Authorities have assisted in more than a dozen flood water rescues from vehicles and residences in the tri-county region at Lake of the Ozarks since heavy rain began inundating the area Friday evening.
With approximately 8 inches of rain falling in the Lake Area Friday through Monday, the Lake of the Ozarks had risen to 663.5 feet above full pool, which is normally at 660 feet, as of Monday. Many lakefront homes and businesses have flooded property, as did those living on accompanying rivers, creeks and streams.
As of Monday afternoon, Ameren still had all 12 floodgates open at Bagnell Dam with the lake level at 663.5 feet, which is 3 feet above full pool.
According to Camden County Emergency Management Director Ron Gentry, there have been about a dozen water rescues from the rising lake levels and two vehicles rescues where cars were washed away near low-water crossings. He said one vehicle water rescue occurred Saturday off Possum Hollow Road within the county limits, and most of the water rescues were in the areas of Route D north of Camdenton and the Little Niangua River, which ultimately meets up with Lake of the Ozarks. He said luckily no one was injured.
"We have had several residential evacuations in those areas," Gentry said. "All but one couple was able to stay with relatives or friends. The one couple received assistance from the American Red Cross."
On Monday morning, Gentry said fire crews were assisting residents with evacuations of flooded homes near Tunnel Dam south of Ha Ha Tonka State Park, in which he was not sure how many individuals needed assistance.
Gentry also said numerous roads were closed around the county, with many lower-water slabs receiving damage from flash flooding. He knew, as of Monday, Bannister Hollow Road and Tunnel Dam Whistle Shallows were both flooded, with additional state highways including Routes BB and H in southern Camden County also closed to traffic Monday due to flooding.
Lee Schuman, Camden County Road and Bridge administrator and county engineer, echoed Gentry's sentiments saying that all of the 180 low-water crossings within the county were covered with water during the weekend's heavy rains.
In addition to residential evacuations, water rescues and road closures in Camden County, disconnected docks were also an issue as the lake levels increased during heavy rains. Several docks were disconnected - many with boats still in them - and floated into the main parts of the lake, with several of the disconnected docks reported in the Niangua arm of the lake. The Missouri Highway Patrol worked during the heavy rains to track down the disconnected docks, with many already tied off to large multi-slip docks that are secured safely to the shoreline until elevated lake levels recede.
Gentry asks any Camden County resident or business owner who has received damage to their property from flooding during the recent storms to call the emergency management office at 573-346-7108.
Since Sunday night, about 15 state roads in Miller County had been closed due to flooding, with parts of Missouri 52 and 17 deemed impassable Sunday through Monday.
Miller County Emergency Management Director Barlow Biggers said there were too many county roads closed to estimate the number.
As of Monday morning, Biggers said emergency responders only had one residential home water rescue in the Saline Valley area, with no injuries reported in that or any other situation due to flooding.
Biggers said he worries with all 12 flood gates open and two of those floodgates open at 40 percent instead of 25 percent, that means 101,000 cubic feet of water per second is running downstream into the Osage River, which abuts a good part of Miller County land and property.
"One cubic foot equals 7.48 gallons of water. Add that up for 100,000 cubic feet of water per second and that is a lot of water coming out of that dam. Then if we get snow that adds insult to injury. The problem is the rain will slow and then it rains again, which makes the water rise again," he said.
On Monday morning, Morgan County Emergency Management Director Rick Bias was surveying roads and damage done to downtown Gravois Mills, with many businesses and homes along the lake's shoreline flooded.
"Most of the businesses along the one lake side in Gravois Mills are partly submerged," he said. "(On Monday morning) we have a rescue going on in Mallard Bay (a recreation camper and trailer park), with firefighters from Gravois Fire Protection District helping individuals get out of their (homes)."
Bias said there was also a water rescue over the weekend of a woman from her Rocky Mount home that was surrounded by water.