Schell-Osage Updates

The renovation has five main goals. First, it will focus on improving floodplain function. Considering the topography and where water naturally flows is critical to this first goal and also helps reduce the chance of recurring flood damages. This wasn't always considered when wetlands were built 60 years ago. To add to this complexity, the addition of H.S. Truman Dam and Reservoir has changed the flood frequency, depth, and duration across the Schell-Osage bottoms. Effective wetland management has a lot to do with being able to get water on and off at the right time. For these reasons, a new approach to wetland design is necessary through a renovation project. This will require using the natural grade of the land, integrating broad, flood tolerant levees and strategically placing spillways as a means to restore waterways that will help us manage how the current floodplain functions.

One specific example of an area that will be impacted from this work will be the west end of Schell Lake. The elevations here are more similar to the wetland areas north of the existing lake dam. By reconfiguring the levees this shallow, and often dry portion of Schell Lake, will be tied into a larger block of manageable wetland habitat.

The second goal focuses on the traditional use of blinds for waterfowl hunting. The Department strives to offer a diversity of waterfowl hunting opportunities and recognizes the importance of traditional blinds on Schell-Osage. Many of the blinds will stay in their current location, while a few will be moved based upon levee placement. In the end, the number of blinds on Schell-Osage CA should remain about the same.

The third goal reflects adjusting to changes that have occurred over time. Schell-Osage was built prior to the damming of the Osage River to form Truman Reservoir. Establishing a permanent pump station would take advantage of this readily available water supply and benefit fish and wildlife management on the area. This will not only benefit the wetlands, but also reduce the amount of water level fluctuation experienced in Schell and Atkinson lakes, which were the original water storage reservoirs for the wetland units. More stable water levels in these reservoirs will aid in management of the fishery and help to maintain public access points. Risks to staff safety and potential environmental hazards would also be reduced by having a permanent solution to pump water out of the river.

The fourth goal is centered on improving the capacity to provide quality waterfowl refuge. Currently, Schell and Atkinson Lake make up most of the waterfowl refuge on Schell-Osage. These water bodies are used primarily as loafing areas for migratory waterfowl and do not provide a great deal of foraging opportunity. By reconfiguring levees and providing a dependable water source, the area will benefit from a consolidated waterfowl refuge with the capability to produce high quality natural foods.

The fifth goal accounts for other public uses within Schell-Osage's bottomland. The renovation will change the layout of the area and no doubt influence fishing, birding, and other wildlife viewing opportunities. Schell Lake will receive much needed attention to address the reservoir's aging infrastructure, shallow overall depth, and poor boating access. Improvements to the lake's fish habitat will include deep water excavations for overwintering, adding underwater structure, and establishment of fish spawning beds for recruitment. New fishing jetties will offset opportunity lost on the west side of Schell Lake that will be managed as wetland habitat. The renovation work will change how Schell-Osage looks from the road, but it will allow for better management of its natural resources, and reduce the amount of long-term flood damage and maintenance that occurs on the area.

Updated 04-03-2024

The construction of the pump station has continued to make progress through the spring. With the foundational work complete earlier this year, the contractors have been building vertically in the last month. Just recently, they have also begun to work laterally with the installation of the distribution pipes radiating out from the pump station.  

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Updated 01-30-2024

The relatively dry conditions through this fall and winter, until the recent wet patch, has helped progress the construction of the pump station at Schell Osage Conservation Area. A good deal of this work is located underground as it connects the river intake to the pumps. The most recent accomplishment was the finalization of intake structure and large 48 inch pipe. This completion allowed the contractors to remove the temporary cofferdam on the side of the Osage River. The contractors have now turned their attention to the concrete work that involves the two chambers of the pumps station itself. After this, the pump installation, electrical, and surfacing work around the pump station will follow.

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Updated 09-11-2023

Wetland Day at Schell-Osage on Oct. 7– The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) will host a Wetland Day event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 7, at the Schell Osage Conservation Area in northeastern Vernon County. This event will combine free outdoor activities such as archery and fishing with a chance to see exhibits and hear presentations about the ongoing major renovation of the wetlands and Schell Lake at the area. There will also be a free lunch cookout from noon to 1 p.m.

