Although no exact amount is known, the general belief in the Branson Tri-Lakes area is that the current flooding in Table Rock Lake and the flooding that took place earlier this spring is having a significant economic impact on the Branson area at a time when it is also being battered by other economic factors. Unfortunately, the adverse economic effects of the floods will not automatically abate in proportion to the recession of the water levels of Table Rock Lake.
The good news is, as the waters recede, most marina operators will be able to get back to at least a semblance of their normal operational mode. The bad news is that the same thing will not happen in other areas, such as Moonshine Beach, without a lot of additional work and expense. During a recent interview with Greg Oller, US Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) Lake Manager for Table Rock Lake, he said that the wave, wind, and under water hydrology have caused a lot of damage to infrastructure that will not be able to be fully evaluated until the water levels recede.
At an informational meeting held at the Dewey Short Visitor Center on May 29, James D. Sandburg, Corps Operations Manager for Table Rock Lake, pointed out that just the sheer volume involved with the simple cleanup of camp grounds and other areas that have been impacted by the flooding is at a scale that has not been seen before. He shared that Moonshine Beach has received extensive damage. Although it is still underwater and a specific final damage cost cannot be determined, he estimates it will be at least $500,000.
When the question was asked if funding and resources would be available from the US Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) for the repair and restoration of Moonshine Beach and other Table Rock Lake areas impacted by the floods, representatives from the Corps Little Rock Office could not speak in terms of specific amounts for specific projects. They said that the Corps would do all that it could with the resources available but reminded those present that the Corps is half way through their current fiscal year. They said that although they have applied for supplemental funds to assist in flood damage remediation that those funds, if received, have to cover damage throughout the entire Little Rock District.
In any event, one thing should be obvious to everyone. As Table Rock Lake’s water recedes the lake will not automatically heal itself and return to providing the full recreational experience and economic benefit for the area it did before the flooding. Even more obvious should be the fact that it’s not simply a Corps problem; it’s a community problem that needs to be solved as efficiently and quickly as possible.
May an Ole Seagull suggest this will require the type of private public co-ordination and partnership that the city of Hollister has used so well to accomplish so much? The partnership and planning should start immediately in terms of prioritizing and evaluating the available funding and resources available to be used on a prioritized project basis. This should evolve into a definite action plan that will become effective, on a project by project basis, as Table Rock Lake’s waters recede to the level planned for that project.
The only question is if there is a stakeholder group, the Corps, a city, county, or Chamber of Commerce that is willing to accept the leadership role that is required and make the commitment necessary not only to unite all the stakeholders in a common effort to solve the problem but see it through to the end? Well, maybe there’s another question. If a group steps forward to lead, will the rest of the stakeholders and community follow that leadership and make the commitment necessary to get the job done? In an Ole Seagull’s opinion, if the answer to both of those questions is not “Yes,” then shame on us.
