Hickory County sits between two Corps of Engineers lakes

Hickory County is bracketed by two reservoirs that are both U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projects managed by the Corps’ Kansas City District. Pomme de Terre Lake sits on the county’s southwest side behind Pomme de Terre Dam, and the southern reaches of Truman Lake extend toward the county’s north along the Pomme de Terre and Osage river arms. Because both are Corps lakes, the land around much of the shoreline is federally owned public land, and private docks, shoreline use, and what you can build at the water’s edge are governed by the Corps’ shoreline-management program rather than by county zoning. A property near either lake does not automatically come with the right to a private dock. Before buying lakefront here, confirm which lake the parcel fronts and check the shoreline classification and any existing dock permit with the Corps, on top of the county’s parcel records and property tax. Treat dock and shoreline specifics as items to verify directly with the lake manager.