University of Nebraska at Omaha DigitalCommons@UNO Student Work 11-1-1971 Pomme de Terre Reservoir: A study in geographic change Michael W. Jinks University of Nebraska at Omaha Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/studentwork Recommended Citation Jinks, Michael W., "Pomme de Terre Reservoir: A study in geographic change" (1971). Student Work. 590. https://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/studentwork/590 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@UNO. It has been accepted for inclusion in Student Work by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@UNO. For more information, please contact [email protected]. POMME DE TERRE RESERVOIR: A STUDY IN GEOGRAPHIC CHANGE A Thesis Presented to the Department of Geography and the Faculty of the Graduate College University of Nebraska at Omaha In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts by Michael W. Jinks November 1971 UMI Number: EP73228 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. [email protected]: PeWsMng UMI EP73228 . Published by ProQuest LLC (2015). Copyright in the Dissertation held by the Author. Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code ProQuest ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106- 1346 Accepted for the faculty of The Graduate College of the University of Nebraska at Omaha, in partial fulfillment rf the requirements for the degree Master of Arts • Graduate Committee Chairmai ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The writer wishes to express sincere appreciation for the cooperation given him by the United States Army Corps of Engineers, the Missouri Tourism Commission, and the Missouri Department of Conservation, These agencies provided valuable information and assistance for this study. Special appreciation is certainly due for Dr. Philip Vogel and Mr. Charles Gildersleeve. Their patient advice, comments, and reactions were essential in making this thesis possible. i l l k TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgments .................... ........ 15. List of Tables .... iv List of Figures*..........................*....... v List of Maps.................................... vi List of Illustrations.............................. vii Introduction....... •........................ 1 Chapter I * BACKGROUND................... ............. 13 II. ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS.................... 35 III. RECREATIONAL ASPECTS..................... IV. ECONOMIC ASPECTS......................... 88 V. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS................... 119 Appe ndixes A. Pomme de Terre Reservoir: Physical Data............. ....*......... 12 B. pomme de Terre Reservoir User Survey.... 125 Sources Consulted......... *.......... * 126 LIST OF TABLES Table I. Estimated Fish Catch.......................... II. Conservation Permit Sales.................... III'. Public Use Areas.............................. IV. Attendance, and Density................. ...... V. Attendance and Density....................... VI. Survey Summary................................. VII. Recreational Activity......................... VIII. Visitor Origins................. .............. IX. Expenditures.................................. X. Length of Stay.'............................... XI. Frequency of Visit (Years)...... ............ XII. Frequency of Visit (Per Year)................ XIII. Party Size.................. .................. XIV. Income ....... ............................ XV. Expend! ture .... .............................. XVI. Expenditure (By Type)......................... XVII. Visitor Suggestions........................... XVIII. Expenditure...... ...... ...................... XIX. Length of Stay...... ...... .................. XX. Frequency of Visit (Years)................... XXI. Frequency of Visit (Per Year)................ XXII. Income................................... ..... XXIII. Expenditure................. .................. XXIV. Party Size.................... ................ XXV. Merchants Licenses. .... .................... XXVI. Business Survey............. ............ ..... XXVII. Housing (By County) .«-« XXVIII. Assessed Valuation............. ............... V LIST OP FIGURES Figure 1. Reservoir Attendance.......................... 11 2. Climograph (Warsaw)............ *............. 15 3. Hickory County Population..................... 2\\. JL[_• Length of Stay................................ 70 5. Frequency of Visitation (Years)............... 71 6 . Frequency of Visitation (PerYear) ........... 71 7. Expenditure................................... 