Unmanned Drones On The Lake

 I'm going to have to give Lake Expo a lot of credit for making this blog a little more obsolete. They're starting to do some decent journalism and looking into things before most of us are really aware. Good work. So I hope I give all due credit for the inspiration of this post.

To that point there is the story today about Unmanned Surface Vehicles being spotted around The Lake.

USV - Lake Expo by Tegan Pasley

In short, a company named Simple Unmanned LLC is doing a bathymetric survey of The Lake using unmanned drones. Note: Sorry, Tegan, but your suggestion that drones would be a good idea for Door Dash is not really practical...as of yet. Does anyone remember Domino's pizza delivery on The Lake?

Anyway, Tegan reports that Water Patrol and Ameren are aware and "monitoring" the drone activity, but I want to talk about Ameren on this matter. They need to do more than just monitor, they need to act on the data. Somewhat for themselves, but mostly for property owners like me.

Sedimentation map of a boat ramp launch. Source Simple Unmanned LLC

The Lake is filling in. Despite the decades of development and subsequent improvements such as concrete swales and other erosion prevention measures, sedimentation of The Lake continues. I live at the back of a cove and can honestly say I've lost 2 feet of depth since the 70s. We have dredged (permitted of course, and only within the footprint of the slip!) prior to the ban on dredging in 2007, but overall it's a losing battle anyway. Eventually, my property will no longer be waterfront and there doesn't seem to be a lot I can do about it. It sucks for my property, but what does it mean for Ameren?

Does Ameren care if The Lake fills in? Of course, but not in anyone's lifetime. Sedimentation near the shoreline can go on for centuries without affecting the performance of the dam as a power generator. The turbines only care about "head height", and with over 600 billion gallons of water, volume is never really a problem. Unless.

Heavy sedimentation of The Lake means overall volume is reduced. Volume management is the basis for Ameren's tight-assed control of the shoreline. The volume of water stored behind a dam represents it's ability to maintain energy production in periods of changing conditions. While The Lake is fed by many sources, constituting nearly 10,000 cubic feet per second flow at all times, prolonged and severe drought would have an impact. Meaning in times of extended drought, the reservoir could drain faster than it is replenished. Maintaining The Lake's ability to retain as much water as possible mediates such issues. 

Think of it this way. If the contour of the Osage River valley had been deeper and steeper, before it was flooded by Bagnell, then the main channel of The Lake would be less wide than it is, and there would be far few fewer coves, but the dam itself would still be able to generate as much power. The only difference is that it would be far more susceptible to rainfall, closer to a "run of the river" style waterwheel power generation. See my lengthy article on how Bagnell Dam works. In other terms, Tam Sauk Dam, a completely different type of dam, used more as a battery than a generator, can produce more power than Bagnell using a fraction of the amount of water. It just can't do it for very long.

As a power generating system, Ameren isn't too worried about sedimentation, but somebody is or Simple Unmanned would not have been contracted to perform this very expensive work. I wanted to do something similar with side-scan sonar systems, but didn't really see the value in a full detailed bathymetric data set for The Lake. It would be fascinating though and I do hope the results of this survey, and the data will be shared with the public (or me!).

Electricity, ESD, and Your Dock

According to a 2014 CDC report, an average of 3,536 people per year die from accidental drowning unrelated to boating  This is basically an accounting of people drowning just swimming in the water and there are many reasons such tragedies occur but one contributing factor is electrocution, or Electric Shock Drowning (ESD). Just how many of these non-boating related drownings can be attributed to electrocution while in the water is harder to know since ESD statistics are not as carefully documented, but we do know it happens and sadly the Lake of the Ozarks has had its share. Homeowners need to start taking action now to prevent their docks from being a danger to themselves, their families and their neighbors. Making sure your dock is as safe as possible is not only a responsibility, it may soon become mandatory.

Is ESD a new phenomenon, or does it just seem to be happening more often? Electric service on docks is nothing new, but it has become far more commonplace. The need for boat lifts, and the general trend to make living space on our docks has meant more and more power is being delivered over the water. On the other hand, our interconnected world and social media has made awareness of these types of tragedies more prevalent. These two factors, I believe, have both raised the risk and the awareness.

