Lake Taneycomo water level is inconsistent, hurting business

Marina owners on Lake Taneycomo are praying for a little consistency in the water levels.

Joe Beeghly is the owner of Mid-River Marina in Rockaway Beach. He said he had to pull all of his boats up to land last week as flood waters rose as far up as his building. This week, Beeghly said the water has washed away, leaving his boats in a pile of mud and silt until the water returned early Wednesday afternoon. He said the constant guessing game is making it hard to be reliable for his customers.

"If they call me and tell me to come get their boat for repairs or maintenance I try to tell them I'll have it back in a day or two or whatever it takes," Beeghly said. "But if we have low water for another week and can't get it back they get upset, and rightfully so."

He said the way the water has been going back-and-fourth has lost him customers and put his business about 10 boats behind for the year.

"Every day we look the books over," said Beeghly. "It's getting better and if we don't have any more major problems we will be ok."

He said in the past waters have stayed down for weeks.

"If we have another spout of six weeks where I can't launch boats we might as well go shut the doors and go do something different because even when we're not working the bills still gotta be paid," Beeghly said.

He said he has to try to play catch up once the water gets back to normal.

"Water comes back up and we're behind for four months, or two to four weeks out." Beeghly said.