Harry S. Truman Dam and Reservoir

Infobox lake
lake_name = Harry S. Truman Reservoir
Truman Lake
image_lake = USACE Harry S Truman Dam Missouri.jpg
caption_lake = Harry S. Truman Dam
image_bathymetry =
caption_bathymetry =
location = Missouri
coords = coord|38.264602|N|93.401642|W|region:US_type:waterbody|display=inline,title
type = reservoir
inflow = Osage River
outflow = Osage River
catchment =
basin_countries = United States | length =
width =
area =
depth =
max-depth =
volume =
residence_time =
shore =
elevation =
islands =
cities = The Harry S. Truman Dam and Reservoir (also known as "Truman Lake") is located in the state of Missouri, United States. It is the largest man-made lake in Missouri and the dam that created and manages the lake's water level. It is located between Clinton and Warsaw, on the Osage River and extends south to Osceola.

History

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built and manages the lake and dam. Its primary mission is flood control. Some other missions are power generation, recreation, and wildlife management.

Originally named "Kaysinger Bluff Dam and Reservoir" in 1954, when construction was authorized, construction began in August of 1964. It was renamed the "Harry S. Truman Dam and Reservoir" in honor of the former president from Missouri by Congress in 1970. Construction was completed in 1979.

Completing the Truman Project took many years of planning, land acquisition, constructing new bridges and demolishing old ones. Several roads, towns, and cemeteries had to be relocated. The first construction project completed on the project was relocating Route 13 so it would be above maximum pool level.

The creation of the lake forced the closure of the Frisco Railroad's "Highline". Rising water levels severed the railroad tracks near Osceola and Deepwater and railroad officials declined to spend millions of dollars to reroute the lightly-used tracks. The Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad, however, did relocate its main line between La Due and Clinton; the project included five miles of new track and a causeway/bridge combination over the lake.

Harry S. Truman Regional Visitor Center

The Harry S. Truman Regional Visitor Center contains exhibits about the cultural and natural history of Truman Lake, environmental activities, the construction of the dam, the operation of the powerhouse, and the US Army Corps of Engineers. A 67-seat theater shows wildlife, history and water safety videos by request. The observation deck offers views of Truman Lake and part of the Lake of the Ozarks, as well as the dam.

There are several historic house museums near the Visitor Center, including:

*Hooper House homestead - a historic house complex that includes a summer kitchen, smoke house, sorghum press, and barn that are available for touring.
*Elmore Log Cabin - a replica of a 1840s Missouri single pen cabin with a sleeping loft, and a double pen barn and smokehouse.
*Concord Schoolhouse - a one-room schoolhouse originally located near Quincy that was purchased and moved to its present site by the Osage Valley Heritage Association

Weaubleau-Osceola structure

The south-west portion of the lake makes up part of the circumference of the Weaubleau-Osceola structure, a 310-340 million year old impact crater.

Harry S. Truman Dam

External links

* [http://www.nwk.usace.army.mil/ht/ The Harry S. Truman Dam and Reservoir site] maintained by the Army Corps of Engineers. Note: some material was used for this entry from this public domain source.
* [http://www.nwk.usace.army.mil/ht/VisitorCenter.cfm Harry S. Truman Regional Visitor Center]