Table Rock Lake

Table Rock Lake is an artificial lake, or reservoir, in The Ozarks of southwestern Missouri and northwestern Arkansas.  The lake was made by the construction of Table Rock dam. This  252 foot high impoundment was constructed in 1954-1958 on the White River by the United States Army Corps of Engineers. It is one of the popular attractions for the nearby town of Branson, Missouri. There are several commercial marinas along the lake, and Table Rock State Park is located on the east side.  Downstream from the dam, the Missouri Department of Conservation operates the Shepherd of the Hills Fish Hatchery, which is used to stock trout in Lake Taneycomo. The cold water from the dam creates an ideal environment for Rainbow trout and Brown trout.

 Lake air temperature 

The lake area temperature varies according to season: 
 Spring: 56 to 
 Summer: 85 to 
 Fall: 71 to 
 Winter: 42 to 

 Lake data 

Dam and Outlet Measurements

Length of dam- 
Length of concrete section- 
Maximum height of dam above stream bed- 
Concrete in dam- 
Earth in embankment- 
Dam elevations above mean sea level
Top of dam- 
Spillway crest- 
Lake elevations above mean sea level
Top of flood control pool- 
Top of normal pool- 
Surface area of lake
Flood control pool- 
Normal pool- 
Maximum storage capacity
Flood control pool- 
Shoreline length
Flood control pool- 
Normal Pool- 
Other
Maximum depth - 220 feet (67 m)
Lake total- 3,462,000
Power generating data
Number of generating units- 4
Rated capacity for each unit- 50,000 kilowatts
Station installed capacity- 200,000 kilowatts

 Flood control 

The original purpose of the reservoir was for flood control on the White River.Richard S. Kirkendall, A History of Missouri, Vo. 5 (Columbia: University of Missouri Press, 2004), p. 363 It also produces Hydroelectric power and provides recreation for southern Missoui and northern Arkansas. The dam had been authorized under the Flood Control Act of 1941. But World War II and the Korean War delayed construction until 1954. The reservoir has a fluctuation of . When the reservoir is above the maximum flood pool, excess water goes over the auxiliary overflow spillway at the north end of the dam. Table Rock is the second of four major reservoirs on the White River before it enters the Mississippi River. The other three are Beaver Lake, Lake Taneycomo and Bull Shoals Lake.

 Fishing 

Table Rock is one of the premier Largemouth bass fishing lakes in the United States.Steve Price, America's Best Bass Fishing: The Fifty Best Places to Catch Bass (Helena, MT: Falcon, 2000), p. 109 All three species of Black bass are here in abundance (Largemouth, Smallmouth and Spotted). The lake has produced Largemouth bass of over 10 pounds and Smallmouth bass over 7 pounds. Table Rock is the site of several major Bass fishing tournaments each year. The lake has several other species of game fish including Crappie, Walleye, White Bass, Paddlefish, Catfish and Sunfish. Lake Tannycomo, below Table Rock dam, is one of the top 5 Rainbow and Brown trout fisheries in the world.Marv Fremerman, Bass Pro Shops Hunting and Fishing Directory: Outfitters, Guides, and Lodges (Lanham, MD: The Derrydale Press, 2001), p. 41

 Notes 

References

 Further reading 

 "Wake Up to Table Rock Lake", pamphlet available at the Table Rock Dam Visitors' Center

Category:Geography of Missouri
Category:Geography of Arkansas
Category:Ozarks
Category:Lakes of the United States