Overview
Smithville Lake is a roughly 7,190-acre reservoir on the Little Platte River in Clay and Clinton counties, about 20 miles north of Kansas City, Missouri. It was filled in the early 1980s after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers completed Smithville Dam. The project provides flood risk management, municipal water supply, recreation, and fish and wildlife benefits for the Kansas City metro area.
At multipurpose pool the lake has about 175 miles of shoreline, averages near 23 feet deep, and reaches about 60 feet in deeper channel areas near the dam. Broad open water, timbered creek arms, and a mix of developed and natural shoreline create varied habitat, and the flood pool can expand the surface toward roughly 10,000 acres during major runoff events.
Smithville is a busy day-trip and weekend lake for boating, sailing, camping, and fishing for largemouth bass, crappie, catfish, and walleye, with fisheries managed by the Missouri Department of Conservation. Corps parks, marinas, trails, beaches, and nearby golf and equestrian facilities make it one of the most accessible Corps lakes for Kansas City visitors.
Water levels on Smithville Lake are managed by the Corps of Engineers around a multipurpose pool of 864.2 feet above mean sea level (NGVD29), with a flood-control pool extending to 876.2 feet. Because the watershed is relatively small and urbanizing, elevations can respond quickly to local storms, so monitoring current lake levels is helpful for boating, fishing, and shoreline access.
Current Conditions
Smithville Lake is currently at full pool and has risen slightly over the past week.
- 7-day trendRisingLatest movement can differ from the seven-day trend.
- 7-day changeUp 0.13 ft
- 30-day changeDown 0.24 ft
- Drought conditionsNo Drought
About This Lake
Learn how this lake is managed, what affects its water level, and where Lake Insights gets its data.
Smithville Lake is a 7,190-acre reservoir on the Little Platte River managed by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Kansas City District).