Can we eliminate the risk of ESD? Sure, by mandating that there can be no electrical service on docks. Period. Sound good? Believe it or not there are those that advocate such measures, namely the ESD Prevention Association which believes that docks and marinas should not have electricity and promote awareness to not swim anywhere near ones that do. Others suggest a less radical but inconvenient idea of turning off power to the dock before swimming near it. The main problem with this idea is that it relies on the most unreliable safety feature in any given system, a human being. The idea of eliminating electricity from docks altogether is a simple foolproof idea, but unrealistic for the Lake of the Ozarks. We need power on our docks.

Homeowners on Lake of the Ozarks need electricity for a variety of reasons, not the least of which being boat lifts, marine shore power connections, and lawn irrigation pumps, and they are the most demanding in terms of power requirements. Shore power connections for larger boats typically run 30 amps. irrigation pumps can require 3-10 amps depending on their voltage and pumping capacity, and boat lift air pumps operate in the 1-3 amp range. Along with a smattering of lights, fans, convenience outlets and the occasional small refrigerator, docks typically have anywhere from 30-50 amp services with 100 amps not being out of the question. For a typical 200 amp home service, the boat dock can often represent a significant portion of power consumption. When you consider it only takes about ten milliamps (10/1000 of an amp) to constrict your muscles and only a few dozen to stop your heart, the typical dock circuit carries enough current to kill many thousands of times over. While not all docks have electrical service, blue light requirement not withstanding, the vast majority do. If you do have electrical service on your dock, get it right, or abandon it altogether. The risk of faulty electrical service is high, and your responsibilities are clear.

Any dock installations (old or new) with electrical service are required to pass an inspection, and if you're selling your lake home you can bet the new owners will insist on one, but it won't be long before ALL docks, regardless of age will also need to be inspected and approved. If you want to keep electricity on your dock, you had better get it up to code.

How do you do get your dock up to code? The key word here is "code", and it comes from something called the National Electrical Code (its formal name is NFPA 70), written by the National Fire Protection Association, which is rather odd sounding source I know, but trust me it's been around for decades. The book is huge as one might expect and surprisingly readable, if you're into such things, but suffice to say your average handy-man is not going to be familiar with it and it is very detailed when it comes to safety requirements for electrical power and marine installation. In short, if you want to get your dock up to code, your likely going to need a professional. Of course, just about any electrician with a sign on their truck is going to tell you that they can wire your dock correctly, and many can, there's nothing special about the requirements, but you will want to have it inspected to make sure its right and in most cases an inspection is required. Oh sure, you can hire anyone you like, even do it yourself if you wish, but when the fire department comes out to inspect it and tells you it's wrong and you have to rip out hundreds of dollars of wiring and start over don't say I didn't warn you. I'm an electrical engineer, and trust me, they don't teach NFPA70 wiring specifications for docks in engineering classes. I paid to have it done just like many people do. It isn't cheap either. Depending on the services you need, the size of the dock, and a hundred other variables, your cost can be several thousands of dollars, but considering what it could cost you in lives and lawsuits, just think of it as another necessary expense. No one said living on the lake would be cheap.

Here is a PDF from Ameren that can tell you what will be expected of your installation. It is not intended to be checklist, but it will give you a very good idea of what you're in for. Also, in 2019 a small group of local electrical contractors started the "Lake Ozark Association of Electrical Contractors" in an effort distinguish those contractors committed to safety, but it is a voluntary membership trying to address the fact that Missouri has no state licensing requirements for electricians (not the smartest piece of deregulation in my opinion but I'm just an electrical engineer so what do I know) which creates some trust issues for consumers. Just remember when choosing a contractor, the only thing worse than no safety equipment is badly installed safety equipment.

