Wilson County State Lake

About Wilson County State Lake

The primary purpose of Wilson County State Lake is fish and wildlife pond. The dam creates habitat for fish and wildlife, supporting local ecosystems and potentially serving conservation goals. The dam is owned by Kansas Dept Of Wildlife Parks & Tourism (state). It impounds the Woodruff Br Buffalo Creek near Roper.

The dam stands 55 feet tall and stretches 1,800 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 119 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 3,924 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 10 square miles. Completed in 1955, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.

This dam carries a high hazard potential classification, which means that a failure or uncontrolled release of water would likely cause loss of human life. This classification reflects the consequences of failure, not the likelihood — it indicates that people live or work in the area downstream. Its condition is rated fair — the dam has minor deficiencies that are being addressed or do not pose an immediate safety threat. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 01/11/2017. That was 9 years ago, which is on the longer end for a high-hazard structure.

At 55 feet, this dam is taller than 94% of dams nationwide.

Living Downstream

If you live or work downstream of this dam, consider taking these steps: learn your local evacuation routes, check whether your county emergency management office has a dam failure inundation map, and sign up for local emergency alerts. The Kansas dam safety program can provide more specific information about emergency planning for this structure.

Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.