Lake Shawnee

About Lake Shawnee

The primary purpose of Lake Shawnee is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Shawnee County (local government). It impounds the Deer Creek near Topeka.

The dam stands 76 feet tall and stretches 2,200 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 500 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 11,400 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 9 square miles. Completed in 1937, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.

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 04/26/2022.

At 76 feet, this dam is taller than 97% of all dams in the United States.

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.

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