Update: I've been asked about those "Life Alert" devices that you can add to a dock that detects the presence of electricity in the water. Are they effective? Are they necessary? On the issue of effectiveness, they do work, but they will drive you nuts. They are designed to detect very small amounts of voltage or current (amps) in the water and believe it or not, it happens naturally. Small electrical currents are created by a variety of natural processes. The amount of energy created is very small and harmless but your dock sensor will pick up on them and alert you. Part of the problem with any safety device is "alert fatigue". If you're constantly being bombarded by false alerts, you may not pay serious attention to one that is real. Hats off to the two engineers who came up with the idea, but it is fallible, and can easily lure you into a sense of safety that may not be justified.

Are these devices necessary? Not really. If you're dock is wired correctly, and periodically inspected (docks move and connections fail), the safety features of the circuit itself will protect you from harm. However, if you feel better having a dock alert system than by all means install one. Just be aware that if your lake home is a weekend destination, you will probably want to shut power off at your dock when you leave to avoid driving your neighbors insane with alarms going off all week while you're gone. Ask me how I know. :)

September 2017 Lake Levels and Discharge Flow

A somewhat atypical September, as indicated by deviation from the five year average, but nothing too radical.  Generation was moderate.

Making a Dam Heavier

The Summer of 2017 is rapidly coming to a close but work continues on Bagnell Dam. I'm sure everyone has noticed the cranes, cement trucks, and workmen busily making the structural improvements outlined by Ameren in March. This $52 million dollar project will enhance the structural integrity of the dam, something not done since the 1980s.  Improvements to energy production efficiencies has been fairly steady over the years, but actual structural work has not been performed in some time. One notable exception. Ameren renewed their license to operate Bagnell Dam in 2007 after years of stakeholder input and millions of dollars spent to comply with many regulations. It was about this time I noticed new concrete at the Eastern(? it always feel more like Northern to me) entrance. This relatively small addition is sandwiched between the Eastern abutment and the cliffside near it and presumably added to stabilize the abutment itself(East and West abutments are the "solid" parts of the dam that have no spillways). Update - I've just noticed some new forms on this structure now, an indication more concrete will be added to it as well.

The work being done now is the addition of new concrete and 68 more "anchors". These new anchors are not meant to replace the 277 nine inch steel rods that were installed in the 1980s (a 2009 article from Connectmidmissouri.com quotes Alan Sullivan, an engineer for Ameren, as saying there were actually "over 300" holes drilled) but to reinforce them. While the original anchors were installed vertically, effectively increasing the downward force of the dam and increasing the frictional forces keeping the dam in place (Bagnell is a gravity dam), the new anchors will provide both vertical and horizontal force components.

Here is a drawing provided by Ameren:



The concrete work is a little less clear, but Ameren states they will be adding 66 million pounds to the basic structure, spillways, and top section. All which will add more weight and again create more downward force on the bedrock.

Memorial Weekend 2017 Finds the Lake Still in Cleanup Mode

Since the Summer of 2017 begins in earnest this weekend, I thought we might take a look at lake conditions beforehand and get a little early jump on this month's chart.

Believe it or not, lake level and flow rates are still under the influence of the torrential rains at the end of April.  Let's take a look at Truman Lake first to see why we are still where we are with flow rates.

Ten Year Graph of Truman Lake Levels

Truman Lake is controlled by the Corps of Engineers while Lake of the Ozarks is not, but there is a Memorandum of Agreement which says Ameren must coordinate operations with the CoE, especially during flood events.  As we can see above Truman Lake reached its highest level in the last 10 years at the end of April, while Lake of the Ozarks barely exceeded 661ft, and only briefly at that. Between the two lakes, Truman did its job protecting the Lake of the Ozarks from a *major* flood event that would have surpassed 2015s (both of them). But with the rains subsiding this month, Ameren has kept flow rates through Bagnell Dam well above average in an attempt to lower Truman Lake.  It's a very slow process and will likely continue through the first holiday weekend.  With that in mind, let's take a look at May's levels and flow rates.

