MDC starting renovation projects at Schell Lake and Eagle Bluffs

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - The Missouri Conservation Commission recently approved a contract with Radmacher Brothers Excavating Co., Inc. of Pleasant Hill for renovation work of Schell Lake in Schell City. The project is part of phase-two renovations of the Missouri Department of Conservation's (MDC) Schell-Osage Conservation Area Golden Anniversary Wetland Renovation project.

The Commission also approved construction of the Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area Pump Station Flood Repairs project in Boone County. The project was awarded to Flowmaster Construction, LLC, of Mexico. The project was designed by Custom Engineering, Inc. out of Independence. The Commission approved both contracts at its Oct. 25 open meeting.

More Renovations at Schell-Osage Conservation Area

Opened to public use in 1962, the 8,635-acre Schell-Osage Conservation Area is one of the oldest publicly managed wetland areas in the state. Located in west-central Missouri along the banks of the Osage River near Schell City, the area lies within the footprint of Truman Lake's flood easement. The area features a unique combination of habitats including wetlands, upland and bottomland forest, cropland, old fields, and lakes and ponds.

The 1,425 acres of managed wetlands provides habitat for a wide variety of waterfowl, shore birds, wading birds, and other wetland dependent species, which makes this area popular for both waterfowl hunters and birders. For more information on the area, visit MDC online atmdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/places/schell-osage-conservation-area.

Decades of time and the elements have taken their toll on the area's wetland-management infrastructure. Schell-Osage is among the five oldest managed wetland areas in the state to have extensive infrastructure repair and replacement work being done as part of MDC's "Golden Anniversary Wetlands Initiative."

Renovation work of the area has so far focused on a new pump station on the area to manage water from the Osage River. This phase two of the project focuses on the area's 355-acre Schell Lake and wetland portion of the area. The$30-million project is expected to take about two years to complete with good weather.

The project was designed in part by Ducks Unlimited and MSI Engineering of Springfield and includes all materials, labor, dewatering, and equipment necessary to construct a new water-distribution network, water-control structures, ditches, roads, levees and hunting blinds, boat ramps, fish beds, a deepwater fish habitat channel, islands, parking areas, habitat mounds, fishing jetties, and bank stabilization for the lake renovation.

Learn more about the Schell-Osage renovation project and get renovation updates at mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/places/schell-osage-ca/schell-osage-updates.

New Pump Station at Eagle Bluffs

The 4,431-acre Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area lies south of Columbia in Boone County with the Missouri River and Perche Creek providing more than 10 miles of stream frontage on the area.

MDC has restored wetlands on the area through decades of creating wetland management infrastructure including 17 wetland pools that allow the flooding of 1,100 acres of moist soil marshes, emergent marshes, and crop fields. These marshes provide year-round habitat for migrating and wintering birds and permanent wildlife and excellent wildlife viewing and hunting opportunities. The area is a popular destination for waterfowl hunters and offers numerous hunting opportunities. In the fall, the area's beauty is enhanced by colorful foliage along the bordering limestone bluffs. The KATY Trail State Park passes through a portion of the area and adds to the public's use and enjoyment of Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area.

Additional wetland management infrastructure on the area includes 30 miles of levees, 61 water-control structures, river-water supply pumps, a water-supply junction box, pump-out facilities, and a pipeline linking the area to the City of Columbia's wastewater treatment wetlands. MDC uses treated wastewater from the city as a primary water source for the wetlands with river pump stations supplementing the water supply when the area's needs exceed the flow from the city.

The current pump station is decades old and in need of repairs after constant exposure to the elements. The pump-station project consists of demolition of the current pump station controls platform and replacement with a new one including new controllers and pumps. It will also extend electric service to the new platform location. The $1.6-million project is scheduled to start construction in the spring of next year and take about nine months to complete with good weather.

For more information on Eagle Bluffs, visit https://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/places/eagle-bluffs-conservation-area.