Perry Lake is a US Army Corps of Engineers operated reservoir in northeast Kansas. Its primary purposes are flood control, water reserve for nearby areas and regional recreation. The lake is approximately 11,150 acres (45 km²) in size, with over 160 miles of shoreline. Perry Lake's full multi-purpose pool elevation is 891.5 feet above sea level. Perry Lake is located about 40 miles west of Kansas City, just northwest of Lawrence, Kansas. Its close proximity to Kansas City, Lawrence, and the state capitol, Topeka, make it a very popular destination, with the nickname "Paradise on the Plains".HistoryThe dam was constructed on the Delaware River to help control flooding downstream in both the Delaware and Kansas rivers. Completed in 1966, the rolled earth fill dam is 7,750 feet long and rises to 95 feet in height above the stream bed, abating flooding for over 1,117 square miles of northeast Kansas. In 1968 the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reached a long term land usage lease with the Kansas Parks and Resources Department, allowing for the development of Perry State Park.GeographyPerry Lake is located at at an elevation of 892ft. It lies in northeastern Kansas in the Dissected Till Plains region of North America's Central Lowlands. The entirety of the reservoir lies within Jefferson County.
