By Matt Sepic, KWMU
St. Louis, MO. – AmerenUE says it will compensate about a dozen business owners who were affected by a hydroelectric reservoir failure in December.
The breach sent a billion gallons of water into Johnson's Shut-Ins state park in southeast Missouri. The area is popular with tourists.
Some park infrastructure was damaged and the Black River got cloudy from floating clay. But none of the nearby canoe rental businesses or campgrounds was damaged.
However Melody Gardner with Bearcat Getaway in Lesterville says there has been a drop off in early reservations.
"Normally, I would be getting two to three phone calls with reservations almost daily," Gardner said. "And now I'm getting phone calls just asking me how the river is, if we're still doing things this year or whatever."
Gardner says there's a misperception among the public that the entire area has been wiped out.
She says she expects the river to be clear enough for fishing in time for the tourist season.