Bagnell Dam
Encyclopedia
Bagnell Dam impounds the Osage River
in the U.S. state
of Missouri
, creating the Lake of the Ozarks
. The 148-foot (45 m) tall concrete gravity dam was built by the Union Electric Company
(now AmerenUE
) for the purpose of hydroelectric power generation as its Osage Powerplant. It is 2543 feet (775.1 m) long, including a 520 feet (158.5 m) long spillway and a 511 feet (155.8 m) long power station. The facility with eight generators has a maximum capacity of 215 megawatts.
The dam derives its name from Bagnell, Missouri
at the dam site which preceded the dam. It in turn derives its name from William Bagnell who platted the town in 1883.
The dam is located at 38°12′09"N 92°37′35"W, on the border between Camden County
and Miller County. According to the United States Geological Survey
, a variant name is Osage Dam.
Construction started on the dam in 1929 and was completed in 1931. The resulting reservoir, the Lake of the Ozarks
, has a surface area of 55,000 acres (223 km²), over 1150 miles (1,850.7 km) of shoreline (1850 km), and stretches 92 miles (148.1 km) from end to end (148 km). At the time of construction it was one of the largest man-made lakes in the world and the largest in the United States.
The concept of a hydro electric power plant on the Osage River
was first introduced by a Kansas City developer as long ago as 1912. Ralph Street managed to put together the funding to construct a dam across the Osage River and began building roads, railroads and support structures necessary to begin construction of a dam that would impound a much smaller lake than what is presently known as Lake of the Ozarks
. Sometime in the mid 1920’s, Street’s funding dried up and he had to abandon the idea of the first hydro electric power plant on the Osage River.
Upon Street’s failure to deliver the power plant, Union Electric Power and Light stepped in with an engineering firm from Boston, Massachusetts, and designed and constructed Bagnell Dam in one of the most unlikely spots along the Osage River. Many thought the $30 million project would be a disaster with the stock market crash
of 1929, but it proved to be a boost to many families in the area as well as the hundreds who traveled across the country seeking work. By today’s standards, all construction was done by hand, and the equipment used in the construction was quite primitive. The construction of Bagnell Dam was completed and Lake of the Ozarks was a full reservoir
in fewer than two years.
The stock market crash
of 1929, which precipitated the Great Depression
occurred just months after construction began on Bagnell Dam. The project employed thousands of laborers, providing a large economic boost to the rural area around the dam and to the state as a whole at a time when jobs were scarce.
Construction of the dam allowed for thirteen floodgate
s, as the original design called for. However, only twelve floodgates were installed, and the thirteenth spillway opening is walled shut with concrete. The engineers calculated that twelve floodgates provided a large enough margin of safety. It may be apocryphal that Union Electric officials did not want to jinx the dam with the unlucky number 13.
AmerenUE remotely operates the Taum Sauk pumped storage plant
from its control room at Bagnell Dam.
Osage River
The Osage River is a tributary of the Missouri River in central Missouri in the United States. The Osage River is one of the larger rivers in Missouri. The river drains a mostly rural area of . The watershed includes an area of east-central Kansas and a large portion of west-central and central...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, creating the Lake of the Ozarks
Lake of the Ozarks
The Lake of the Ozarks is a large reservoir created by impounding the Osage River in the northern part of the Ozarks in central Missouri. Extents of three smaller tributaries to the Osage, the Niangua River, Grandglaize Creek, and Gravois Creek, are included in the impoundment...
. The 148-foot (45 m) tall concrete gravity dam was built by the Union Electric Company
Union Electric Company
The Union Electric Company of Missouri was an electric power utility first organized in 1902. As one of the S&P 500 largest companies in the United States, in 1997 its holding company merged with a smaller neighboring utility, Central Illinois Public Service Company through its holding company,...
(now AmerenUE
Ameren
Ameren Corporation was created December 31, 1997 by the merger of Missouri's Union Electric Company and the neighboring Central Illinois Public Service Company . It is now a holding company for several power companies and energy companies. The company is based in St...
) for the purpose of hydroelectric power generation as its Osage Powerplant. It is 2543 feet (775.1 m) long, including a 520 feet (158.5 m) long spillway and a 511 feet (155.8 m) long power station. The facility with eight generators has a maximum capacity of 215 megawatts.
The dam derives its name from Bagnell, Missouri
Bagnell, Missouri
Bagnell is a city in Miller County, Missouri, United States. The population was 86 at the 2000 census, at which time it was a town.-Geography:Bagnell is located at ....
at the dam site which preceded the dam. It in turn derives its name from William Bagnell who platted the town in 1883.
