The Reporter covers Miller, Morgan and Camden County in Central Missouri's Lake of the Ozarks and is published once per week on Wednesdays.

Published December 18, 2024

Dock owners: prepare for winter drawdown

LAKE OF THE OZARKS - With cold winter temperatures moving in, dock owners at Lake of the Ozarks and on the lower Osage River should begin to prepare their docks for the annual lake drawdown.

Lowering the lake’s water level will help to prevent complications that may result from changing weather conditions in the coming months.

“Our annual drawdown lowers water levels to below 654.0 feet above sea level. This process, along with adjustments throughout the winter, helps to minimize the risk of spring flooding,” said Brad Todd, director of hydro operations for Ameren Missouri. “Water depth can vary significantly from cove to cove, and winterizing docks helps protect them from potential damage caused by periodic fluctuations in lake levels, as well as ice.”

Dock owners can obtain up-to-date information on lake water levels and river flows online at AmerenMissouri.com/Lake or by calling for the Lake Level Daily Report at 573-365-9205

Ameren also offers the following tips for Lake of the Ozarks and Osage River dock owners preparing for the drawdown and winter season:

• Below the dam, remove docks from the Osage River before freezing occurs.
• Ensure that hinges, pins and other connections linking docks to seawalls or piers have the flexibility to follow water-level fluctuations.
• Lengthen cables to allow docks to drop as the lake or river levels drop.
• Use a dock deicer to help protect docks from ice damage. Be aware that a deicer may not provide protection from large ice sheets and blocks.
• Ask neighbors to keep an eye on the dock or retain a local dock builder or similar contractor to care for the property when the site is unoccupied.

Bagnell Dam houses Ameren’s Osage Energy Center, which produces more than 500 million kilowatt-hours of clean energy for Missouri each year.

To learn more about Bagnell Dam, visit Ameren.com

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