Big Blue River #2-Garrison Traditional Cache
Big Blue River #2-Garrison
-
Difficulty:
-
-
Terrain:
-
Size: 
(regular)
Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions
in our disclaimer.
This is cache #2 of a 10 part series touring Tuttle Creek Reservoir. This cache is placed near the former town of Garrison at approximately 1130 feet above sea level. A map showing the location of Garrison is included in the cache. Parking is located nearby, with a light hike along an unmaintained trail to the cache. During winter, access to this cache by vehicle on the road may be tricky.
It is possible, though not required, to access this cache by boat. If you choose this route, please take note of lake conditions and wear your life jackets!
July 4, 2009 marks the 50th Anniversary of the closure of the Big Blue River, and the creation of Tuttle Creek Reservoir. This cache was placed in commemoration of this event and to explore the many towns affected by the creation of the reservoir. Some of these towns have prospered, others have become a footnote to history; all are worth remembering and exploring.
The routes to each of these caches will lead you through the Flint Hills of Kansas and the Big Blue River Valley, some of the prettiest scenery in the state. You will travel U.S. and State highways, well-maintained county roads, and not-so-well-maintained roads. There are also numerous possible ways to get to any one cache, a detailed map showing the winding county roads is advised. Weather permitting, 4WD should not be necessary for any cache…weather permitting. All caches in this series are plastic Lock-N-Locks with Geocaching markings, and are on public property. Please respect any private property near the cache stages. All caches are placed above 1075 FASL; however, changing water elevations within the reservoir may increase the challenge of finding any one! Current water elevations may be found on the U.S. CoE webpage listed below (follow the “Daily Lake Information” link).
Tuttle Creek Reservoir was constructed primarily for flood control along the Big Blue River. The normal water elevation in Tuttle Creek is 1075 FASL. The all-time maximum water elevation in Tuttle Creek Reservoir was reached on July 23, 1993; 1137.77 feet, almost 63 feet above flood stage! Since its construction, Tuttle Creek Reservoir has been credited in preventing over $3 Billion dollars of flood damage from the dam just north of Manhattan to the confluence of the Kansas and Missouri Rivers in Kansas City, Kansas. Numerous year-round recreational activities are also provided by the reservoir, including camping, boating, fishing, hunting, and geocaching. For more information on these, and a more complete history of the Reservoir, please see:
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City District, Tuttle Creek Reservoir
(visit link)
Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, Tuttle Creek State Park
(visit link)
The coordinates of the dam at the outlet structure are N39 15.213 W096 36.104. These coordinates are given simply to track the extent of Tuttle Creek Reservoir, and are not needed to find any cache. This cache was placed with Corps of Engineers permission.
Congratulations to gjt&s14 for FTF!
Additional Hints
(No hints available.)