HERMITAGE, Mo., – In an effort to control a possible exposure of invasive zebra mussels in Pomme de Terre Lake, the U.S. Army Corps Engineers announced a plan to lower the level of the lake by three feet.
In December of 2014, a dock with adult zebra mussels was transported from the Lake of the Ozarks and placed on Pomme de Terre Lake. Lake of the Ozarks is already infested with zebra mussels and the dock was only out of the water a short time before being placed in Pomme de Terre so the mussels attached were most likely still alive and there is a good possibility that some of the adult zebra mussels fell into the lake. The dock was removed from the lake the next day.
The Corps will start releasing 1,200 cubic feet per second as soon as the ice melts on the lake in order to kill any zebra mussels in the exposed area and make it easier and more effective to treat the remaining water area that might have been exposed when water temperatures warm up. With the unseasonably warm weather, it is anticipated that releases can begin within the next few days. It will take approximately 10 to 12 days at this flow to lower the lake level to elevation 836.0 which is three feet below the normal pool. The lake will be maintained at this level through the winter freeze.
If there are any questions about this issue, please contact the Pomme de Terre Project Office at 417-745-6411. Information about the lake levels and current releases to the river can be found on our website at http://www.nwk.usace.army.mil/Locations/DistrictLakes/PommedeTerreLake.aspx .
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Release no. PA-2015-05