Table Rock Lake Water Level
Missouri · White River
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Water level history
About Table Rock Lake
Table Rock Lake is a reservoir on the White River in Missouri, operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It anchors the Branson tourism area. Its full summer pool sits at 915 ft above sea level. Live water levels come from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (CWMS) and update hourly.
Understanding Table Rock Lake's water level
Table Rock Lake sits on the White River just southwest of Branson, and it is a Corps of Engineers flood-control lake first and a tourist playground second. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Little Rock District, holds it at a normal pool of 915 feet above sea level and keeps a flood pool above that reaching 931 feet, giving the lake a 16-foot band of storage that it uses to catch White River floodwater. Because that flood pool is built in, Table Rock is designed to rise several feet after big rains and then be lowered back, rather than sitting at a fixed level year-round.
Storms, not the calendar, drive Table Rock's biggest moves. In the historic White River flood of April 2011 the lake crested at a record 935.47 feet, several feet above the top of its normal flood pool. In December 2015 another major flood forced the dam to release a record 72,001 cubic feet per second, the most water it has ever let go at once. The Corps had already added an auxiliary spillway in 2005 to handle exactly these events. After each flood the stored water is released downstream over the following weeks and the lake eases back toward 915 feet.
The dam also shapes the fishing: cold water drawn from deep in the lake and released downstream feeds a trout tailwater stocked from a hatchery below Table Rock Dam, while the lake itself is known for bass. All of this feeds the Branson tourism economy, one of the busiest lake-tourism areas in the country, with commercial marinas and Table Rock State Park on the shoreline. For visitors, the practical rule is that a summer near 915 feet is normal, and a lake pushing toward 931 feet means a flood is moving through and low-lying ramps may be closed.
Table Rock Lake — frequently asked
Why does Table Rock Lake's water level rise and fall?
Table Rock is a Corps flood-control lake on the White River. It is held near a normal pool of 915 feet and rises into a flood pool up to 931 feet when it catches runoff from heavy rain, after which the Corps releases that water downstream over the following weeks. Storms, not a seasonal schedule, drive its biggest swings.
What are normal pool and flood pool for Table Rock Lake?
Normal pool is 915 feet above sea level and the top of the flood pool is 931 feet, a 16-foot band of flood storage. The record crest was 935.47 feet during the April 2011 flood, above the top of the flood pool.
How high has Table Rock Lake gotten during floods?
Its record crest was 935.47 feet on April 27, 2011, during the major White River basin flood. In December 2015 the dam released a record 72,001 cubic feet per second, the most it has ever discharged. An auxiliary spillway added in 2005 helps handle these extreme events.
Why is Table Rock Lake high after heavy rain?
Its flood pool is designed to capture White River runoff, so the lake rises quickly after big storms and then is drawn back toward 915 feet as the Corps releases the water. That is normal flood-control operation rather than a sign the lake is being mismanaged.
Is there good fishing below Table Rock Dam?
Yes. Cold water released from deep in the lake supports a trout tailwater downstream that is kept stocked from a hatchery below the dam, while the lake itself is a well-known bass fishery. The level and how much water is being released affect both.
What is Table Rock Lake used for?
It provides flood control and hydropower and is a major recreation lake anchoring the Branson tourism area, with commercial marinas, Table Rock State Park, and popular bass fishing, boating and diving.
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