Tuttle Creek Reservoir dredging pilot project delayed to fall 2025

The initial phase of the Tuttle Creek Reservoir water injection dredging pilot project has been shifted to the fall of 2025 due to manufacturing delays for custom-built equipment, the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Kansas City District, has announced.

The USACE stated the schedule change is due to delays in manufacturing specialty pump parts. Following the initial demonstration this fall, additional dredge periods are planned for the spring and summer of 2026.

The pilot project, a collaboration with the Kansas Water Office, will test technology that may have the potential to help maintain the reservoir's storage capacity. The agency said sedimentation has significantly reduced the lake’s storage, displacing 438 million cubic yards (335 million cubic metres) of capacity and impacting flood control, water supply, and recreation.

Col. Andrew Niewohner, USACE Kansas City District Commander, stated that the delay ensures that the project team can fully understand the impacts of the new dredging method. He added that the knowledge gained will be, "invaluable for sedimentation management across the nation."