Bagnell recovering after floodwaters force residents to evacuate

The small town of Bagnell is recovering after the town was flooded Wednesday.

The Osage River flooded the town after Ameren opened 11 of the 12 floodgates at Bagnell Dam. The opening of the floodgates caused 40,000 cubic feet of water to flow out per second.

Road quickly became flooded, trapping some residents. Bagnell Mayor Jerome Schulte said evacuations had to be made via jet ski.

Schulte said the damage to the town is severe.

“It washed rocks probably the size of your head down through the roads and campground,” he said. “All the city roads are torn up and flooded. Some people evacuated. We’re diehards. We just stuck around.”

Although the town was hurt by the openings of the floodgates, Schulte said there are no hard feelings.

“You gotta do what you gotta do,” he said. “I mean, Ameren did a good job with controlling the river level with the lake level and I really commend them for what they’ve done and they’ve done a good job.”

Ameren Missouri says the spill gates will remain open until the lake drops to 660 feet.