Posted on 07/01/2015 1:00:48 PM PDT by markomalley
Ameren Missouri has opened the flood gates at Bagnell Dam at Lake of the Ozarks.
Consulting engineer Alan Sullivan said 11 of the dam’s 12 flood gates were opened to 10 percent after the area recorded three inches of rain in the overnight hours. More than 40,000 cubic feet per second are flowing through the gates. Operators also ordered Truman Dam to close its gates to relive the pressure downstream on Bagnell Dam.
Sullivan said Ameren is working with the Army Corps of Engineers to reduce the impact of the flooding on farmers and property owners downstream, but added that the release may raise levels on the Osage River about four feet. He said that will likely cause some minor flooding on low-lying cropland downstream.
“We’re doing everything we can to mitigate the impact of this flooding on farm families downstream,” Sullivan said.
Sullivan said it’s the first time Ameren has opened the flood gates at Bagnell Dam in several years. The last time came after the area received about eight inches of rain in a short time.
Ameren is required by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to manage the flow of water through Bagnell Dam’s turbines. The overnight rain pushed the lake level up over the 660 foot mark, which is too high for the turbines.
Sullivan said he’s in constant contact with the National Weather Service watching the forecast. He points out that with a couple of more inches of rain in the forecast, it’s possible Bagnell Dam may have to increase the flow of water through the flood gates. He said he's not sure how long the gates will remain open.
tonight’s storm probably has now doubled the flow from this afternoon and I be the spillway at Truman has to be running now.
Thankfully the drought only lasted a few years and started to recover last year.
We did have drought conditions recently. 2012 was bloody hot and dry. Some areas of MO recovered faster and there was some areas that were still at risk to go back to drought conditions even just a few months ago.
Tornado sirens went off in Osage Beach and Eldon last night. No touch downs, tho.
Water is at 661.2 and slowly rising. Flood gates are more open this morning than they were yesterday. I want to drive down behind the dam and get a few pix...
as of 8:30 your time the discharge was up to 76,900 cubic feet per second.
96k is the max as was reached in the 51 flood with no Truman Lake up stream. I bet you can see the current on the main arm. Prior to last nights storm it was at 36k.
The Osage River below the dam is now about 13 feet higher than it was yesterday morning. Big change for down stream.
Heavy rain and tornado warnings around me most of last night (Lafayette County between Odessa and Lexington). Tornado touchdown in Lee's Summit, suburban KC, a couple of miles from where my boyfriend lives. No injuries, minor damage. Wettest spring I can remember.
over 80,000 CF/S now at 10 am
it is now at 250% of what it was in your first picture.
Another instance where Truman greatly benefitted the Lake of the Ozarks.
I thought the dam was built privately by an electric company long before Truman.
Yes, it was. Truman was built many decades after the Lake of the Ozarks was built.
In the flood of ‘93, it is said that had it not been for Truman, the Bagnell Dam would have been over topped, leading to a major disaster.
The Osage River flows through Truman, then through our lake.
BTW: Bagnell is pumping out 80,360 CFM. The lake is at 662.55.
I know the area and have driven over that dam many times. The latest was a couple of weeks ago when I was at a wedding at the Lodge of the Four Seasons. Love the pizza and the wine at Shawnee Bluff Winery on 54 Buisness.
Ah but the pizza is only half the equation. Shawnee Bluff does this thing where they equally mix their Retro Red with their Casa Cooler and it's unbelievable. It's like a deep red rose'. Unfortunately they don't bottle their Casa Cooler so I don't think I could get it at Pepperoni Bill's.
Still, I'll keep it in mind for a time when pizza and beer sound good.
So we are at 3.55 feet above the summertime full operating level of 659. Damn, I hope my dock rides that alright after the three grand plus I put into it earlier this year. I don’t want to have to do anymore dock repairs.
My neighbor will call me this afternoon and I will hear first hand but I don’t think it has been this high since I bought the cabin and dock in 2009.
Like every maintenance person, realtor, home owner and person down there says when something is screwed-up, poorly repaired, falling apart or torn up by the winter or storms: “Welcome to the Lake.”
A total shut down happened about 30 years ago, or so I'm told. It was in October so the impact was muted. Coming on the 4th of July weekend will be a killer for lake businesses.
!! AM 662.55
Noon 662.54
1pm 662.47 (82,543.12 cfs.
Was the main arm full of flowing debris like the Mighty Mo at flood?
Don’t know.
We disconnected power to the dock so we can lower our pontoon lift but can’t raise it back up.
I think we’ll just hang close for the time being.
I have my dock ramp connected to the top of a four foot sea wall that is topped with a sidewalk. I don’t think it will get that high but it will be close. I have my dock power on a good ground fault breaker that is on a local disconnect on the other side of the sidewalk three foot above that grade. Should go off automatically and instantly at the slightest ground fault — or it did the last time I had it tested.
My only concern is the dock cables will be at a real odd angle with the lake that high and I hope that the ramp doesn’t collapse from the tension or tear out the cables which has happened from ice lock up when my aerator went out.
I think main arm boating to see the fireworks displays is going to have a lot of boaters hitting flood debris in the night-time run home.
Maybe they're getting a handle on this...
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