Bagnell Dam Discharge (2024)

FAQs

How long will Bagnell Dam last? ›

Upgrades to the Bagnell Dam will enable it to continue to provide clean energy for the next 100 years.

Bagnell Dam Failure

In the event of a dam failure, the areas that would be inundated with this excess water would include the Special Flood Hazard Area (floodplain) along the Osage River from Bagnell Dam to the Missouri River. This includes Miller, Cole, Osage and Callaway Counties.

At the time of construction, it was the largest man-made lake in United States and one of the largest in the world. Its construction virtually ended commercial traffic on the upper river. The concept of a hydro-electric power plant on the Osage River was first introduced by a Kansas City developer as early as 1912.

Fishing is prohibited in the marked restricted zone within 225 feet below Bagnell Dam. Spring is the prime season to fish below the dam since walleye, white bass, hybrid stripers, catfish and paddlefish congregate at various times to spawn in the spillway.

Bagnell Dam, named for the closest town when construction first started, is a 148-foot tall, 2,543 foot-long concrete gravity dam with a 520-foot long spillway, and a 511-foot long power station.

Currently operated by Ameren UE, the concrete gravity dam is a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) licensed facility that is 2,543-ft in total length and comprised of a 520-ft gated spillway and 511-ft powerhouse section with 8 turbines.

Bagnell Dam was completed in 1931, which officially formed the Lake of the Ozarks. 2. At its greatest depth, the Lake of the Ozarks is 130 feet deep.

“We do not have any safety concerns for the structural integrity of Bagnell Dam.” Ameren Missouri adheres to strict safety standards as part of its FERC operating license for Bagnell Dam.

— Every winter, Ameren—the utilities company that owns and operates Bagnell Dam, which impounds Lake of the Ozarks—drops the Lake's water level by about six feet. It's called the “winter drawdown,” and its purpose is to prepare the Lake for the inevitable heavy spring rains.

Ameren Missouri owns or controls all the shoreline surrounding the Lake up to a specific elevation. The most important elevation to remember at Lake of the Ozarks is 662 feet above sea level. During the summer, this is 2 vertical feet above the full pool elevation of 660 feet.

Are there houses under Lake of the Ozarks? ›

The lake with the most towns and settlements that disappeared when the lake was filled is Lake of the Ozarks. The towns that disappeared so we can enjoy the Lake of the Ozarks are many including Arnold's Mill, old Linn Creek, Nonsuch, Passover, and a town called Zebra.

The road crosses the dam and there are a number of places to stop and get a view. There is a spot to stop just off the road before it crosses the dam and a scenic overlook.

What would happen if Bagnell Dam were to fail? Operation Dam Busters said that the Missouri village of Tuscumbia would be destroyed inside of one hour.

Length limit:

Blue catfish: 26" to 34" protected slot length limit; 10 fish daily and possession limit; the daily limit may not contain more than 2 blue catfish more than 34".

LAKE OZARK — Ninety years ago this year, construction began on the Bagnell Dam for the purpose of hydroelectric power generation. Union Electric Company, now known as Ameren after merging in 1995, started construction on the Bagnell Dam in August of 1929.

The service life of a well-designed, well-constructed and well-maintained and monitored embankment and concrete dams can easily reach 100 years. Hydromechanical elements such as gates and their motors have to be replaced after 30 to 50 years. The life-span of penstocks is 40 to 60 years (Figure 3).

Every year at Lake of the Ozarks, Ameren in coordination with the Corp of Engineers, carefully orchestrates a significant draw down of the water in the Lake of the Ozarks reservoir.

Lake and river level fluctuations occur for several reasons. At Lake of the Ozarks, Ameren Missouri generally lowers the water level during wintertime to about 654 feet above sea level—or six feet below the full reservoir level of 660 feet—to reduce the possibility of flooding during spring rains.