LAKE OF THE OZARKS, Mo. (LakeExpo.com) - Puxatony Phil followed Snowpocalypse 2.1 by predicting an early spring while -20F winds froze the lake overnight.
The smart dock owners have de-icers agitating into Thursday morning with little prospect of the air reaching over 32F any time before Saturday afternoon, maybe.
Dodging the ice on the front end of the storm was fortunate, but the back-end freeze can have its pitfalls. Weight from the snow combined with freezing dock joints and welds can cause damage as the lake level fluctuates.
Since this past Sunday, Bagnell Dam operators have lowered the lake 6 inches and plan to drop another half foot by the weekend to 655.0. Operators are generating electricity and preparing for two feet of snow to thaw into the watershed.
To minimize the effects of unstable lake levels and other winter conditions, dock owners can disconnect hinges linking docks and seawalls, and lengthen cables so the dock may become more fluid with the waterline.
Dockworkers have shoveled roofs across the lake area at marinas, condos and residential lakefront properties.
One dock sank and another’s roof collapsed Tuesday night at the Lodge of Four Seasons, Porto Cima had a dock collapse, Old Creel Resort reportedly had one sink, The Ledges and Bay Point Condominiums, Bridgeview and other marinas and commercial docks suffered partial swampings.
Initial speculation puts dock and boat damages easily into the tens of millions of dollars.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol is asking dock owners to be cautious of the slip-and-fall perils of removing snow and ice from docks. Due to the extreme cold water, hypothermia can set in quickly and render a person helpless in the water. Wet clothing makes it difficult to stay afloat. Life jackets should be worn and use the buddy system.
Dock owners should assume any damaged electric wires are live.
Any boats operating in areas of major dock damage should operate at idle speed, so as to not cause further damage to docks already under the added stress of heavy snow and ice.
