June 18, 1999
The maps don't guarantee successful fishing, but they do pinpoint some of the places that fish are most likely to be found.
The maps show the topography -- or changes in elevation -- of the land around the reservoirs, along with roads, quarries, houses, and other man-made features. The maps also depict the river channels that existed before the lakes were built, channels that are now underwater. Fish are sometimes more common in areas around these old channels.
Individual maps showing the complete topography of the lake bottom are now available for Tuttle Creek Lake, Glen Elder Reservoir, Cedar Bluff Reservoir, Wilson Lake, and Kirwin Reservoir. Maps of Marion Reservoir and John Redmond Reservoir show the former river channels, but not the complete lake-floor topography. Each map shows the entire lake and the area surrounding it. Previous topographic maps generally included only parts of each lake; to produce a topographic map of an entire lake, individual maps had to be bought and spliced together.
Using computerized mapping methods, the Survey has done that splicing. The newly produced maps are drawn at a scale of 1:36,000, so that one inch on the map equals about 3,000 feet of actual distance. The maps are also printed on water-resistant paper.
Copies of the maps are available for $15 each, plus $4 for postage and handling, from the Kansas Geological Survey, 1930 Constant Ave., Lawrence, KS 66047, or phone (785) 864-3965. Kansas residents should add 6.9% sales tax.