Update on Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park and Ozark Trail damage

I received this email today:

Welcome to a special edition of Missouri State Park eFriends. We wanted to take this opportunity to update you on the status of Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park.

On Dec. 14, the Taum Sauk Reservoir near Lesterville failed, sending more than one billion gallons of water into Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park. The flooding caused extensive damage to the area of the park along the East Fork of the Black River where most of the park's facilities are.

Facilities receiving extensive damage include the campground, the water and wastewater systems, the boardwalk along the shut-ins and the superintendent's residence. Other structures received damage as well, including the park store and office. Mud and debris cover much of the area, including within the shut-ins area itself. A portion of the Taum Sauk Section of the Ozark Trail between Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park and Taum Sauk Mountain State Park was damaged and is closed.

The Department of Natural Resources, working with other agencies, has begun an evaluation of the damage to the park's cultural and natural resources as well as its structures. Once any immediate environmental issues are addressed, we will begin to determine the best method of cleanup and recovery.

Park superintendent Jerry Toops and his family lost their home when the flood occurred and his three young children were hospitalized. The two younger children have been released from the hospital but the oldest one, who is five years old, remains hospitalized. Several donation accounts have been set up to assist the Toops family, who lost everything in the
flood.

Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park remains closed until further notice but we are committed to rebuilding and reopening the park. It is too soon to determine when this might be.

The Goggins Mountain hiking and equestrian trail and trailhead, which is located in a different area of the park, remains open. All other state parks and historic sites in the area were undamaged and remain open.

For more information about the park and the recovery effort, please visit the Web site at www.mostateparks.com. The Web site includes before and after photos of the park, and updated information on the situation. This Web site will be updated on a regular basis to keep everyone informed of the progress.

Thank you for your continued support of the state park system. I will continue to send you updates on the progress at the park through eFriends and you can always receive more information through our Web site.

Doug Eiken, Director
Missouri Department of Natural Resources
Division of State Parks