“One of the main goals is to share detailed information about the wetlands and lake renovation, as well as progress on the new pump station,” said Chris Daniel, MDC district supervisor. “The displays and indoor presentations will hopefully address most questions about the new features.”

This event will celebrate the role wetlands play in supporting wildlife and fisheries as well as outdoor pursuits such as waterfowl hunting and birding. MDC and Ducks Unlimited (DU) will have exhibits and activity stations set up near the area headquarters. Visitors can try target archery. Fishing will be available at a recently stocked pond. Anglers can bring their own gear, or MDC will provide tackle, bait, and assistance to newcomers to fishing.

“A group fishing permit will be in place for this event to allow folks to try out fishing at the designated pond without buying a permit,” Daniel said. “We’ll also have a wood duck rocket-netting demonstration and a few other activities.” Visitors can see exhibits and talk with staff about the area’s wetland and Schell Lake renovations. Contractors are progressing with work on a new pump station to provide water for the wetlands from the upper end of Truman Lake. Visitors will see exhibits with details about hunting blind designs and locations, pool layout, levee design and location, and waterfowl refuge boundaries. Plans for improved fishing access and fish habitat at Schell Lake will be displayed.

MDC’s experts will be on hand to talk about financial assistance and expertise to assist private landowners with conservation projects. They will provide information about fish and wildlife habitat management practices for grasslands, woodlands, savannas, forests, and streams.

For more information about Wetland Day at Schell-Osage, call MDC’s El Dorado Springs Office at 417-876-5792. To learn more about the Schell-Osage Conservation Area, visit https://short.mdc.mo.gov/4Aw.

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Updated 06-22-2023

The Contractor for a new pump station for wetland and lake renovations at the Schell-Osage Conservation is making good progress on excavation at the pump station site. Road access to the construction site has also been improved by the contractor. The $6.4 million pump station project is the first phase of three for renovations that will improve water control benefiting wildlife and fish habitat. The pump station phase is scheduled to be completed by winter 2025.

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Updated 04/26/2023

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) held a groundbreaking ceremony April 24 for a $6.4 million pump station project at the Schell-Osage Conservation Area in northeastern Vernon County. This is the first phase of three in a long-planned wetland and lake renovation. The project will improve the area’s wetlands for a wide variety of waterfowl, shore birds, and wading birds, and it will improve Schell Lake for fishing. These changes will enhance opportunities for waterfowl hunters, birders, wildlife watchers, and anglers. Key conservation partners such as Ducks Unlimited and local officials joined Missouri Conservation Commissioner Mark McHenry and MDC Director Sara Parker Pauley in turning the first shovels of dirt.

The permanent concrete pump station will draw water from the Osage River arm of Truman Lake. This source replaces water from Schell Lake and Atkinson Lake as well as portable pumps into Truman Lake, which were less efficient, safe, and reliable. The pump station will give area managers better control to fill wetland pools during autumn and spring waterfowl migrations, and it will reduce water level fluctuations in Schell and Atkinson lakes.

Garney Construction of North Kansas City will begin work on the pump station May 1. Project managers plan to have the pump station phase completed by the winter of 2025.

Construction will prompt closure of public access to wetland pools C, D, E, and F. The A-pool will likely remain open for self-registration and walk-in hunting this autumn. As the construction footprint expands for all three phases of the renovation, there may be closures of other areas.

To read the full press release see: New Pump Station

Updated 10/21/2022

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) has put construction of a new pump station out for bid for the Schell-Osage Conservation Area. The pump station is a key component for a major renovation of wetlands at the area and improvements for anglers at Schell Lake. If bids and contracts are approved, construction of the pump station is scheduled to begin early in 2023. Conditions are currently dry. The Waterfowl Hunting Only zones will be open through self-registration. Water will be held in the wetlands if significant rains or rises in the Osage River occur.

Updated 1/21/2022

Heading into the new year we wanted to give an update on the status of this project since our last post. After several consecutive wet summers the area finally dried out in July 2020 and our contractor was able to complete the tree and brush clearing where construction will occur. That will save roughly 3 months of work once the next stage of work begins and helps us work within the shorter construction windows of a dynamic floodplain. Additionally, the local power company has completed the 3-phase electric line installation from Y highway to the headquarters. This is another notable accomplishment, as there was previously not adequate service to power a new pump station. Finalizing the pump station engineering plans is underway. It's anticipated that this will be let out to bid and construction will start later this year. Thank you for your patience. We're looking forward to this next stage of the project.

