The Ozark National Scenic Riverways will host an eclipse party Aug. 21 at Alley Spring, one of many locations to undergo repairs this summer after as much as $10 million in damages were done by spring flooding.
The national park is in the midst of an eight-month process to evaluate flood impacts and develop a plan for restoring facilities and services in a way that is more sustainable in a river corridor, according to officials.
Alley Spring is a popular site which received some immediate repairs to allow for public use through the summer, while other work is ongoing.
The solar eclipse viewing event will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. A partial solar eclipse will be visible during the entire event, with the peak eclipse occurring at approximately 1 p.m. The Riverways will experience about 97.97 percent blockage of the sun as the moon passes between earth and the sun during the peak of the eclipse, said Dena Matteson, chief of interpretation, planning and partnerships. The sky will darken and temperatures will fall as the sun almost completely disappears behind the moon briefly, she said.
Blockage of 90 percent or more will be visible across the entire park during the solar eclipse.
Parkwide, flood repairs are still ongoing.
The park is undertaking an Integrated Park Improvement planning process to evaluate future sustainability of some facilities and services.
"If anything good can come from such a devastating flood, it provides us with the opportunity to re-think which facilities can be re-located outside the flood zone," Superintendent Larry Johnson said in a press release. "We know that funding won't be available to keep replacing or repairing facilities damaged or destroyed by recurrent flooding. The IPI process will help us move to a more sustainable operation while providing for visitor needs."
It has already been determined that Pin Oak campground on the lower Current River will not reopen, the park service reports. The area was completely destroyed during flooding. The vault toilet and other amenities will be removed from the area.
The fate of Martin Bluff campsite on the middle Current River remains to be seen after extensive damage to the access road. Future use of the area is being evaluated.
Work that is set to begin in the fall includes repairs at Alley Spring of restrooms throughout the campgrounds and Harvey's canoe rental concession store, replacement of a bridge at Big Spring and replacement of the Two Rivers concession store with a mobile office.
The restroom work is expected to be complete by Memorial Day 2018.
Bridge repairs at Big Spring will take about a year. These were already planned before flooding, due to the age and condition of the structure, which was completely underwater during flooding.
While the bridge is closed during construction, visitors will still be able to reach Big Spring, the boat ramp, and campground via Peavine Road.
Other work slated to finish by Memorial Day includes reopening of Big Spring group campsites restroom, three loops in the main campground, the shower house and additional restroom.
The Big Spring Campground was so heavily damaged, it will not re-open in 2017, the park service has said.
Pulltite Visitor Center is also expected to reopen by Memorial Day, with repairs to be completed over the winter.
"While our park employees have worked diligently to reopen as many areas as possible, much work remains to be done before the level of 'pre-flood' operations can be restored," Johnson said. "We'll continue to work toward that end in the hopes that no further flooding sets us back."
Other plans include:
* The Big Spring dining lodge and cabins will remain closed for at least two more years. The facilities were initially closed to undergo renovations, with the hopes of reopening some sites during the work, as possible. The addition of extensive flood damage will not allow for this, Johnson said. Restoration work is planned to begin in 2020.
* Both pavilions at Big Spring and Peavine were destroyed by the flood. The concrete slabs remain and are available on a first come, first served basis. The park will replace these in a way consistent with the historic landscape, Johnson said, but it is not known how long this will take.
* Chubb Hollow group campsite and the Chubb Hollow pavilion remain available for use.
* Big Spring trails are in good condition for hiking.
* Powder Mill campground and river access had extensive damage and will remain closed for the rest of 2017. The river landing should reopen by mid-August, but there is no electrical service for the restroom facility and it is likely to remain closed. The campground may be able to reopen in 2018, dependent on road work to the campground and the availability of a restroom facility.
* Goose Bay campsites are open.
* Shawnee Creek campground is open, but the restroom is closed due to flood damage. A durable concrete vault toilet will be installed in 2018 that is designed for use in flood prone areas.
* Designated horse trails are being surveyed and reopened with the assistance of trail volunteers. The Two Rivers, Shawnee and Broadfoot loops have been cleared in many areas, but the Jerktail loop remains heavily impacted by flood debris. It may open in the next two months.