76 6 • Income . .................... ................... 76 9. County Incomes................. .............. 93 10. Bank Deposits......... 101 11. Bank Assets...................... 103 12. Bank Loans.. ............... IOI4. 1 3 . Assessed Valuation (By County)............ 108 vi LIST OP MAPS Map 1. Missouri Lake Areas*......................... 2 2. Area Lakes................................... 5 3. Regional Location..............................ll± I4 . Study Area..................... 21 5* Land Acquisitions................ 3° 6 . Public Use Areas................ £l 7. Visitor Origins (Instate).................... 65 8 . Visitor Origins (Qutstate) ..... 66 vii LIST OP ILLUSTRATIONS Illustration 1. Pomme de Terre Reservoir............... I4. *'2. Wheatland............................... 0 3 . Archaeological Site.......... 26 I4.. Nemo Public Use Area (1)............... 33 5. Typical Cove........................... 33 6 . Nemo Cove............................... 36 7. Lake of the Ozarks..................... 36 ■ 6 . Pishing Cove................ l±L\. 9. Conservation Area.... ......... ^ 10. Quarry Point.............. $ 2 11. Nemo Public Use Area (2)............... $ 2 12# Nemo.............. III4. 13 • Hermitage ............... III4. II4.. Four Corners. .... 115 INTRODUCTION Since the early 1950*8 the U.S. Corps of Engineers have been quite active in Missouri, especially in the Ozark region. By developing several large flood control projects two distinct "lake areas" have emerged. One is located along the south central Missouri-Arkansas boundary in some of the most rugged portions of the Ozarks (Map 1)• The other lake area is located just inside the west central portion of the Missouri Ozarks. Though less rugged than the former it is still comparatively rough, with local relief approaching 200 feet along some rivers. Pomme de Terre Reservoir, the focus of this study, is located in the second of the two areas just mentioned. It was completed in 1961 after four years of construction. Of several large Corps lakes in the area the largest will be the Harry S . Truman Dam and Reservoir, to be completed in the mid-1970fs. It will inundate almost 60,000 acres of land. The completed reservoir will back water up the Pomme de Terre River to' within a few miles of the Pomme de Terre dam. The effects of such a large lake have long been discussed, and with its completion a few years from reality several state and federal organizations are attempting to cooperate in order to provide for the orderly development of the area# MISSOURI LAKE AREAS O CD CO CDO 2 Developed by Union Electric in St. Louis, the nationally known Lake of the Ozarks (covering about 53,000 acres), is less than forty miles from Pomme de Terre Reservoir. One of the nations most intensively de­ veloped lakes, it attracts several million visitors annually. However, the laxity, or even absence, of zoning during the development of the lake has resulted in haphazard and sometimes inappropriate development along the shoreline and along the major transportation routes in and around the lake. Though there will hardly be a dearth of visitors in the foreseeable future, the over commercialization of this lake has been responsible for a loss of some visitors to ether areas. Stockton Reservoir, completed in 1970 by the Corps added 2lf,000 acres of surface water to the area. The usual Corps practice of reserving a 300 foot collar ^ . - (and in some cases .more) around the lake was followed. Never-the-less, development is presently well underway. Franchises for several marinas have been issued, and many subdivisions around the lake have been started. When the Harry S. Truman Dam and Reservoir is completed Pomme de Terre Reservoir will lie just inside a large arc of lakes (.Map 2) . The situation of these water bodies in regard to such population centers as Kansas City, Springfield, and St. Louis have made the area one of the midwestfs recreation centers, especially for the water enthusiasts. 4 Pomme de Terre Reservoir This westward looking aerial view of Pomme de Terre Reservoir illustrates the general size of the lake, and the topography of the area. The dam is on the extreme right. The arm of the lake in the upper center is the Pomne de Terre arm, tnat in the lower left is the Linly Creek arm. Note the amount of land in forest. 5 AREA LAKES VERSAILLES CLINTON LAKE OF THE .WARSAW a OZARKS TRUMAN Lowry City- o CAMDEN- OSCEOLA t o n HERMITAGE POMME de o Urbano TERRE STOCKTON BOLIVAR STOCKTON LEGEND # County Seat 9 Reservoir <2> 10 M 2 I 0 « 6 Though Pomme de Terre is the smallest of the several lakes in the region, it is also one of