U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Little Rock District

Playing & Relaxing
On Table Rock Lake

The blue waters of Table Rock Lake have become a playground for visitors from all over the nation. And Table Rock's water activities are as varied as the beautiful Ozark Mountain terrain that embraces the lake.

With nearly 800 miles of shoreline Table Rock's many coves and lake arms make boating comfortable and especially enjoyable.

Commercial docks on the lake offer boats, motors, supplies and guides for hire. The Corps of Engineers has provided many public launching areas for private watercraft.

Nationally-known as a largemouth bass haven, Table Rock Lake features varied water depths, rock bluffs and undeveloped wooded shoreline.

Springtime brings anglers in pursuit of running white bass, while summer days and nights prove productive for largemouth and crappie. The fight of a channel cat can also be found.

Water sports such as skiing and swimming are very popular, as well as cruising the naturally beautiful shoreline. Water as smooth as glass best describes the ideal conditions found in the many sheltered coves.

The Corps of Engineers has also developed many public swimming areas complete with the amenities of a safe and relaxing visit to the lakefront.

The main arms of Table Rock Lake provide excellent sailing. Skin divers will find a crystal clear world of wonder, especially around the many rock bluffs.

Nearby towns offer a variety of attractions and other entertainment, sure to round out a memorable visit to the beautiful Table Rock Lake region. Specific information can be obtained by writing Chambers of Commerce.
Wake up to beautiful Table Rock Lake!

Water & Land Meet
To Create Inspiring Scenic Rewards

In the novel Shepherd Of The Hills, author Harold Bell Wright wrote, "when God looked upon th' work of his hands an' called it good, he was sure alookin' at this here Ozark Country...

Today, if Mr. Wright could see the Ozarks, he would be awed and impressed with how the beautiful mountains have made an inspiring home for Table Rock Lake.

Looking down through the valleys and hollows of the mountains, Table Rock Lake reaches out for your attention with sparkling water as blue as the sky. A drive along the many roads and highways surrounding the lake will produce pictures and memories of unforgettably beautiful vistas.

Springtime features blossoming dogwoods laced with brilliant redbud trees. Summer follows with a lush covering of greenery over the mountainsides. Autumn then brings foilage aflame with spectacular colors even the best artist can't match.

Camping Reservations
Now Available

Over 1200 campsites in 15 beautiful Corps of Engineers recreation areas can be reserved in advance for your convenience.

Electricity, restrooms, showers, dump stations, boat launches, swimming areas and more are available to campers with tents, trailers and RVs. For a quiet and relaxing camping location (some directly adjacent to the lake) call or write:
Table Rock Resident Office
US Army Corps of Engineers
P.O. Box 1109
Branson, MO 65616
1-417-334-4101

Dewey Short
Visitors Center
The Dewey Short Visitors Center, which shares a building cited for its architectural design with the Table Rock Resident Office, offers exciting and informative programs free to the public from April through October.

In the center itself a four-season exhibit displays the sights and the sounds of spring, summer, autumn and winter in the Ozarks, and they are accompanied by displays of life in the hill country during the "olden days." A modern 176-seat auditorium is the setting for audio-visual presentations that include both slide programs and films on Table Rock Dam and the surrounding area. A four-loop nature trail, with one loop paved for handicapped visitors, is a serene introduction to the flora of the Ozarks.

From May through October weekday visitors may also explore the secrets of Table Rock Powerhouse, traveling far below the level of Table Rock Lake on conducted tours.

Shepherd of the Hills
Trout Hatchery

The cold water discharged from the Table Rock Powerhouse has created one of the nation's finest trout fisheries in Lake Taneycomo below Table Rock Dam. A Missouri state hatchery produces one million trout each year for stocking in the lake. Self-guided and conducted tours of the hatchery and a Visitor Center are open to the public.

Hydropower At
Table Rock Lake

Since Table Rock Dam and Powerhouse were constructed, the average annual market value for electricity produced and marketed by the Southwestern Power Administration has been $10 million. Add this to the $40 million in flood losses that have been prevented and Table Rock, with a project cost of about $68 million, is a bargain indeed.

At Table Rock hydropower is produced to meet peak electrical demands. At times the need for electricity exceeds the maximum output of coal, gas, oil and nuclear power plants. When this occurs, hydropower helps supply the additional electricity needs. Within five minutes Table Rock's four 50,000-kilowatt generators can be "on line" delivering power, while other power plants take much longer to be brought to generating readiness.

Water from Table Rock Lake plunges 200 feet through four penstocks (or tubes) 18 feet in diameter, turning shafts connecting each turbine to its generator. When all four units are operating at full load, 15,000 cubic feet of water pass through the generators each second--a million cubic feet in each minute. In one hour, the four generators produce 200,000 kilowatts of electricty. An oil-fired plant would require 13,000 gallons of fuel to equal that output.

By the time the White River completes its journey to the Mississippi it has provided power for generation at Beaver, Table Beck, Powersite (a private dam forming Lake Taneycomo) and Bull Shoals. These hydroelectric stations make demands only on the natural power of water, not its quality. The water leaving the turbines is just as pure as it is when it entered, and having served its purpose, can be used again and again.

Flood control and hydropower--these are the two purposes for which Table Rock was constructed. The addition of the recreation opportunities Table Rock provides makes this beautiful clear reservoir truly a lake for all seasons.

PROJECT DATA

Location
Table Rock Dam is located on the main stem of the White River at river mile 528.8, about six miles southwest of Branson, Missouri. There are 4,020 square miles of drainage area above the dam.

Purpose
Table Rock is one of four multiple-purpose projects constructed in the upper White River Basin for the control of floods and the generation of hydroelectric power. The project also offers excellent recreational opportunities.

Construction
Construction of the dam and appurtenant works was initiated in October 1954 and completed in August 1958, while construction of the powerhouse and switchyard was completed in June 1959. Commercial generation was begun in June 1959.

With completion of the installations of the remaining two generating units in April and August 1961, overall construction was concluded at a cost of approximately $65,420,000.

Dam

Length of dam, feet	6,423
Concrete section, feet	1,602
Earth embankment feet	4,821
Maximum height of dam above streambed, feet	252
Concrete in dam, cubic yards	1,230,000
Earth in embankment, cubic yards	3,320,000
Length of spillway, gross feet	531
Spillway crest gates (10), size in feet	45x37
Outlet conduits (4), size in feet	4x9
Elevations, feet above mean sea level --Top of dam --Spillway crest	947 896

Lake

Elevations, feet above mean see level --Top of flood-control pool -- Top of conservation pool	931 915
Surface area of lake, acres --At top of flood control pool --At top of conservation pool	52,300 43,100
Storage capacities, acre feet --Flood control --Power drawdown --Dead lake total	760,000 2,702,000 3,462,000
Shoreline length, miles --At top of flood control pool --At top of conservation pool	857 745

Power Development

Generating units, number	4
Rated capacity, each unit, kilowatts	50,000
Station installed capacity, kilowatts	200,000