Background information: The above video originally aired on September 15, 2025.
RILEY COUNTY (Kansas) – Federal crews are preparing to begin the next phase of experimental dredging operations to remove sediment at a major Kansas reservoir.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is conducting the second phase of water injection dredging (WID) at Tuttle Creek Reservoir in central Kansas. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers launched the operation last fall, using an unprecedented new approach to save the reservoir from sediment buildup.
Laura Totten, project manager for WID operations at Tuttle Creek Reservoir, told 27 News that USACE engineers will begin the second phase of work in mid-March. Work will be carried out over a 10-day period from March 17 to 27.
“The boat ramp and parking lot will be closed for a few days,” Totten said. “We do not anticipate any additional impacts to services/roads.”
Totten said a third demonstration will be held in June and July this summer. After that, the Army Corps of Engineers will begin processing the data collected during the operation and publish the results in late 2026 or early 2027, she said.
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Tuttle Creek Reservoir, like all other reservoirs in Kansas, is slowly filling up with sediment. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) predicted in 2024 that if corrective actions are not taken, Tuttle Creek will be 75 percent mud-filled by 2049 and almost completely full by 2074, reducing its ability to provide flood control and water supply to nearby communities.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is using experimental methods such as WID to extend the life of Kansas reservoirs. WID involves the use of a barge with a special water jet on board to create low-pressure, large volumes of water to stir up sediment and push it further downstream from the reservoir dam outlet.
Photo of the specialized dredge used at Tuttle Creek Reservoir. Engineers hope this will solve the problem of rising mud levels in the reservoir and extend its life.
Engineers and researchers are testing other experimental methods to save the Sunflower State’s muddy reservoirs. At John Redmond Reservoir, for example, officials are considering using suction to remove excess sediment.
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