OZARKS, LAKE OF THE

lake in south-central Missouri, U.S., one of the largest man-made lakes in the United States. It is impounded by Bagnell Dam, built (1931) across the Osage River to provide hydroelectric power for the St. Louis area. Covering an area of 93 square miles (242 square km), the lake is 125 miles (200 km) long and has a shoreline of about 1,300 miles (2,100 km). In the scenic Ozark Mountains, the lake, with facilities for fishing and water sports, is a popular recreation and resort area. There are several limestone caverns nearby, and Lake of the Ozarks State Park includes most of the Grand Glaize arm of the lake, with 89 miles (143 km) of shoreline. The Harry S. Truman Dam and Reservoir, completed in 1981, impounds the Osage and Grand rivers to extend facilities at the lake's western end.