Updated 7/31/2020

Heavy rains caused Truman Lake to exceed flood records for both duration and crest height last year. The wetlands along the Osage River, including those at Schell-Osage, have been mostly under water the past 18 months. An attempt was made to initiate the brush clearing contract last December, but it was just too wet to work.

Recently, the floodplain has been finally drying out. That has allowed heavy equipment to begin removing brush such as buttonbush and willows within the footprint of future dirt work. As the last year and half has shown, getting in and out of the bottoms quickly is a challenge for wetland projects. Knocking out this clearing work ahead of time will help the next stage of renovation.

The Sac-Osage Electric Cooperative is nearly finished running new overhead electric poles and lines to the area headquarters. That will power a new pump station slated for construction on the bank of the Osage River. This will increase the flexibility of water management across the area and greatly reduce the dependence on water from Schell and Atkinson Lakes.

Waterfowl hunting on the area during the upcoming seasons will be allowed through self-registration at the headquarters. Habitat will be opportunistic and dependent on precipitation and flooding from the river. The Wildlife Refuge, Waterfowl Refuge and Waterfowl Hunting zone closures remain in effect on the same acreage as in the past.

Anglers are still able to fish in Atkinson Lake, but it is closed from Oct. 15-Jan. 31 as a Waterfowl Refuge. The upper end of Truman Reservoir is fed by the Osage River and borders the 8,633-acre conservation area in Vernon and St. Clair counties. The lake and river are open for fishing. Upland fields and forests on Schell-Osage will remain open to hunting, hiking, and birding.

How many waterfowl blinds are there, and did they change location? There has always been a strong tradition of waterfowl hunting from blinds at Schell-Osage. Annually, it provides more blind-hunting opportunities than any other public area in Missouri. This form of hunting allows those both young and old, who may not be as mobile, to get out in the marsh and duck hunt. It is a great way for new waterfowl hunters to be introduced to the sport, and a nice option when weather conditions are poor. For these reasons, maintaining waterfowl blinds at Schell-Osage was a priority. Because levees are being reconfigured with the renovation some blinds will be lost, added, or moved, but the total number of original blinds will remain the same.

New Waterfowl Hunting Opportunity and Shifting Positions: One of the significant design changes was the incorporation of the shallow, west end of Schell Lake into C-Pool. Since draining the lake in preparation for construction, the moist soil production has been a welcome sign of the quality habitat to come. Incorporating similar elevations into C Pool will add more wetland habitat as well as hunting opportunity by adding two new blinds, one which is ADA accessible. To maximize hunting opportunity, a few blinds have been moved to ensure adequate water depths and hunt quality in the early season. Of course, some were moved to accommodate the new levee footprint, but many of the blinds within the heart of the area have remained in the same position.

Improved Refuge Quality and Flight Pattern Potential: The renovation will be establishing a new zone of waterfowl refuge on the north side of the area, including See Lake. High quality food and low disturbance will drastically improve the waterfowl refuge quality on the area, which is currently limited to the open water of Schell and Atkinson Lakes. The addition of this refuge should increase the potential for waterfowl to trade back and forth across the area, enhancing the flight pattern over the hunting positions. This new refuge will eliminate blinds in the north part of F-Pool as they currently exist, but with new blinds in other locations there will be no net loss.

Improved Versatility and Blind Use: The blinds on Schell-Osage hold a special place in many a hunters' hearts. Part of this is due to the memories of how birds worked into the decoys on a particular day with a given wind. Special consideration was given to these winds, a blind's orientation, and its previous success. Unfortunately, the elements are not kind to wooden structures and many of these old blinds needed repair. The renovation will include replacing these with hardier, concrete structures wrapped in wood for sound absorption, and nested within a sloped, earthen berm to blend into the landscape. In many cases these new blinds will take advantage of the old orientation, but rather than the old style of large circular mounds rising from the water, the backside of these new blinds will be more gradually sloped and the footprint will mimic natural floodplain features. This will provide a more vegetated island look that will be easier to blend in, stay brushed-up, and less prone to the erosive nature of winds and waves. It will also provide an opportunity for layout blinds if the wind and birds are working from a different direction than the blind is oriented. Additional terrain features will also come in handy during a typical waterfowl hunt. Small rises in land behind the blind mounds adjacent to the waterways will allow plants and shrubs to establish so that boats can be adequately stowed out of site and the visibility of other hunting parties are out of mind. Outside the hunting season, this variation in submerged and daylighted topography will provide a range of habitat conditions for a suite of wetland birds to forage, roost, and preen as they migrate through Missouri.

