevation changed from 1036.0 to 1039.0.

In 1958, Congress renamed it John Redmond Dam and Reservoir for the Burlington Daily Republican's publisher, John Redmond. The Neosho Valley was flooded 57 times in 34 years, with the worst flood coming in 1951, one year after Congress authorized the project. Floodwaters ran 30 feet deep at the damsite and one-third million acres were under water.

Construction Began June 18, 1959
Gates Closed September, 1964
Multipurpose Pool Filled November 17, 1964 Flood Control Act approval May 17, 1950, Public Law 81-516a; Project Document HD 442, 80th Congress, 2d Session.
Public Law 85-327 February 15, 1958, changed the name from Strawn Dam to John Redmond Dam and Reservoir

* Kansas Water Office
** Army Corps of Engineers
*** KS Dept. of Health and Environment