Camden County Commission Signs on to Effort to Preserve Tunnel Dam

The Camden County Commission agrees to become part of an effort to keep the hydroelectric Tunnel Dam physically in place instead of an effort on the federal level to wipe out the dam altogether.

Representatives from Sho-Me Power Electric Cooperative were on hand for the commission’s meeting, on Thursday, to give an update on where the effort stands to decommission the 360-acre reservoir and dam.

Citing cost considerations between available options, Sho-Me is proposing that the dam and waterway stay in place for recreational uses compared to a price-tag 4-5 times more than the projected cost to remove the dam and drain the lake.

Two recent open-house meetings drew well over 100 people and more than another 100 comment cards regarding the options…mostly in favor in preserving the dam and the lake.