Lake Vaquero
Lake Vaquero is an earth dam located in Shawnee County, Kansas, built in 1963. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
About Lake Vaquero
The primary purpose of Lake Vaquero is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Vaquero Lake Club Inc (private). It impounds the Shunganunga Creek-tr near Topeka.
The dam stands 33 feet tall and stretches 700 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 30 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 778 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1 square miles. Completed in 1963, 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 satisfactory, indicating no existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 09/29/2021.
At 33 feet, this dam is taller than 78% 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.
Location
| State | Kansas |
| County | Shawnee |
| Nearest City | Topeka |
| River/Stream | Shunganunga Creek-tr |
| Coordinates | 39.00981, -95.79990 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 33 ft |
| Dam Height | 33 ft |
| Dam Length | 700 ft |
| Year Completed | 1963 (63 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 778 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 778 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 361 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 30 acres |
| Drainage Area | 1 sq mi |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | VAQUERO LAKE CLUB INC |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 09/29/2021 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | KS02885 |
| Federal ID | KS02885 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |