Pomme de Terre Lake
Encyclopedia
Pomme de Terre Lake is located in southwest Missouri
at the confluence of Lindley Creek and the Pomme de Terre River
(for which it is named). The lake is located in southern Hickory and northern Polk
counties, about 50 miles (80.5 km) north of Springfield
. The name is French
and literally translated means "earth apple", which in English is a potato
.
The lake is part of a series of lakes in the Osage River
Basin designed and constructed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers
for flood control. Construction began in 1957 and was complete in 1961 at a cost of $14,946,784. Storage of water began on October 29, 1961 and the multipurpose pool was reached on June 15, 1963.
The dam is adjacent to Pomme de Terre State Park and is crossed by Route 254. It consists of a 14 feet (4 m) circular tunnel with two 6.5 X 14 feet (4 m) hydraulic slide service gates and a single 24 inches (609.6 mm) circular low flow gate. The dam is 7230 feet (2,204 m) long, 30 feet (9 m) wide at the top and 950 feet (290 m) wide at the base (maximum).
There are two arms of the lake that extend from the dam site. The Pomme de Terre arm follows the Pomme de Terre River and extends for 17 miles (27.4 km). The Lindley arm follows Lindley Creek for 12 miles (19.3 km).
the local Chamber of Commerce sponsors a fireworks display launched from an island near the dam site.
Pomme de Terre Lake is well know locally for its largemouth bass
, crappie
and white bass
fishing. It has wider acceptance as a premier Muskie lake. Muskellunge
have been stocked in the lake since 1966, and the lake boasts one of the best catch ratios in the country.
section is located on the south shore, and the Hermitage
section is located on the east shore. Each area has 128 campsites, a public beach, picnic sites, and hiking trails. The Indian point hiking trail in the Pittsburg area ends at a rock platform overlooking the lake that has a magnificent view.
. Muskies don't reproduce naturally in Pomme de Terre, so the Conservation Department nets fish each spring and milks them for eggs. After the eggs are fertilized at the lake, the fish are released. The eggs are then taken to the Lost Valley Fish Hatchery near Warsaw to be hatched. By October, when they are released into Pomme de Terre and several other lakes in 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...
at the confluence of Lindley Creek and the Pomme de Terre River
Pomme de Terre River (Missouri)
The Pomme de Terre River is a tributary of the Osage River in southwestern Missouri in the United States. Via the Osage and Missouri rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River.Pomme de terre is French for potato.-Course:...
(for which it is named). The lake is located in southern Hickory and northern Polk
Polk County, Missouri
Polk County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. As of 2010, the population was 31,137. Its county seat is Bolivar.Polk County is part of the Springfield, Missouri, Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
counties, about 50 miles (80.5 km) north of Springfield
Springfield, Missouri
Springfield is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Greene County. According to the 2010 census data, the population was 159,498, an increase of 5.2% since the 2000 census. The Springfield Metropolitan Area, population 436,712, includes the counties of...
. The name is French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
and literally translated means "earth apple", which in English is a potato
Potato
The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae family . The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well as the edible tuber. In the region of the Andes, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species...
.
The lake is part of a series of lakes in 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...
Basin designed and constructed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers
United States Army Corps of Engineers
The United States Army Corps of Engineers is a federal agency and a major Army command made up of some 38,000 civilian and military personnel, making it the world's largest public engineering, design and construction management agency...
for flood control. Construction began in 1957 and was complete in 1961 at a cost of $14,946,784. Storage of water began on October 29, 1961 and the multipurpose pool was reached on June 15, 1963.
The dam is adjacent to Pomme de Terre State Park and is crossed by Route 254. It consists of a 14 feet (4 m) circular tunnel with two 6.5 X 14 feet (4 m) hydraulic slide service gates and a single 24 inches (609.6 mm) circular low flow gate. The dam is 7230 feet (2,204 m) long, 30 feet (9 m) wide at the top and 950 feet (290 m) wide at the base (maximum).
There are two arms of the lake that extend from the dam site. The Pomme de Terre arm follows the Pomme de Terre River and extends for 17 miles (27.4 km). The Lindley arm follows Lindley Creek for 12 miles (19.3 km).
Recreation
There are over 650 campsites along the lake as well as two public swimming beaches. Water skiing and many other forms of water recreation are common at the lake. Every 4th of JulyIndependence Day (United States)
Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain...
the local Chamber of Commerce sponsors a fireworks display launched from an island near the dam site.
Pomme de Terre Lake is well know locally for its largemouth bass
Largemouth bass
The largemouth bass is a species of black bass in the sunfish family native to North America . It is also known as widemouth bass, bigmouth, black bass, bucketmouth, Potter's fish, Florida bass, Florida largemouth, green bass, green trout, linesides, Oswego bass, southern largemouth...
, crappie
Crappie
Crappie is a genus of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of order Perciformes. The type species is P. annularis, the white crappie...
and white bass
White bass
The white bass or sand bass The white bass or sand bass The white bass or sand bass (MoroneIt is the state fish of Oklahoma.- Range :White bass are distributed widely across the United States, particularly in the midwest. They are very abundant in Pennsylvania and the area around Lake Erie...
fishing. It has wider acceptance as a premier Muskie lake. Muskellunge
Muskellunge
A muskellunge , also known as a muskelunge, muscallonge, milliganong, or maskinonge , is a large, relatively uncommon freshwater fish of North America. Muskellunge are the largest member of the pike family, Esocidae...
have been stocked in the lake since 1966, and the lake boasts one of the best catch ratios in the country.
State Park
There are two sections of state park land near Pomme de Terre which total almost 700 acres (2.8 km²). The PittsburgPittsburg, Missouri
Pittsburg is an unincorporated community in Hickory County, Missouri, United States. It is located about ten miles south of Hermitage on Route 64. It is on the shores of Pomme de Terre Lake....
section is located on the south shore, and the Hermitage
Hermitage, Missouri
Hermitage is a city in Hickory County, Missouri, United States, on the Pomme de Terre River. The population was 406 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Hickory County.-Geography:Hermitage is located at...
section is located on the east shore. Each area has 128 campsites, a public beach, picnic sites, and hiking trails. The Indian point hiking trail in the Pittsburg area ends at a rock platform overlooking the lake that has a magnificent view.
Fishing
Pomme De Terre is very popular among anglers and the lake is well known for several different species of fish. The fish that the lake is most popular for, however, is the muskieMuskellunge
A muskellunge , also known as a muskelunge, muscallonge, milliganong, or maskinonge , is a large, relatively uncommon freshwater fish of North America. Muskellunge are the largest member of the pike family, Esocidae...
. Muskies don't reproduce naturally in Pomme de Terre, so the Conservation Department nets fish each spring and milks them for eggs. After the eggs are fertilized at the lake, the fish are released. The eggs are then taken to the Lost Valley Fish Hatchery near Warsaw to be hatched. By October, when they are released into Pomme de Terre and several other lakes in Missouri.
Statistics
- Surface area: 7,820 acres (multipurpose pool) / 16,100 acres (flood pool)
- Shoreline: 113 miles (182 km)
- Elevation: 839 feet (256 m) above sea level (multipurpose pool) / 874 feet (flood pool)
- Dam: 7240 feet (2,207 m) long earth and rockfill embankment; 155 feet (47 m) above streambed
External links
- US Army Corps of Engineers Project Page
- http://www.missouri-pommedeterre.com/