The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers staff at Hillsdale Lake manages the lake to provide benefits to the nation in areas of Flood Damage Reduction, Water Supply, Water Quality Improvements, Fish and Wildlife Management and Recreation. The Hillsdale Lake staff also operate the project Visitor Center.
The Corps manages 4,580 surface acres of water and over 8,000 acres of public land surrounding the lake. The staff conducts dam safety inspections and maintains the dam and outlet works. Corps employees make water release changes to Big Bull Creek which flows into the Marais des Cygnes River. All releases are conducted in coordination with the Kansas City District Water Management Section and the Missouri River Region Control center. Hillsdale Lake is part of the Osage River Basin along with Melvern, Pomona, Stockton, Pomme de Terre and Harry S. Truman Lake.
In 1989, the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism leased 12,880 acres of land and water at Hillsdale to be managed as a Kansas State Park & Wildlife Area. Today, all recreation facilities and wildlife management lands are managed by the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism.
The Corps of Engineers manages the Visitor Center located at the lake. They provide local, regional and national information to the visiting public. Adjacent to the Visitor Center is a 1.5 mile nature trail called "The Hidden Spring Nature Trail". The trail is managed as an extension of the Visitor Center. In addition to the Nature Trail, there is a Group Shelter house that can be reserved.
Other activities conducted by the Corps include: dam operations, natural resource management, water safety, public relations, visitor services, real estate management, noxious weed control, collection of weather data, lake patrol, buoy maintenance, and encroachment surveillance.
USACE Pass Information
USACE Annual Pass = $40. Pass holders receive free entrance to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-operated sites nationwide that charge day use fees. The pass may not be used at areas operated by other agencies even if those areas may be located on USACE-owned property. Camping fees are not included. Pass valid for one year. Valid through month and year shown on the pass. Sold only at USACE projects, please call ahead to ensure the office is open to the public.
Federal Interagency Pass Information
Approximately 240 USACE recreation projects nationwide began issuing America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Interagency Passes on Jan. 1, 2016. These include:
1) Interagency Senior Pass, $80, valid for lifetime of the pass owner and available to U.S. citizens and permanent residents age 62 or older.
2) Interagency Senior Annual Pass $20, valid one year from month of purchase, available to U.S. citizens or permanent residents 62 or older, the Senior Annual Pass can be upgraded to the Lifetime Senior Pass by exchanging four previously purchased Senior Annual Passes or paying the difference between the purchase of one to three Senior Annual Passes to equal the value of the Senior Lifetime Pass, $80.
3) Access Pass, free for lifetime with documentation of permanent disability for U.S. citizens or permanent residents. *Documentation required.
4) Interagency Annual Pass, $80, anyone can purchase this pass.
5) Interagency Military Pass, free to current U.S. military members and their dependents. *Documentation required.
6) Interagency Every Kid in a Park 4th Grade Pass, free to current 4th grade students with valid Every Kid in a Park voucher (visit: https://everykidoutdoors.gov/ for details).
7) Interagency Volunteer Pass, earned with 250-plus hours of volunteer service on public lands.
8) Interagency Military Lifetime Pass, free to gold star families and veterans. *Documentation required.
These passes allow their holders free access to boat launches and swimming beaches managed by USACE. Senior and Access America the Beautiful passes also provide holders a 50 percent discount on campsites at USACE-managed campgrounds. Additionally, USACE will continue to sell its own annual day use pass for $40, which allows visitors free access to boat launches and swimming beaches managed by USACE.
All America the Beautiful passes can be purchased online at http://store.usgs.gov/. There is an additional $10 processing fee for online purchases. They can also be obtained in person at many locations which can be found at https://www.nps.gov/ Please call ahead to ensure the office is open to the public and to ensure pass availability.
Managing the natural resources at Hillsdale Lake is one of the Corps of Engineers project purposes. The Corps manages natural resources in cooperation with the Kansas Dept. of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism. Maintaining and improving healthy and sustainable habitat is conducted by Natural Resource Specialist, Wildlife and Fisheries Biologist. Management practices include: Wetland Development, Native Grass Planting, Agricultural Crop Production, Cedar Control, Invasive Species surveillance and control, Brush pile Construction, Food plot Planting, Dove Field Management, Fisheries Habitat Development, Timber Stand Improvements, Tree and acorn planting and prescribed burning. Hillsdale Lake is managed for multiple species; migratory birds, game and non-game, fish, reptiles and amphibians. We ask for your assistance in protecting our natural resources by following all fish and wildlife regulations and leaving the lake better than when you arrived.