Council Bluff Lake

Council Bluff Lake is a lake in Mark Twain National Forest in Iron County, Missouri.^[1] It is 440 acres in area.^[1][2][3][4] Some parts of the lake are 87 feet deep.^[2][4]

Council Bluff Lake
Council Bluff Lake
Location	Iron County, Missouri
Coordinates	37°43′37″N 90°54′54″W
Surface area	440 acres (1.8 km2)
Max. depth	87 ft (27 m)

The lake was created when Big River was dammed.^[2] The Council Bluff Dam construction began in 1979 and was completed in 1981.^[5] It was at the time the largest earthfill dam ever built by the USDA-Forest Service with an embankment height of 124 feet.^[5]

Council Bluff Recreation Area

Council Bluff Recreation Area
Location	Iron / Washington counties, Missouri, USA
Nearest city	Belgrade, Missouri, Caledonia, Missouri, Viburnum, Missouri
Coordinates	37.72°N 90.91°W / 37.72; -90.91
Area	10,860 acres (43.9 km2)
Governing body	USDA-Forest Service
www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/mtnf/recarea/?recid=21844

Council Bluff Recreation Area surrounds the lake.^[2] The recreation area is 10,860 acres.^[6] Funds were first allocated for the site in 1967.^[6] The campground, called Wild Boar Campground, was opened in 1985.^[3] There are also boat ramps available for use.^[1] There is a sandy, 54,000 square foot beach called Chapel Hill Beach that is at the eastern part of the campground.^[2] There is a 12-mile trail called Council Bluff Trail (also known as Lake Shore Trail) that encircles the lake and is connected to the campground. Camping, picnicking, hiking, fishing, waterfowl hunting, swimming, canoeing, and boating are some activities available.^[2] Mountain biking is also available on the trail.^[3] Boats must operate at no-wake speeds.^[2][4] The lake has redear sunfish, bluegill, largemouth bass, and channel catfish that are available for fishing.^[1]

The recreation area is close in proximity to Bell Mountain Wilderness.^[3]

References

1. "Council Bluff Lake". MDC Fisheries. 2012-02-28. Retrieved 2020-05-26.
2. "Council Bluff Recreation Area". Mark Twain National Forest. Retrieved 2020-05-26.
3. Henry, S. (2014). Best Tent Camping: Missouri and the Ozarks: Your Car-Camping Guide to Scenic Beauty, the Sounds of Nature, and an Escape from Civilization. Best Tent Camping. Menasha Ridge Press. p. 81. ISBN 978-0-89732-644-5. Retrieved 2020-05-26.
4. Bezemek, M. (2017). Paddling the Ozarks: A Guide to the Area's Greatest Paddling Adventures. Falcon Guides. p. 140. ISBN 978-1-4930-2543-5. Retrieved 2020-05-26.
5. Mathur, T. S.; Willis, R. M. (June 1–5, 1988). "Performance of an Instrumented Earth Dam with Fat Clay Core". Proceedings: Second International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering.
6. Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations for 1976: Hearings Before a Subcommittee of the Committee on Appropriations, House of Representatives, Ninety-fourth Congress, First Session. U.S. Government Printing Office. 1975. p. 132. Retrieved 2020-05-26.