Leave the leaves out of the Lake

Ameren Missouri reminds property owners of leaf removal best practices

LAKE OZARK, Mo. (Oct. 27, 2025) - Protecting the Lake of the Ozarks' water quality is a year-round effort. This fall, Ameren Missouri is encouraging shoreline residents to think twice before pushing leaves into the water.

Leaves left to decay in the water can cause algae blooms that are toxic to fish, pets and humans. They also block the sunlight needed by fish and other aquatic life and use up oxygen these creatures need to survive. For residents, the rotten egg smell of decomposing leaves is hardly the desired backdrop for a crisp fall day on the water.

"Fall leaves may seem harmless, but when large volumes decompose in the water, they can cause real damage to the lake's ecosystem," said Greg Stoner, environmental specialist at Ameren Missouri. "For the health of aquatic life, as well as the people and animals living along the shore, we encourage residents to dispose of their leaves in other ways."

How to safely dispose of leaves:

• Rake leaves into bags and have them hauled away.
• Combine leaves with yard clippings and food scraps to create nutrient-rich compost.
• Use a mower to chop leaves and spread them around trees and shrubs as natural fertilizer.
• Burn leaves - but take precautions and get approval from your local fire department beforehand.

Ameren Missouri encourages all its neighbors at the Lake to be good stewards of this shared space for the enjoyment of residents and visitors alike. Part of those efforts include sponsoring the Adopt-the-Shoreline program, which has helped remove more than 6 million pounds of trash from the lake.

To find out more about leaf removal, vegetation management and other Lake news and information, visit AmerenMissouri.com/Lake.

About Ameren Missouri
Ameren Missouri has been providing electric and gas service for more than 100 years. Ameren Missouri's mission is to power the quality of life for its 1.2 million electric and 135,000 natural gas customers in central and eastern Missouri. The company's service area covers 64 counties and more than 500 communities, including the greater St. Louis area. For more information, visit Ameren.com/Missouri or follow us at @AmerenMissouri or Facebook.com/AmerenMissouri.

Contact
Ameren Communications
314.554.2182
[email protected]