May of course started with the lake at it highest levels for the year, and likely the highest for the entire year.  Discharge from Bagnell Dam remains above full turbine flow which means flood gates are still partially open sustaining nearly 50,000cfs.  For Memorial weekend, lake levels are just slightly below the 5 year average, but doable for those of us in shallow waters. As for all that water that's passed through Bagnell Dam? We'll examine just how much water in the regular end of the month report when the final data comes in.

For now just be advised that the lake is (relatively) murky and full of debris coming down from Truman.  Running your boat will be a little more risky this weekend as debris is everywhere.  As for night running, I will definitely be adopting a cocktail cruise speed.  On plane even at legal speed will be very risky to your outdrives.

Be safe. Have fun.

April 2017 Lake Levels and Flow Rates - over 4ft in 24 hours!

I try not to be critical of Ameren when it comes to their stewardship of the lake or how they treat lake home owners, after all they are an energy company whose only real interest in the Lake of the Ozarks is how much power they can generate and sell while fulfilling their regulatory compliance requirement for having a percentage of that energy produced by "renewable" energy sources.

But when Ameren manages the lake without any apparent consideration for ecology or property? It pisses me off.

Is that a harsh criticism? Does a lake level one foot above full pool really cause issues?  In a word, no. A lake level of 661 is not a "flooding" event at the Lake.  What is an event is rapid change. Take a look at the level and flow chart for April.  See anything striking? It's not the 661 lake level itself, but how fast it got there that is the problem.

The forecast for potential flooding rains was anticipated early in the last week of April and Ameren, as to be expected, began ramping up turbine flow on Wednesday April 26th, with full flow by Friday the 28th. But as the rains fell Ameren surely watched as lake levels began to rise at an alarming rate. This rate of change continued for nearly a day with full turbine flow (35Kcfs) having little impact on lake levels. At it's most dramatic, the lake rose one foot in just four hours on Saturday.

Ameren saw this rapid rise but did nothing until Sunday, April 30th at 6:00am. With the lake at 660.51 the flood gates were finally opened. Let's be clear here. It wasn't until the lake's level punched through 660ft (full pool) that flood gates were opened Sunday morning. This means that in just under 24 hours the Lake of the Ozarks was allowed to rise over 4 feet!

Note: My statement above, that flood gates were not opened until the lake reached 660.51 feet, is (indirectly) disputed by Warren Witt, the Director of Hydro Operations at Bagnell Dam who was quoted as saying they were opened when the lake reached 659.5 feet in a later interview with  Lake Expo. But I'm going off Ameren's own data so you be the judge (zoom in on the above chart). From the above chart the flow rate was still about 35,000cfs when the lake was at 659.5. But Witt should know of course when the gates were opened, and it is certainly reasonable that there is a delay from the time flood gates open until the change in flow rates registers with Ameren's own sensors. Flow rates measured independently by USGS seem to back up his statement that the gates were opened at 6am, so I'll have to give the benefit of the doubt here.

I'd have to check my own records, but I'm pretty sure the floods of 2015, both of them, didn't rise so quickly.  This rate of change is highly disruptive to the ecosystem and damaging to the very shoreline that Ameren makes us lake home owners all bend over backwards to protect.

I would not argue that there was anything that could have been done to prevent reaching the 661ft level given the pressures from Truman Lake and the Osage River, but I believe an earlier opening of the flood gates would have made the rate of change a little more bearable.  Management Grade? D

Bagnell Dam Structural Upgrades Begin in March 2017

By now, many have heard that Ameren will be investing $52 million dollars in upgrades to Bagnell Dam, but what exactly are they going to do?  Is the dam broken?

No, Bagnell Dam is not broken, or structurally deficient, but it could probably use a little work.  The last time Bagnell Dam had a major structural upgrade was in 1980 when 277 post-tension anchors were installed to secure the dam to the underlying bedrock.  Recall that Bagnell Dam is what is known as a gravity dam, meaning it is held in place by sheer weight. While this is a perfectly acceptable design methodology there are potential issues to contend with and the anchors set in 1980 were installed to insure the dam would not move from its position over time.

