Table Rock Dam

The US Army Corps of Engineers designed & built the Table Rock Dam across the White River, creating Table Rock lake in August 1958 when water from the White River was impounded. It was designed as a flood defence for the properties downstream along the White River with the secondary benefit of providing hydro-electric power generation for the surrounding area. The dam is 6,423 feet long & consists of a concrete section & two earth embankments (the concrete section is 1,602 feet long & the earth embankments total 4,821 feet) with the highest point 252 feet above the riverbed. There are approximately 1,230,000 cubic yards of concrete & 3,320,000 cubic yards in the earth in the dam. There are four, 18 feet diameter tunnels that convey water to four 50,000 kilowatt generating units in the powerhouse below the dam. The first two units were ready for generation of power in June 1959 with the remaining two turbines & generators coming on-line in August 1961. The Dam cost approximately $65,420,000 to construct.

We crossed the dam on a few occasions during our stay in Branson (there is a main road running across the top of the structure), mostly in Jerry & Sandy's day van but also a couple of times in a DUKW (more on that later). There is an overlook at high level on the downstream of the dam which we briefly stopped at. We had a great view of the dam (which really allowed you to appreciate how deep the lake actually is), powerhouse, & fish hatchery, & also of the White River in the valley below.