Webster Reservoir in northwestern Kansas was created by Webster Dam on the South Fork Solomon River as part of the Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program, after the Great Flood of 1951 underscored the need for flood protection and irrigation support. Construction began in 1953, was delayed by funding and weather, and required moving the community of Webster about 2 miles southeast before water storage started in 1956. The reservoir became the hub of a broader irrigation system completed in 1961. Today it remains a working water project while also serving as a major recreation and wildlife area with a state park, fishing, camping, and habitat for many species.