Ameren will be installing 68 more anchors along with additional concrete to reinforce the roadway deck from underneath, and also repair the top roadway deck itself.  The top deck work is more cosmetic than structural, but as anyone who drives across the dam on a regular basis knows, it looks bad. The condition of the roadway concrete gives the impression that the dam is in disrepair, appearances being what they are.

So what is a "post-tension anchor"?  How does it work to keep a dam in place?

Post-tension anchors, conceptually, are quite simple.  Bore holes are drilled through the dam and into the underlying bedrock with a tension cable running through the entire thing.  Once properly anchored, the cable is tightened, much like a giant bolt, to provide additional frictional force between the dam and the bedrock.  Simple, but as with all things, the devil is in the details.

Ameren won't say why the additional anchors are needed, there are many reasons to install such devices in dams, but the overall goal is strengthening.  The reasons for strengthening an existing dam vary but the two main ones are to meet new safety regulations or increasing a dam's water storage capacity.  Both of these reasons are unlikely since Bagnell Dam just went through a relicensing process which required extensive analysis of its condition, and Ameren cannot raise the operating level of the lake.  Is there any other reason for these anchors? Another possibility is the anchors provide additional structural strength for increased spillway capacity.  Given recent flood events in 2015 which resulted in extended periods of operations where flood gates were operated, Ameren may have discovered a vulnerability.  There is also the possibility that the anchors installed in the 80s may have issues with corrosion, a common problem with post-tension anchors. Any time you sink metal into wet bedrock, corrosion is a primary concern and some dams with these structures have had issues.

Regardless of the motivation, the addition of the anchors will simply help insure the dam is around for a long time.  The work is expected to take 18 months with no disruption to electrical generation, the impact on traffic flow however is unclear.

For those interested in the engineering details of all this, here's a link.

January 2016 Lake Level and Discharge

The effects of December's flooding are only now truly receding.  Ameren has kept Bagnell Dam discharge at full generating capacity (above 37,500cfs) for almost the entire month in order to help take pressure off of Truman Lake which maintained minimal flow in December to help with flooding.

In fact, flood gates apparently were opened again from January 5th to January 16th.  Discharge remains nearly at full generating capacity starting February.  The 5 year moving average (in orange) shows typical lake level for this time of year and as can be seen, is nearly two feet higher. Ameren continues to try to reach drawdown levels as expected, but they will need to maintain +30,000cfs outflow to make it to the average low level by mid-Februrary.

November 2015 Lake Levels and Discharge

No power generation to speak of in the first half of November meant lake levels stayed virtually constant.  Rain and cold moved in and the lake reached full pool, nearly two and a half feet above the 5 year average.  Power generation is clearly seen in the latter part of the month as average generating discharge dropped the lake towards more average levels.

October 2015 Lake Levels and Discharge

October turned out to be the best boating month of the year! Ameren power generation was almost negligible with only five outflows of any consequence, leaving the Lake of the Ozarks comfortably above the 659 mark despite the lack of rain.  Calm winds and warm weather throughout the month made it a boaters dream. Wow!

July 2015 Lake Level Summary - The Flood

Here it is, a summary of lake level and discharge for the month of July that made history.  As we can clearly see, the surge in level over 660' on the 4th of July weekend was quickly brought back down to normal, remained stable, and very close to the 5 year average.  Discharge remained high well after the flooding to pass water from Truman lake.  The last week of July shows a fairly normal pattern of discharge flow and lake levels.  I'd like to see the lake up above 659' this time of year as rain becomes a little scarcer and Labor Day approaches.

2019 Update: Thought I'd add some of my new graph kung-fu to this old post. It was an extraordinary month after all.  Here's the daily candlestick graph for that same month.

Permit and Address Dock Signage Requirements

Ameren Missouri requires that all docks and dock modifications post the permit number and street address on the structure. Look at around the lake and you'll see different types of signs of different sizes.  In short, the sign needs to be whatever size it needs to be to accommodate your specific information using 3" letters.  You don't need any official type of backboard as long as it contrasts the lettering, although you should be mindful that any material will be exposed to the elements and weathering.  Most people seem to be using white plastic panels available in the signage section at the local home supply store and simple black letters.  No evening lighting is required...yet.

