Largest lakes & reservoirs in Kansas by shoreline length
The length of the exterior shoreline around a lake is measured at the lake’s normal elevation. The shoreline length can be considerably shorter or longer when lake water levels are lower or higher than normal. A lake with many coves has a much longer shoreline than a lake of similar surface area that is nearly circular in shape.When known, the shoreline miles that we report in our statistics include only the lake’s exterior shoreline, and exclude the shorelines of islands located within a lake’s boundaries. In lakes with many islands, those islands’ combined shorelines may exceed a lake’s exterior shoreline.
You can find many of the world’s longest-shoreline lakes on LakeLubbers. Note: For some lakes, "Longest Shorelines" data is unknown or does not apply, so this table may display fewer lakes than the total 13 articles we have published for Kansas lakes.
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Below are lakes within USA > US Midwest Region > Kansas > Compared by longest shoreline length in miles. This list does not represent all lakes in Kansas, only the 13 Kansas lake articles we have published on the LakeLubbers website.
Lake name  |
Shoreline length in miles |
Lake description |
|---|---|---|
| Kaw Lake, KS/OK (Kansas, Oklahoma, Red Carpet Country, OK, South Central Kansas, US Midwest Region, US Southwest Region, USA) |
168 mi | Also known as Kaw Reservoir Kaw Lake is a large lake covering an area of 17,000 acres. Its three fingerlike “arms” lie in two midwestern states, Oklahoma and Kansas. Kaw Lake is … |
| Milford Lake, KS (Kansas, Northeast Kansas, US Midwest Region, USA) |
163 mi | Also known as Milford Reservoir Milford Lake is the largest reservoir in Kansas with 163 shoreline miles and 16,000 surface acres. The lake offers abundant recreational opportunities … |
| Perry Lake (Kansas, Northeast Kansas, US Midwest Region, USA) |
160 mi | Also known as Perry Lake Reservoir Tucked neatly into the northeast region of Kansas about 40 miles west of Kansas City, Perry Lake Reservoir provides tons of fun for those lucky enough … |
| Melvern Lake (Kansas, Southeast Kansas, US Midwest Region, USA) |
101 mi | Also known as Melvern Resevoir Melvern Lake is the perfect spot in dry southeast Kansas to enjoy a week at the lake. Built in 1972 as a flood control reservoir, Melvern Lake now off … |
| Tuttle Creek Lake, KS (Kansas, Northeast Kansas, US Midwest Region, USA) |
100 mi | Also known as Tuttle Creek Reservoir When construction of Tuttle Creek Dam began in 1952, the premise was that Tuttle Creek Lake would be a “dry dam” passing water on through to the river … |
| Wilson Lake, KS (Kansas, North Central Kansas, US Midwest Region, USA) |
100 mi | Also known as Wilson Reservoir Nicknamed the “Clearest Lake in Kansas”, Wilson Lake is located in the heart of the Smoky Hills of central Kansas. This reservoir is an unexpected jew … |
| Glen Elder Reservoir, KS (Kansas, North Central Kansas, US Midwest Region, USA) |
100 mi | Also known as Waconda Lake Glen Elder Reservoir, also known as Waconda Lake, is one of the most scenic and popular outdoor attractions in Kansas. Located in north central Kansas … |
| El Dorado Lake, KS (Kansas, South Central Kansas, US Midwest Region, USA) |
97 mi | Completed in 1981, South Central Kansas’ El Dorado Lake is an 8,000-acre reservoir bordering the stunning tall grass prairies and rolling mounds of th … |
| Clinton Lake, KS (Kansas, Northeast Kansas, US Midwest Region, USA) |
85 mi | Also known as Clinton Reservoir Clinton Lake is a 7,000-acre reservoir located in northeastern Kansas, just south of Interstate 70 near Lawrence (between Topeka and Kansas City). Con … |
| Cheney Reservoir, KS (Kansas, South Central Kansas, US Midwest Region, USA) |
67 mi | Also known as Cheney Lake Cheney Reservoir is the premier recreation spot for outdoor activity in south central Kansas. Constructed by the Bureau of Reclamation, it was complet … |
| Hillsdale Lake, KS (Kansas, Northeast Kansas, US Midwest Region, USA) |
51 mi | Also known as Hillsdale Reservoir The boat glides slowly over the tops of the submerged trees. Carefully he stalks them, intent as any predator. It’s early summer on Hillsdale Lake, an … |
| Kanopolis Lake, KS (Kansas, North Central Kansas, US Midwest Region, USA) |
41 mi | Kanopolis Lake is a man-made reservoir located near Ellsworth, Kansas. The lake is the result of a dam constructed from 1940-1948 on the Smoke Hill Ri … |