New floating docks on Table Rock Lake
A new dock here has to suit your boat, your shoreline zoning, and a lake that can rise many feet in a wet season.
Almost every private dock on Table Rock Lake floats, and for good reason. The lake's conservation pool sits at 915 feet and its flood pool at 931 feet, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, so a fixed structure at the waterline would spend part of some years underwater. A floating dock rides the level up and down, and the real design work goes into keeping it in position while it does.
What decisions go into a new dock?
- Slips: how many boats and personal watercraft, their length and beam, and room to get in and out with wind on the bow. Under the 2020 Shoreline Management Plan, a private single-owner dock may have one or two slips, a community dock up to 20, and each slip can be no more than 12 feet wide and 30 feet long.
- Frame: galvanized steel, aluminum or treated lumber, each with different weight and upkeep.
- Flotation: federal rules call for marine-grade, fire-resistant floats warranted against sinking and waterlogging for at least eight years, and they bar plastic or metal drums as float casings.
- Roof: shade for the boat and the deck, which also adds weight and wind load.
- Anchoring: cables, stiff arms or a mix, laid out for both normal and high water.
- Walkway: a gangway from shore with enough length and hinge travel for the level swing.
Where can the dock go?
Only along shoreline the Corps has allocated as a Limited Development Area, under the federal rules in 36 CFR 327.30. The Corps keeps a shoreline zoning allocation map for Table Rock Lake, and the Project Office reviews where on the water your dock will sit. The 2020 Shoreline Management Plan adds its own placement rules: the whole dock must sit inside the Limited Development Area, at least 100 feet from the nearest point of an adjacent dock or land structure, no more than one-third of the way across the cove, and with at least eight feet of water at the 915-foot contour for every slip. The access ramp runs perpendicular to the shore. Steep banks and deep coves are common, so placement also depends on safe access from your lot.
What comes before construction?
You apply to the Table Rock Lake Project Office for a Shoreline Use Permit, and the work waits until you have written authorization. The Corps lists the dock permit fee at $30, valid for five years, nontransferable and nonrefundable. Your builder can usually prepare the drawings and details that go with your application.
What affects the price?
- Number and size of slips, and whether there's a roof
- Frame, decking and flotation materials
- Lifts, lighting and power
- Distance from shore and how steep the access is
Pricing comes from the dock contractor once they've looked at your shoreline, water depth and permit situation. We don't publish or quote prices, and a number given over the phone before a site visit is only a rough starting point.
Where we connect you with help
Common questions
How long does it take to get a new dock in?
Permit review comes first, then fabrication and installation on the builder's schedule. Start in the off-season if you want to be using it by summer.
Can I build a dock with just one slip?
Yes. The 2020 Shoreline Management Plan says a private dock with a single owner may have one or two slips, and new permits cover docks of 1 to 20 slips. Confirm the details with the Project Office.
Related services
More background: Table Rock Lake dock guide.
Dock listing, lift stuck, or ready for a new slip?
Call or send a request and a Table Rock Lake dock builder will get back to you.