Thread: Truman Dam Question

I saw that book while trying to find a map of the river pre dam. It looked like it would be a great book of the history of the Osage river.
I would think by pic that the bridge and roadway were the old 7 hwy, maybe not.
I just thought the dead channel was the old river channel, maybe not, maybe they built it to divert the water while dam was under construction. Maybe what is know as the weir dam is just the old road rip rap?
I did find a map that you had to go to Kansas City library to view, was not available online.
Not that it really matters, was hoping some of the old timers had some answers to these thoughts. I have faint memories of sitting on the bluff overlooking the Osage River at H Row Bartel scout camp, also got canoeing merit badge below that bluff.
Wish it would warm up!!!!

It is not a "weir" as such. A weir is a barrier across the horizontal width of a river that alters the flow characteristics of the water and usually results in a change in the height of the river level. Weirs are commonly used to control the flow rates of rivers during periods of high discharge. Some have gates in them similar to a dam. But it is not a dam.
On Truman "the weir" is simply the remaining submerged temporary roadbed constructed to allow traffic around Truman Dam while it was under construction. It had a concrete bridge in it which was removed before the lake filled, leaving a gap in the roadbed. To some extent the flow pattern of water up and over the roadbed alters the water flow pattern in front of the dam, depending on the amount being released through the dam, as it flows to the dam gates. The dam side of the roadbed is a quiet area and holds fish, much as the down river side of a wing dam in a major river does.
It would be more accurately referred to as "the roadbed".
If you fish La Cygne Lake over in KS it has the same type roadbed feature under it except the concrete bridge is still there. And holds fish.