All set for innovative Tuttle Creek Lake dredging project

All is set for the start of the innovative Water Injection Dredging project at Tuttle Creek Lake in Kansas.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City District announced yesterday that first demonstration period take place from September 17 to 27, 2025, providing a real-world assessment of Water Injection Dredging’s effectiveness for sediment management within inland reservoirs.

“We are excited to launch this first demonstration period for Water Injection Dredging at Tuttle Creek Lake,” said Laura Totten, project manager for the Tuttle Creek Reservoir Water Injection Dredging Demonstration Project at the Kansas City District. “This project represents a significant step forward in exploring sustainable dredging techniques to maintain water storage capacity and evaluate the associated environmental effects.”

This pioneering project aims to evaluate Water Injection Dredging (WID) and downstream discharge of sediment as a potential alternative to traditional mechanical dredging with offsite sediment disposal.

WID uses a controlled injection of water, under pressure, to resuspend sediment from the reservoir bed and create a density current, allowing it to be carried downstream by gravity and the natural current.

Tuttle Creek Lake is the largest reservoir in the Kansas River Basin. Over 40% of the population of Kansas, including the urban areas of Topeka, Kansas City, Manhattan and Lawrence, depend on the flood control and water supply benefits of Tuttle Creek Lake, and many more utilize the recreational and environmental benefits.