Cheney Reservoir

Cheney Reservoir, in Reno County about 20 miles west of Wichita, is the primary drinking-water supply reservoir for Kansas’s largest city and one of the finest sailing, windsurfing and watersports lakes in the central United States — a 9,537-acre reservoir on Cheney Dam Creek (a tributary of the North Fork of the Arkansas River), with broad, open water and reliable winds that draw sailors and windsurfers from across the Great Plains.

Cheney State Park on the reservoir’s east shore provides camping, boat ramps, marina services and beach access. The lake is also one of the premier walleye fisheries in Kansas — the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks actively manages the walleye population — along with excellent white bass, crappie and catfish fishing. Bald eagles winter along the lake in large numbers. Cheney Reservoir is a treasured recreational icon of south-central Kansas.

Summer (June through August) is prime for sailing, windsurfing and water sports, with warm water and full marina services; spring and fall bring excellent walleye fishing (the spring walleye run is outstanding) and cooler, often windier conditions ideal for sailing. Winter brings bald eagles in large numbers along the lake and dam area — Cheney is one of the better eagle-watching lakes in Kansas in December through February. Any season on this broad, open lake is rewarding. Summer for water sports, spring/fall for the best walleye fishing, and winter for bald eagle watching are the highlights.

Cheney Reservoir hosts large numbers of bald eagles in winter — one of the better eagle-watching sites near Wichita — along with American white pelicans (spring and fall migration), double-crested cormorants, great blue herons, ospreys, and abundant waterfowl, while the surrounding shoreline and uplands support white-tailed deer, wild turkeys, coyotes and grassland birds. The lake’s walleye, white bass and crappie fishery is actively managed and productive. Wildlife watching for eagles and waterfowl, and fishing for walleye, are the highlights.

Cheney Reservoir has broad, open water — winds can raise waves quickly; wear life jackets and watch the weather when boating, sailing or windsurfing. The reservoir is busy with diverse watercraft on summer weekends; follow posted speed limits and no-wake zones. Watch children near the water and at the beach. Winter eagle watching near the dam can be cold and windy; dress warmly. Respect the open water, the boat traffic and the Kansas weather, which can change rapidly.

Cheney Reservoir offers sailing (the wide-open water and consistent Plains winds make Cheney one of the finest sailing lakes in Kansas), windsurfing and kiteboarding (excellent conditions on the broad, open reservoir), fishing (walleye is the premier quarry, along with white bass, crappie, catfish and channel catfish), boating and water-skiing, swimming and sunbathing at the park beach, camping (tent, RV and cabin options at Cheney State Park), wildlife watching (bald eagles in winter, pelicans and waterfowl), and picnicking. Sailing, windsurfing and walleye fishing are the signature draws at Cheney.

The North Fork of the Arkansas River drainage in south-central Kansas was the homeland of the Wichita people, for whom the nearby city is named. Cheney Dam was built by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and completed in 1965, creating the reservoir primarily as a water-supply source for the rapidly growing city of Wichita. The lake quickly became a beloved recreational destination for the Wichita metropolitan area. Cheney Reservoir preserves this reservoir and its recreational heritage, a treasured icon of south-central Kansas and the greater Wichita region.

Cheney Reservoir impounds the broad, flat floodplain of Cheney Dam Creek on the Arkansas River lowland plain west of Wichita — a gently rolling landscape of Permian-age red beds, shale and sandstone overlain by alluvial sediments deposited by the Arkansas River system. The reservoir sits in the transition between the Flint Hills to the east and the High Plains to the west, in the plains of south-central Kansas. The flat, open terrain creates the broad, exposed water surface that generates the consistent winds excellent for sailing and windsurfing.

Cheney Reservoir is a large Plains reservoir whose open water, shoreline and surrounding uplands support fish, waterfowl, eagles and shorebirds. Water quality is a critical management priority — as Wichita’s primary drinking-water supply, the reservoir is subject to strict water-quality monitoring and management. Nutrient loading from agricultural runoff is an ongoing management challenge in this agricultural watershed. Protecting the watershed, the water quality and the fisheries sustains both the ecological and the public-utility value of Cheney Reservoir.

Cheney Reservoir holds a treasured place among the recreational icons of south-central Kansas — Wichita’s great outdoor playground, a broad, wind-swept lake where sailors, windsurfers and kitesurfers pursue the Plains winds, walleye anglers work the open water, and families camp and swim at the state park. Its reliable winds and broad open fetch make it the premier sailing and windsurfing lake in the region. Cheney Reservoir is a cherished recreational icon of Kansas and the Wichita metropolitan area.

Cheney Reservoir and Cheney State Park are in Reno County, about 20 miles west of Wichita. From Wichita, take U.S. 54 west to K-251 north to the park entrance. Cheney State Park has a marina, boat ramps, camping (tent, RV and cabin options), beach and picnic areas; a state-park entry fee applies, and camping reservations are recommended. The town of Cheney (about 5 miles east) has some services; Wichita (20 miles east) has full services. Check Kansas State Parks for current fees, marina services, camping reservations and conditions before visiting.

Kansas State Parks and the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks manage Cheney State Park and the fisheries. The City of Wichita manages the reservoir for water supply. Visitors help by cleaning, draining and drying watercraft to prevent aquatic invasive species (critical for Wichita’s drinking-water supply), preventing pollution, following fishing regulations, respecting wildlife (keeping distance from eagles and nesting birds), and packing out everything. Protecting the water quality, the fisheries and the eagle habitats sustains both the ecology and the recreational value of this important reservoir.

Clean, drain and dry watercraft to prevent aquatic invasive species. Follow Kansas boating laws and life-jacket requirements. Fishing requires a Kansas license; follow special walleye and white-bass regulations (check KDWP). Cheney State Park has entry and camping fees; reservations are recommended. No swimming outside designated beach areas. Pets must be leashed in developed areas. Pack out all trash. Check Kansas State Parks and KDWP for fees, fishing rules and conditions before visiting.

The city of Wichita (20 miles east — the Wichita Art Museum, Old Town, the Keeper of the Plains, Sedgwick County Zoo and Botanica), the town of Cheney, the Little Arkansas River, and the south-central Kansas plains lie near the reservoir. The Arkansas River lowlands and the approach to the Flint Hills define the region. Cheney Reservoir is the primary outdoor-recreation destination for the Wichita metro area, easily combined with the cultural and natural attractions of Kansas’s largest city, 20 miles to the east.

Sail or windsurf Cheney Reservoir on a windy spring or fall afternoon — the wide-open water and the consistent Plains winds make for outstanding conditions, and the sailboat racing community here is active and welcoming. Come in spring for the walleye run (hire a local guide for the best spots on this productive fishery). Reserve a campsite at Cheney State Park for sunrises over the open water. In winter, scan the trees and the lake surface near the dam for bald eagles — Cheney is one of the better eagle-watching sites near Wichita. Bring sun protection (the open reservoir provides little shade).