Dock Owner Warning: Snow Is Nice, But Surface-Water Ice And Lake-Level Drop Comes Next

LAKE OF THE OZARKS, Mo. — The Lake area just got blanketed by snow and dock companies are reporting only sporadic damage. Dock owners have largely avoided dock-roof shoveling. However, the Lake's surface water is going to freeze with a full week of high temperatures under 32F and nighttime temps in single digits, and there's a strong likelihood (really an inevitability) Bagnell Dam is going to generate more electricity by pulling water from Lake of the Ozarks.

Translation: Water is going to freeze around docks and then it's going to move and water levels are going to drop. That's a recipe for damage.

Here are three winter weather hazards dock owners need to be aware of, and what they can do to protect their dock from disaster.

Dock Broken Loose By Winds At Spinnaker Point Condos - 2019

1. High Wind -- Remove Slack From Dock Cables

Keeping a dock protected from winter wind is tricky, since experts recommend dock owners loosen their cables in preparation for the winter drawdown. The Lake drops by about six feet in the winter, as Ameren (which owns and operates Bagnell Dam) prepares for the influx of spring rain runoff. That also gives Lakefront property owners a chance to maintain their seawalls and shoreline.

But those loosened cables can also give the dock more freedom when the wind blows. And dock owners who loosed the cables in anticipation of the Lake's low point (typically around 654 feet of elevation above sea level, in February or March) could be in a tough spot before the Lake level has dropped. As of Jan. 11, the water level was hovering just under 659 feet of elevation: nearly summertime levels. If cables are too loose and the winds blow hard, a dock can be in trouble.

For lakefront homeowners who don't live here full time, it's a good idea to call someone to check their dock cables – that could be a knowledgeable neighbor, or a local concierge/home-check service.

Docks Blanketed By Ice & Snow - 2011 Winter Storm — LakeExpo Photo

2. Ice -- Use A Dock Aerator/De-icer/Bubbler

During the deepest cold of winter, as coves freeze over, docks without deicers are threatened by the accumulating ice around them.

Ice can bind-up a dock, preventing it from moving with the water level. Dock owners discovered the expensive catastrophe this can create during the great freeze of February 2021. Incredibly cold temperatures resulted in a rare freezing-over of the entire Lake of the Ozarks. The ice wrapped docks in a vice-grip; meanwhile, Bagnell Dam was running hard, to keep generating energy so Missourians could stay warm. As a result, the water level dropped beneath the frozen docks, and the result was stunning: sheared bolts, twisted steel, broken frames. More coverage of that disaster, here:

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Some docks with deicers were spared (but some dock owners reported that even with deicers, their dock experienced ice damage... for large docks, multiple deicers are recommended.)

3. Heavy Snow -- Carefully Remove Snow

Heavy snow, however is among a dock's worst enemies, and Lake of the Ozarks dock owners discovered how true that was in 2011, when "Snowpocalypse" dumped upwards of 15 inches of snow across the Lake area amid blizzard conditions over multiple days.

Camdenton - Docks Sinking Under Snow - 2011 Winter Storm

Bridgeview - Dock Sinking Under Snow - 2011 Winter Storm

Docks Sinking Under Snow At The Ledges Condos - 2011 Winter Storm

Boats & Lifts Going Down at The Ledges Condos - 2011 Winter Storm

Many docks couldn't handle the weight, and capsized, taking the boat lifts and boats with them.

Five years earlier, the snow and ice storms of 2006 sunk boats and docks alike all over the Lake of the Ozarks.

Sunken Dock & Pontoon - 2006 Winter Storm

Dock Destroyed By Winter Weather At Porto Cima In 2006 — photo by JB Simpson/LakeExpo.com

Few docks are impervious to heavy snow: it's just a matter of how much it will take to sink it. It all depends on a dock's weight and flotation. When snow begins to accumulate, dock owners would be wise to keep an eye on their dock—or, if they're away and don't have a dock security camera, have a neighbor take a look.

If heavy snow is expected and dock owners can safely clear some of the snow off the roof using a long pole, that can provide some relief.

There are some local dock companies and a couple landscape companies that provide dock-roof-shoveling services.

Here are a couple recommendations:

Lake East: Atlas Dock Company

Lake West: Rough Water Docks

Dock owners should avoid getting on the roof of a slick, ice/snow-laden dock: an accidental plunge into frigid waters can be fatal.

Men On Dock Roofs Clearing Snow - 2011 Winter Storm — LakeExpo Photo

There's often little recourse if your dock begins to sink under the weight of snow.

(Reminder: if you go out to the dock ramp or dock in the winter, always wear a life jacket! Even excellent swimmers can drown quickly in frigid water. And once out of the water, hypothermia can set in quickly.)

Insurance

Dock owners' best bet is to simply make sure their dock—and everything inside it—is completely insured. Dock insurance is unique, and usually requires dock/wharf/pier riders for coverage in such events. Some carriers are much better than others when it comes to claim denials. Also, boat lifts are personal property that frequently fall through the gaps. Many Lake of the Ozarks homeowners have been unpleasantly surprised to find they didn't have the insurance they assumed they did.