Make sure you use your established 911 address as this information is used for the response from law enforcement and emergency personnel. The sign is to be mounted on the lake side of the dock in a location most visible from the cove or channel.

What Is the Meaning Of "Lake Levels"

The importance of lake levels extends far beyond just how "full" the Lake of the Ozarks is at any given time, it also establishes private property rights and project boundaries.  In short, lake levels establish boundaries between water and land, what is owned privately and what is considered managed by Ameren UE through federal licensing.

Lake levels are referenced to sea level, but what exactly is sea level?  The planet's oceans are not all the same height, for instance the absolute height of the Pacific Ocean is higher than the Atlantic Ocean, so it is important to establish exactly what "sea" we are using as a baseline reference. For the Lake of the Ozarks "sea level" was established by the "Mean Gulf Level" from Biloxi Mississippi.

The Gulf of Mexico is a large sea, typically differentiated from an ocean by being near and adjoining land, usually partially enclosed by it.  The gulf is certainly a large enough body of water to be influenced by tides which means establishing a single average (mean) level must be done by tidal stations, distributed over a large area of coastline. Measurements at these stations are made using vertical benchmarks positioned on land and therefore must take into consideration that the land itself also moves vertically over time.  Globally this effect can be quite pronounced as, for example, the coastline of the Gulf of Mexico is typically in a state of subsidence (sinking), effectively raising sea levels, while the Gulf of Alaska is rising, lowering sea levels, due to less weight on the land from melting glaciers (isostatic rebound).

The "Mean Gulf Level" was established by the Mississippi River Commission near the end of the 19th century, well before Bagnell Dam's construction.  As time goes by, and the relative sea level changes due to geological processes and rising sea levels due to climate change global warming*, it may become necessary to re calibrate what "lake level" actually means.

* 2017 Blogger's Note:  I see no point in trying to appease the climate change deniers, least of all by mincing words. It may be climate change in a general sense of the topic, but the actual trend is for a warmer planet, and that is the cause of rising sea levels. The world might be a better place if we stop getting our opinions from social media (this blog included), news outlets, or politicians. Try understanding at least some of the science of a warming planet for yourself rather than just pointing out that it still snows in the winter as evidence to the contrary. #thisshitisgettingold

April 2015 Lake Levels and Discharge Graph

With lake levels rising as early April rains appeared, Ameren went ahead and generated a good amount of power despite the mild temperature.  Levels quickly fell back to within seasonal average for the middle of the month and began the expected rise to summer levels by the end.  The last day of April matched the five year average exactly.

Encapuslated Foam Disposal - Hey Ameren! A Little Help?

UPDATE:  Oct 16, 2015 During Ameren's sponsored shoreline cleanups, in both spring and fall, dumpsters are placed throughout the lake area.  Bring all of your lake collected trash to one of these facilities, by land or sea, and it will be properly disposed of at no expense. You will need to contact Ameren for the location nearest you and confirm if you have a lot. bvance@ameren.com
----

As the lake rises to summer levels there is the inevitable influx of trash and unwanted material back into the Osage river system.  Most of this material is small trash that will, unfortunately, make its way to the Gulf of Mexico, but not all.  The large encapsulated foam "tubs" that are required by all dock owners now can sometimes be found floating around in various states of condition, some are completely intact and can be reused, while others are damaged and cannot. These tubs are tough but not indestructible.  Damaged tubs cannot help support a dock but they are practically unsinkable and float around until they make their way to the backs of coves, or down to the dam.  I've retrieved two unusable tubs myself just to keep them out of traffic.  The outdrive I save may be my own.

There in the lies the problem.  Disposing of bad dock foam has always been a problem but at least there were facilities that would do it.  I've tried to find a proper disposal location for these tubs, but so far cannot find any service that will take them.  The response from WCA was "Good luck".  Ameren has the clout to help setup some process for dealing with this problem, a little leadership on this front would be helpful.

If I figure out a way to dispose of these things...properly... I'll post it.

