Corps Plan creates Branson’s high lake levels
By Gary J. Groman
In the Branson Tri-Lakes area, 2008 has been a year of record rains, lake levels, and spillway releases through the dams of the Branson Tri/Lakes area. These records have had a negative effect upon individuals, businesses, the areas quality of life and its tourism industry. It is also the year that the average business and citizen first realized, not only the existence of the “regulatory stage” at Newport, AR., but its direct impact on the US Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) ability to effectively and efficiently reduce the lakes levels of the Tri-Lakes area lakes.
Documentation and information received from the Corps states it has built and manages a series of reservoirs in the Tri-Lakes area. These reservoirs are Beaver, Table Rock, and Bull Shoals Lakes. The primary purposes of the lakes, in priority order, is flood control and the generation of hydro electric power.
The amount of rain and when and where it falls is an act of God. The documentation furnished by the Corps clearly establishes that how that rainfall is stored and managed once it gets into one of the Tri-Lakes reservoirs is controlled by the current “regulatory plan” the Corps has developed.
The Corps information indicates that, as the regulatory plan has evolved into the current plan adopted on Dec. 1, 1998, the decisions made by the Corps regarding the plan have caused the Tri-Lakes area lakes to fill, far beyond their season levels, to extremely high levels of their flood storage capacity for extended periods of time this year and has limited the Corps ability to effectively evacuate water from those lakes to control flooding within those lakes and potential future flooding downstream.
The documentation establishes that the amount of water permitted to be released be released from the Tri-Lakes area lakes depends primarily on the “regulatory stage” at Newport, AR. It indicates the regulatory stage is a measurement of elevation expressed in feet. The higher the number the more water can be released from the Tri-Lakes area lakes and, the lower the number, the less water can be released.
The information clearly shows the intent of those decisions to accommodate the encroachment of agricultural interests into elevations lower than the Corps had previously determined was necessary to provide for effective flood control. It provides a historical record of how the minimum elevation for the regulatory stages has dropped from 18 feet to 12 feet to meet those interests.
Documentation attached to a June 27 email from the Corps indicates the Corps initial regulation plan, referred to as the “first regulation plan,” dated June of 1952, established the initial regulation of the stages at Newport at a maximum of 25 feet and a minimum of 18 feet. The current regulation plan has a maximum of 21 feet and a minimum of 12 feet but has been held at 14 feet since May 15, when it automatically dropped from 18 feet to 14 feet, without regard to the dangerously high elevations of the Tri-Lakes area lakes at the time and the impact they were having on the area.
From an historical perspective, the documentation furnished by the Corps states, “Significant complaints were generated by the sustained use of the 25 foot regulating stage in the initial plan [dated June 1952.] Added pressure to lower regulating stages was felt after a drought in the early 1950’s led to the clearing of low lands and their conversion to cultivated land.” This lead to the Corps to its second regulation plan, dated December 1955.
The information goes on to state the Corps third regulation plan, dated November 1963 and revised in October 1966 resulted “Following the 1957 flood and the continued clearing of low lands for cultivation during the drought of the early 1960’s, agricultural interests became more active in support of a lower regulating stage from May to November.” This plan lowered the minimum level of the regulatory stage to 14 feet.
At a public meeting sponsored by the Corps held on May 29, a Corps spokesperson statedthat in the 1990’s “The farmers came to us and said you need to lower the river because we need to get our crops in. What had happened over time was we had dry years and they encroached more and more into the river valley and went down and planted crops at 12 feet.” The spokes person went on to point out that an ad hoc committee was established “to look at how can we operate the system differently to better accommodate the agricultural community to go to that 12 feet.” The current regulatory plan accomodates that need.
The Corps Daily Reservoir Report for July 3 shows the actual level of Beaver Lake at 1128.38, filled to 80% of its flood control capacity, within 1.62 feet of being at the top of its Flood Pool. The report shows the actual level of Table Rock Lake at 927.47, filled to 73% of its flood control capacity, and within 3.1 feet of the top of its Flood Pool. It also shows Bull Shoals Lake with an actual elevation of 691.95, filled to 90% of its flood control capacity, and within 3.0 feet of the top of its Flood Pool
A comparison between the actual current elevations of the Tri/Lakes as compared to their historic 5 year elevation averages shows just how much above historic levels the current lake levels are. Beaver lake is 8.5 feet above its 5 year average of 1119.9 feet, Table Rock over 11.7 feet above its 915.8 average, and, startlingly, Bull Shoals is 35.7 feet above its average of 656.31.
Related Links:
Branson Tri-Lakes area lakes are still high and the seconds are ticking away (Editorial)
Corps fiddles "The Plood" while local Branson officials and leaders dance to the tune (Editorial)
Under "The Plan" when does a flood become a "Plood" (Editorial)
Flood potential ‘ain’t’ over till it’s over!" (News Article)
Edited on line July 7 at 0650 to clarify terminology involved with use of 5 year elevations and correct some of the elevation comparisons used in association therewith. In all cases the differences between the 5 year averages and the current levels increased slightly.
Reprinted with permission of the Tri-Lakes Tribune, a free newspaper published and distributed three times weekly, Sunday, Wednesday and Friday. Please call 417-336-NEWS (6397) for classified and display advertising opportunities.
