The Taum Sauk Dam Upper Reservoir

A novel source of power and it's been online for 51 years, except for the four years after it failed. They made it stronger, though, and it serves a purpose. An engineering marvel.

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The Taum Sauk Hydroelectric Power Station is a pure pumped-storage hydroelectric plant, designed to help meet peak power demands during the day. During periods of high electrical demand, water stored in a kidney-shaped reservoir on top of Proffit Mountain is released through turbines into a lower reservoir, two kilometers away, on the East Fork of the Black River. At night, when electrical demand is low, the excess electricity available on the power grid is used to pump water back to the mountaintop. In essence, the power plant functions like a huge battery, storing excess power until it is needed.

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I'm sure there was a collective "Oh, shite!" after this happened:

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Amazing that they decided to build a lake on top of a mountain.

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Not that amazing. Pumped storage hydro is a great way to capitalize on the varying rates of electrical power. Use gravity to move the water down through the turbines during peak times, use electricity in the grid to push it back up in off peak times.

There is a pretty good sized pumped storage facility at Raccoon Mountain outside of Chattanooga (TVA) and there are another 10 or more in the US alone.

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I'm sure there was a collective "Oh, shite!" after this happened:

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It's a damn shame too. It really destroyed some of Missouri's most beautiful natural areas like Johnson's Shut Ins.

Grew up in the area and I've been there a few times. That was the top of the tallest mountain in Missouri before they topped it for that lake.

The crazy thing, the local ranger and his family were in a house in the path of the run off. They all lived but the house was destroyed and they were washed down stream. They got a nice settlement for that experience.

PS: Johnson Shut-ins are pretty much back to normal.