March 2015 Lake Levels and Discharge

After a nice steady descent in lake levels for the month of February, March begins the slow ramp up to spring. Where the month began with levels well below the five year average (dotted-orange), it has rebounded and ends the month slightly above average for this time of year.  Lake level is still relatively low of course and, with moderate temperatures keeping energy demand low as well, will likely stay between 656-657 through the month of April.

January Lake Levels Remain High

Despite a good start at the beginning of the month to begin drawing down the lake, levels remain high compared to the five year average by 2.5 feet.

Ameren Accessory Structure Permit FAQ

Article 419 of the FERC approved license requires Ameren to issue permits for private property structures that "use and occupy" lands below the Lake of the Ozarks project boundary.  Property owners with such structures are notified by mail to apply for a permit to allow them to remain.  There is a non-refundable fee, depending on the structure. Ameren has provided a brief FAQ to help property owners understand their situation.  (Emphasis mine)

Q:  Since I did not install the accessory structure, why do I need to request a permit?
A:  It is likely that a previous property owner installed the structure and did not know a permit was required.  It is the responsibility of the current property owner to ensure his or her structures within the project boundary are permitted regardless if he or she installed them.

Q:  Why is my accessory structure not grandfathered?
A:  Existing shoreline structures are not exempt from requiring a permit.  Ameren Missouri will allow your accessory structure to remain provided you obtain a permit.  Therefore, by permitting your accessory structure, it is in effect grandfathered.

Q:  How do I benefit from a permit for my accessory structure?
A:  If your accessory structure is permitted, the structure may remain within the Ameren Missouri's project boundary.  You may also perform maintenance on the structure and transfer the permitted structure to subsequent property owners.

Q:  Can I expand my permitted accessory structure?
A:  A permit was issued for the specific size and location of your accessory structure.  You may remove the structure. However, any other modification to the size and location of the structure is prohibited.

Q:  What accessory structures can be proposed within the project boundary?
A:  If the proposal complies with Ameren Missouri's permit guidelines, you may receive permits to install accessory structures such as piers and steps.  Permits cannot be issued for proposed patios, gazebos, sidewalks, boathouses, and similar structures.

Processing Fee List (Non-refundable)

Boat Dock Permits		Fee
New Permit for one-slip dock		$150 plus $25 for each additional slip
Permit Modification  (includes addition of one slip)		$75 plus $25 for each additional slip
Certified dock builder application		$300
Certified dock builder annual		$100
Certified dock builder reinstatement		$300
Bank Stabilization Permits
Seawall		$300 for first 100 feet plus $1/foot over 100 feet
Vegetation or riprap (vegetation planting or rock placement to prevent bank erosion)		$100
Dredging-excavation permit		$300
Boat Launching Ramp permit		$300
Pre-2008 Deck permit*		$100
Permit extension		$25
Permit transfers (All permitted facilitiesmay be transferred with one application and fee)		$35
Other permits (i.e., water intakes, utility facilities)		$50
Pre-2008 Patio permit*		$100
Pre-2008 Gazebo permit*		$100
Stand-alone breakwater		$500 for first 100 feet plus $1/foot over 100 feet
Pre-2008 Concrete Walkway permit		$100
*Post-2008 decks, patios, gazebos and walkways are prohibited.

You will be accessed a fee for each structure in non-conformance.  For example, I had a shade deck and a "martini" deck and paid $200.

Ameren Missouri Shoreline Management Office
Phone: 573-365-9203
email:  lake@ameren.com
P.O. Box 993
Lake Ozark, MO  65049

2014 Annual Lake Ozark Levels and Discharge Summary

Here it is, the complete daily summary chart for 2014.  It's done in a style that captures the daily highs and lows, starting level and ending level, along with the total discharge of the day. There's quite a bit of data in this one chart, and you'll need to download the full size for details.  

