Corps is applying for funding to repair Tecumseh Access
Times photos/Jessi Dreckman The roadway that once connected the Tecumseh Lake access entrance to the parking lot and boat ramp was washed away last fall. A large section of asphalt is missing, currently preventing drivers from accessing the ramp or parking lot. The Corps of Engineers has the access gated off, but it is working on a solution to, hopefully, allow foot traffic this spring.
Times photo/Jessi Dreckman The gate at the Tecumseh Access on Norfork Lake has been closed since a flood last November left the roadway and boat ramp badly damaged. The Corps of Engineers say that they’re currently working to try and formulate a plan that would allow them to block off the more damaged parts of the access to allow foot traffic sometime before the spring “white bass run.”
Times photo/Jessi Dreckman The boat ramp at Tecumseh Access on Lake Norfork also sustained significant damage in last November’s flood. As shown above, the concrete barriers that were located along the edge of the boat ramp were washed onto the concrete ramp. The ramp itself has a large section of concrete missing at its end before it reaches the lake water. The access is currently closed to vehicle and foot traffic.
Last fall, raging floodwaters from Bryant Creek and the North Fork of the White River submerged the Tecumseh access at Norfork Lake beneath its murky waters.
Although the bridge remained standing, just as it did when the historic flood of 2017 came through, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers public lake access’s road and boat ramp sustained significant damage that has caused the area to be gated off ever since.
Now, with the spring ‘white bass run’ approaching, anglers and outdoor enthusiasts are eager for a way back in.
The Corps says they are working to find a solution for both the short and long term. They’ve applied for funding that would allow them to make the needed repairs that would provide a permanent solution, while also working to piece together a temporary plan to restore foot access in time for spring fishing.
“Tecumseh experienced significant damage during the flooding event in November 2024, that caused us to close the area due to safety concerns,” Dylan Edwards told the Ozark County Times recently. Edwards is the Corps Recreation Chief Ranger for Norfork and Bull Shoals Lakes.
“We do realize how important this lake access point is to the local community and are working now to obtain funding to make necessary repairs. After the 2017 flood, we obtained funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration through their ‘ERFO’ Program [Emergency Relief for Federally Owned Roads]. We are currently in the process of applying to receive these funds once again,” he explained.
“If approved, we are exploring the possibility of moving the entrance of the park to the opposite side of the highway. This will allow users to avoid driving under the Highway 160 bridge, which is where we see the most damage occur after these flooding events.”
Currently, the road that leads into the access is located on the north side of Highway 160. Prior to the 2017 flood, the access also had a campground that was located north of the bridge, and drivers could enter the access road and turn left to go to the campground and right to go to the boat ramp. After the 2017 flood, the Corps conducted a $1 million renovation, which replaced the roadway and boat ramp, but did not rebuild the campground. Instead, the access road offered a smaller canoe/kayak ramp on the north side of the bridge or the option to turn right and drive under the bridge to access a large parking lot and the boat ramp.
Under the Corps proposed new plan, the access road would instead be located on the south side of the bridge, giving drivers direct access to the parking lot without having to drive under the bridge.
Although Edwards could not nail down a timeline as to how long it might take to receive notification if the Tecumseh project will be funded through the ERFO program, it will likely be a lengthy process, and he said he does not anticipate that the work could be completed by this spring’s white bass run.
“We... are looking at some options that will allow us to open the gate and welcome foot traffic,” Edwards said. “We have to ensure that we maintain the road closure under the bridge as there is too much damage, and [it is] not safe to access,” he said. “Our maintenance supervisor is going to research getting some concrete jersey barriers in place that will block access under the bridge but allow vehicles to drive in and park to access the riverbank by foot.”
After the 2017 flood, a plan for renovations was presented in 2018, work began in 2020 and the project was completed in 2021.
Edwards said that he would keep the Ozark County Times informed of any developments in the funding process or the access’s opening if the barriers are placed this spring. We will pass those updates onto our readers in upcoming editions.