How About Blind Access? In the past, hunters accessed the blinds by using a network of mostly-straight borrow ditches and boat lanes to get out to the blinds from a couple of undersized parking spots. This renovation provides the opportunity to enhance habitat as well as public use along these waterways. The old borrows and boat lanes will be transformed into multi-functional sloughs that will not only serve as the routes to the blinds, but also allow for water level management and provide deeper wetland habitat throughout the year. The new parking lots and boat ramps will be laid out to provide better space and adequate parking for the many trucks, trailers, and boats to maneuver.

Features for Fishing: The fishery and access along the banks of Schell Lake should be better even though the footprint has been reduced because of the renovations. The west side was too shallow to be regularly fished and provided limited habitat and fishing opportunity. Additionally, because Schell Lake was the primary water storage reservoir used to flood the wetland pools, the lake's water levels fluctuated greatly throughout the year. The construction of a pump station along the Osage River Arm of Truman Lake, will nearly eliminate the need to fluctuate Schell Lake's water level for other uses. Other enhancements to habitat include deep water refuge to help fish survive the extremes of summer heat or winter weather. The addition of substrate for spawning beds in scattered locations and establishment of aquatic plants in the shallower bays should also benefit the recruitment and survival of its prized crappie fishery. An improved boat ramp, ADA fishing jetty, and five other rock-lined fishing jetties extending into the lake will offset any bankline fishing opportunity lost from the smaller footprint.

Future Stocking? Schell Lake was never stocked with crappie by the Missouri Department of Conservation. Connectivity to the Osage River Arm of Truman Lake limited management, but ultimately provided the wonderful fishery enjoyed prior to this project. Once the renovation is complete a standardized stocking plan will be implemented. The water-control structures and levee design will continue to allow the Osage to connect to Schell Lake during high water events. This will also recharge the many fish species which were present prior to the renovation.

Burgeoning Bids for Birding: Over two hundred and eighty species of birds have been documented on Schell-Osage making it a hotspot for birders. With the renovation improvements it will continue to provide valuable migratory stop-over habitat and a crucial place for resident species. In the past, habitat had to be sacrificed at times to get water to other parts of the area. The renovation eliminates this challenge by integrating infrastructure, like the pump station, with the area elevations and placement of sloughs and water-control structures. This allows for more independent water control and better wetland habitat across the area for a range of species throughout the year. Natural depressions, created sloughs, and mimicked oxbows will provide destinations for birds and birders alike to visit on a regular basis. Although the blinds will be used by hunters in the fall, they also offer a great location with cover for birders and photographers during the rest of the year.

Roads and Flood Resiliency: Schell-Osage was originally developed before Truman Dam was established. Several of the area's roads and levees are perpendicular to floodwater movement and were sources of chronic flood damage which required frequent repair. This previous drain on tax-payer dollars is being remedied by adjusting the location, orientation, slope, and height of this infrastructure. The repositioned levees and roads will still provide area access and management, but the flatter side slopes and subtle tops will allow water to overtop them with less damaging velocity by emulating more natural floodplain features. In this way we are directly working with nature, rather than against it.

Outdoor Recreation Opportunities During Construction and Completion: Schell-Osage CA is a prime area for a wide range of outdoor experiences. While the wetland renovation focuses on the aquatic habitats on the area, staff have also been working hard on the uplands. The parts unaffected by construction will be open for public use. From time to time, roads and access to certain parts of the area will be closed to accommodate construction activities. The goal will be to get in and out of the bottoms as efficiently as possible. We will have signage posted on the area and updates online regarding this work. Construction involving the pump station, wetlands, and lake work will take several years to complete, but we are excited about the future upon completion. We sincerely appreciate your support, investment in the area, and the traditions that will instill tomorrow's generation of conservationists. Thank you, and we hope these answers address your most pertinent questions.