Lake Wappapello

Lake Wappapello is a reservoir in southeastern Missouri. It is located in Wayne and St. Francois counties, approximately 60 miles (97 km) south of St. Louis. The lake was created in 1941 by impounding the St. Francis River with the Wappapello Dam. It has a normal surface area of 11,000 acres (4,500 ha) and a maximum capacity of 1,056,000 acre feet (1.305 km3). The lake is named after the nearby town of Wappapello, Missouri.

The lake is a popular recreation destination and is used for boating, fishing, swimming, and water skiing. There are several campgrounds and picnic areas around the lake. The lake is also home to the Wappapello Lake State Park, which offers hiking, camping, and picnicking facilities.

The Wappapello Dam is a concrete gravity dam with a height of 165 feet (50 m) and a length of 2,130 feet (650 m). The dam was built by the United States Army Corps of Engineers for the purpose of flood control and hydroelectric power generation. The dam is owned and operated by the Corps of Engineers.