The dam is located at 38°12′09"N 92°37′35"W, on the border between Camden County
Camden County, Missouri
Camden County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. As of 2000, the population was 37,051. Its county seat is Camdenton. The county was organized in 1841 as Kinderhook County and renamed in 1843, for Charles Pratt, 1st Earl Camden, Chancellor of England, and leader of the Whig...
and Miller County. According to the United States Geological Survey
United States Geological Survey
The United States Geological Survey is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, and the natural hazards that threaten it. The organization has four major science disciplines, concerning biology,...
, a variant name is Osage Dam.
Construction started on the dam in 1929 and was completed in 1931. The resulting reservoir, the Lake of the Ozarks
Lake of the Ozarks
The Lake of the Ozarks is a large reservoir created by impounding the Osage River in the northern part of the Ozarks in central Missouri. Extents of three smaller tributaries to the Osage, the Niangua River, Grandglaize Creek, and Gravois Creek, are included in the impoundment...
, has a surface area of 55,000 acres (223 km²), over 1150 miles (1,850.7 km) of shoreline (1850 km), and stretches 92 miles (148.1 km) from end to end (148 km). At the time of construction it was one of the largest man-made lakes in the world and the largest in the United States.
The concept of a hydro electric power plant on the Osage River
Osage River
The Osage River is a tributary of the Missouri River in central Missouri in the United States. The Osage River is one of the larger rivers in Missouri. The river drains a mostly rural area of . The watershed includes an area of east-central Kansas and a large portion of west-central and central...
was first introduced by a Kansas City developer as long ago as 1912. Ralph Street managed to put together the funding to construct a dam across the Osage River and began building roads, railroads and support structures necessary to begin construction of a dam that would impound a much smaller lake than what is presently known as Lake of the Ozarks
Lake of the Ozarks
The Lake of the Ozarks is a large reservoir created by impounding the Osage River in the northern part of the Ozarks in central Missouri. Extents of three smaller tributaries to the Osage, the Niangua River, Grandglaize Creek, and Gravois Creek, are included in the impoundment...
. Sometime in the mid 1920’s, Street’s funding dried up and he had to abandon the idea of the first hydro electric power plant on the Osage River.
Upon Street’s failure to deliver the power plant, Union Electric Power and Light stepped in with an engineering firm from Boston, Massachusetts, and designed and constructed Bagnell Dam in one of the most unlikely spots along the Osage River. Many thought the $30 million project would be a disaster with the stock market crash
Stock market crash
A stock market crash is a sudden dramatic decline of stock prices across a significant cross-section of a stock market, resulting in a significant loss of paper wealth. Crashes are driven by panic as much as by underlying economic factors...
of 1929, but it proved to be a boost to many families in the area as well as the hundreds who traveled across the country seeking work. By today’s standards, all construction was done by hand, and the equipment used in the construction was quite primitive. The construction of Bagnell Dam was completed and Lake of the Ozarks was a full reservoir
Reservoir
A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
in fewer than two years.
The stock market crash
Stock market crash
A stock market crash is a sudden dramatic decline of stock prices across a significant cross-section of a stock market, resulting in a significant loss of paper wealth. Crashes are driven by panic as much as by underlying economic factors...
of 1929, which precipitated the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
occurred just months after construction began on Bagnell Dam. The project employed thousands of laborers, providing a large economic boost to the rural area around the dam and to the state as a whole at a time when jobs were scarce.
Construction of the dam allowed for thirteen floodgate
Floodgate
Floodgates are adjustable gates used to control water flow in flood barriers, reservoir, river, stream, or levee systems. They may be designed to set spillway crest heights in dams, to adjust flow rates in sluices and canals, or they may be designed to stop water flow entirely as part of a levee or...
s, as the original design called for. However, only twelve floodgates were installed, and the thirteenth spillway opening is walled shut with concrete. The engineers calculated that twelve floodgates provided a large enough margin of safety. It may be apocryphal that Union Electric officials did not want to jinx the dam with the unlucky number 13.
AmerenUE remotely operates the Taum Sauk pumped storage plant
Taum Sauk pumped storage plant
The Taum Sauk pumped storage plant is located in the St. Francois mountain region of the Missouri Ozarks approximately south of St. Louis near Lesterville, Missouri in Reynolds County. The pumped-storage hydroelectric plant, operated by the AmerenUE electric company, was designed to help...
from its control room at Bagnell Dam.