By ANN PIERCEALL
Herald-Whig Staff Writer

MARK TWAIN LAKE, Mo. -- Officials in Monroe, Ralls and Pike counties want the Corps of Engineers to act sooner should water levels at Mark Twain Lake again reach a critical stage.

Heavy rainfall in late July and early August -- as much as 11 inches in some places -- drove the water levels of Mark Twain Lake to unprecedented highs. A record 111,000 cubic feet per second of water was entering the lake, raising it to an all-time high of 640.36 feet.

The Corps was forced to release water from Clarence Cannon Dam, causing widespread flooding downstream. The high volume of water washed out roads, tore bridges from mooring piers, stranded and inundated county residents in both town and country, and caused millions of dollars in damages.

Monroe County Eastern Commissioner Mike Whelan said if the Corps could release more water a little earlier, it would "basically be buying us a little time ... to give us a cushion if we get another rain like that."

Officials met last week with Corps officials in charge of water con0trol. Two more meetings are scheduled in the next 10 days.

"The main gist is the Corps should have the ability to release water faster," said Sandra Spence, Corps operations manager for Mark Twain Lake.

Spence said the meetings offer the Corps the opportunity to explain the actions taken last summer. Last week's meeting involved emergency responders, county commissioners and other officials. The next two meetings are for the public, especially those impacted by the flood.

Ralls County Presiding Commissioner George Lane said last summer's flooding came on the heels of near-record high water in the Mississippi River. He said there has to be a "happy medium" between no water released and too much.

"It just depends on what the Mississippi is doing," Lane said. "It stays full and that's why they couldn't release a large amount of water at one time. Still if they could release a small amount earlier (in a flood event) it would help."

Spence said according to the Water Control Manual, the Corps is required to release only a certain amount of water from the lake, specifically no more than 12,000 cubic feet per second, until the lake's pool level reaches 638 feet.

At one point last summer, 54,000 cubic feet per second of water was being released downstream. Requirements could be changed after the Corps' water control experts evaluated suggestions.

Spence said changes to the Water Control Manual could also include updates to various measurements, including water inundating mapping, which details where different landmarks are in relation with the amount of water released.

-- apierceall@whig.com/(573) 221-5879