After approximately 30 years of hard work and persistence, Little Otter Creek Reservoir is becoming a reality. The final permits to begin construction were issued in late October 2020. Bud Motsinger, Presiding Commissioner of Caldwell County credits the success of this endeavor to the patience and support of the Citizens of Caldwell County and the hard work of present and past Commissioners, as well as elected officials at the State and Federal level.
The 344-acre reservoir will be the primary water source for Caldwell County. Newly elected State Representative and former Green Hills Regional Planning Commission Director, Randy Railsback is excited to see construction begin. “For years, Caldwell County has been susceptible to severe drought and undependable water sources. This is an important first step to upgrade our water infrastructure. The reservoir will provide up to 1.2 million gallons of water per day for Caldwell County residents and businesses.” The reservoir will also provide recreation and flood control benefits.
The $25.6 million project is funded primarily through federal funds provided by the United States Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resource Conservation Service. Other sources of funding include Caldwell County’s 0.5% sales tax and State of Missouri appropriations.
Bids for tree clearing and harvest are currently in process. The goal is to have the trees in the vicinity of the dam cleared before March 31st, 2021. Final bidding and contracting will take place throughout the summer. Cary Sayre, Lead Engineer with Allstate Consultants anticipates beginning construction on the dam in the Fall. The groundbreaking ceremony scheduled for January 15th has been postponed due to Covid related travel restrictions for the project’s Federal partners. It will be re-scheduled when all partners can participate.
For more information, visit the Caldwell County website