In general, 2014 lake levels conformed poorly to established guidelines.  The annual drawdown to bring the lake to its lowest levels came late in January, after a brief rise in levels, and was executed in very short order causing much damage along the Osage River (see Osage Tsunami). Summer levels were maintained at a comfortable 659'-660' level (full pool), but an early drop to 658' in late August was held beyond Labor Day. Lake levels in October actually reached full pool again but gradually returned to the expected level of 658' midway through November.  In late November levels once again deviated from guidelines to reach full pool and the lake finished out the year at its highest levels.

Here are some of the key data points for the year.

Most water discharged in a single period (hr): 38,778 cfs on Feb 4th at 8pm.  This is the only time Ameren reached the maximum discharge allowed by license.

Highest Lake Level:  660.20 on December 31st at 2am, a very unusual time of year for the highest level.

Lowest Lake Level: 653.74 on February 7th at 9am.  Typical.

Average Lake Level for the year:  657.82'

Osage River:  Range for the year was 551'-567' with the average being about 554'.

The head of the dam is the difference between the lake level (headwater) and the river (tailwater) and determines the power generating potential of Bagnell Dam.  The higher the head, the more power that can be generated.

Highest Head:  108.40 ft

Lowest Head:     87.26 ft

Head Average:  103.88 ft

Full size image (3MB jpg) here

No Leaf Dumping In The Lake!

As fall approaches and the deluge of leaves along with it, lakeside homeowners are often faced with the dilemma of what to do with all those leaves.  Many simply blow leaf piles down to the shoreline and into the lake, but this is not a good practice, and can lead to losing lake access privileges. Yes, lake access is a privilege, and one that can be revoked.  Although some may think it is silly to worry about any one home's impact on the lake, in reality it is the cumulative effect of everyone doing the same thing that adds up. Organic material such as leaves take a long time to decompose at the bottom of the lake where low oxygen levels slow down the decomposition.  What decomposition does occur is actually more harmful to the atmosphere as bacteria convert the organic material into methane, a very damaging greenhouse gas.  Aside from these concerns there is the quality of shoreline to consider as swimming in several inches of accumulated decomposing leaves (muck, as we call it) is unpleasant, as well as unsightly. It is not a violation of the Missouri Clean Water Law to dump leaves into the lake as a residential homeowner but businesses (commercial/industrial) can not.  Ameren "discourages" homeowners regarding dumping leaves in the lake or burning along the shoreline, and can revoke lake access privileges for "chronic violators".

"The Lake of the Ozarks already has sufficient nutrients and organic matter. A large amount of
organic matter, such as leaves that fall each autumn, makes its way into the lake naturally, and
any benefits (habitat or otherwise) to having leaf  litter in the lake are achieved through natural
processes. Any additional leaf litter may be unnecessary and even negative. Additionally, the
disposal of yard waste into lake waters can compromise the aesthetic and recreation experiences
of downstream residences. Routine or chronic violators of this policy are subject to enforcementfees and/or suspension of shoreline permits."  - Shoreline Management Plan - Appendix B

Ameren also points out that the decomposition of large amounts of leaf material leads to depleted oxygen levels, releasing sulfur dioxide into the air, which is where that rotten egg smell comes from down by the dam sometimes. Also, a layer of leaves on the water prevents sunlight from reaching microbes in the water that process sunlight into vital nutrients that feed aquatic plants. The microbes themselves are food for small fish.

Okay, so a lot of leaves in the lake is bad. So what do you do with them?

Some may feel that burning leaves is environmentally unfriendly, adding carbon to an already carbon saturated atmosphere, but leaves, and other organic material are already in the carbon cycle and do not contribute to the increasing atmospheric load. If you do burn your leaves, please make sure you do it where the ashes will not run off into the lake. Also, make sure you call your local fire district for burn conditions.  If "conditions are not favorable" pay heed and do not burn or you might get a visit from some big red trucks.

If you still don't want to burn, you can shred the leaves with the right equipment and use it for mulch, but I don't recommend it, from a landscaping point of view. They can be used for compost as well, but honestly the amount of leaves is far too much for many property owners to handle. If you don't want to burn your leaves, than depending on how much you have to deal with, having them removed by a professional service is your best option. Just be sure they too are disposing it properly.