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Branson, Mo Flood 2008 Table Rock and Taneycomo Lakes Presented by Sue Andersen Realty |
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Branson, MO |
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Observations by a 30 year Local! As Accurate as my Memory Allows! April 2008 |
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Kimberling City Bridge - April 10, 2008 |
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Kimberling City Bridge - Approximately 1957 |
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The Legends - Fact of Fiction?
In 1957, prior to the completion of Table Rock Dam, a very close friend of mine purchased a piece of property adjacent to these photos. The property was purchased from the original homesteader for $50.00 per acre. My friend and the homesteader were on the banks of the White River discussing the property. He told the homesteader that the experts predicted that it would take 3 years for the lake to fill. The old homesteader just laughed and said, “ It will fill in less than 1 day.”
My friend continued the story to tell me that the homesteader who had less than an elementary education was indeed wrong. He went on to tell of a flash flood that came in the Spring, filling the lake in three days! I have no way of knowing to what elevation the lake filled at that time, or what his definition of full was. But one thing I can say for sure is that the old homesteader had a healthy respect and knowledge of the wild White River Basin.
One of the legends that remains today concerning the filling of Table Rock Lake is the proposed dismantling of the old highway 13 bridge seen above. As the legend goes, trucks and equipment that were on the old bridge in preparation for its dismantling in the late 1950’s are still there today, as flood waters overtook them before they could be moved to safety. I cannot verify that there are indeed vehicles on the old bridge that is submerged between 80 and 110 feet below the surface today. Fact or fiction - I do not know. |
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Taneycomo / Powersite Dam - Built in 1913 |
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The Taneycomo Dam, also known as Powersite, seen above is normally an awesome site. Excess water from Taneycomo not used for power generation is allowed to spill over the top of the spillway into Bull Shoals. With Bull Shoals at flood stage, the Taneycomo Dam is not much more that a ripple in the high current. The pictures do not show the violent and dangerous water that is just below Taneycomo Dam. Through the years, there have been several reports of boats going over the dam. To my knowledge, no has drowned. |
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Taneycomo Dam- Night 1985 |
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Taneycomo Dam - April 10, 2008 |
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Special thanks to Jeff Johnson, photographer and friend contributed photos for this site! |
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Great Weather! |