Recent water-related damage at Chase State Fishing Lake between Cottonwood Falls and Elmdale is being monitored by the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism, but damage noticed at the dam Friday is apparently minor.
Public Land Manager Brent Konen tells KVOE News some topsoil sloughed down the slope on the north side of the lake after heavy rainfall Thursday night into Friday, which followed more heavy rainfall early last week. The slide revealed a line in the dam, but Konen says all current indications are the issue is superficial and the result of “supersaturation.” No leakage has been noticed.
KDWPT is monitoring the situation daily until an action plan is devised, if one is needed. It is working with engineers from an outside company and reaching out to other natural resource agencies to determine the situation and the path forward. In the meantime, KDWPT is allowing some public access to the dam.
The lake was built in 1954. It is popular for channel catfish, largemouth bass, spotted bass, saugeye, bluegill and crappie.
