Lake Sherwood dam
Lake Sherwood
Lake Sherwood, located in St. Louis, Missouri, is a privately owned recreation lake with a primary purpose of providing leisure activities for enthusiasts. The dam, completed in 1894, is an earth dam with a buttress core type and a height of 21 feet. The lake has a storage capacity of 135 acre-feet and a normal storage level of 80 acre-feet, covering a surface area of 12 acres.
Despite its age, Lake Sherwood poses a high hazard potential due to its condition being not rated and last inspected in 1979. However, the dam has not been modified over the years, and there are no outlet gates or locks associated with it. The dam is located on the River Des Peres and is managed by the Kansas City District of the US Army Corps of Engineers, with no federal agency funding, designing, construction, or regulatory involvement.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Lake Sherwood offers a historical glimpse into dam construction and management practices in the late 19th century. The high hazard potential and lack of recent inspection raise concerns about the safety and maintenance of the dam, emphasizing the importance of regular monitoring and assessment to ensure the protection of downstream communities and the environment. Despite its age and potential risks, Lake Sherwood remains a popular destination for recreational activities in the University City area of Missouri.
Dam data reference
Condition Assessment
- Satisfactory
- No existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. Acceptable performance is expected under all loading conditions (static, hydrologic, seismic) in accordance with the minimum applicable state or federal regulatory criteria or tolerable risk guidelines.
- Fair
- No existing dam safety deficiencies are recognized for normal operating conditions. Rare or extreme hydrologic and/or seismic events may result in a dam safety deficiency. Risk may be in the range to take further action.
- Poor
- A dam safety deficiency is recognized for normal operating conditions which may realistically occur. Remedial action is necessary. POOR may also be used when uncertainties exist as to critical analysis parameters which identify a potential dam safety deficiency.
- Unsatisfactory
- A dam safety deficiency is recognized that requires immediate or emergency remedial action for problem resolution.
- Not Rated
- The dam has not been inspected, is not under state or federal jurisdiction, or has been inspected but, for whatever reason, has not been rated.
Hazard Potential Classification
- High
- Dams assigned the high hazard potential classification are those where failure or mis-operation will probably cause loss of human life.
- Significant
- Dams assigned the significant hazard potential classification are those dams where failure or mis-operation results in no probable loss of human life but can cause economic loss, environmental damage, disruption of lifeline facilities, or impact other concerns. Significant hazard potential classification dams are often located in predominantly rural or agricultural areas but could be in areas with population and significant infrastructure.
- Low
- Dams assigned the low hazard potential classification are those where failure or mis-operation results in no probable loss of human life and low economic and/or environmental losses. Losses are principally limited to the owner's property.
- Undetermined
- Dams for which a downstream hazard potential has not been designated or is not provided.
Plan around the weather
Same NOAA / yr.no feed Snoflo's iOS app uses. Watch the precipitation column on the meteogram -- rain on the basin upstream typically lifts inflow 24-72 hours later.
Next 5 days, hour by hour
Temperature line with weather symbols on top, snow + rain accumulation as columns, humidity as a dotted line.
5-day forecast table
Every 3 hours, broken out across temperature, snow, rain, humidity, and wind. Each cell is colour-coded relative to the column min/max.
| Time | Condition | Temp (°F) | Snow (in) | Rain (in) | Humidity (%) | Wind (mps) | Wind dir |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loading detailed forecast… | |||||||
15-day temperature & precipitation
Daily temperatures, snow, and rain projected over the next two weeks.
Nearby streamflow gauges
USGS streamgauges around Lake Sherwood -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| River Des Peres Trib. At Pagedale | 36 cfs | → |
| River Des Peres Near University City | 20 cfs | → |
| Engelholm Creek Near Wellston | 16 cfs | → |
| Deer Creek Near Ladue | 1 cfs | → |
| Black Creek Near Brentwood | 449 cfs | → |
| Deer Creek At Ladue | 7 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Lake Sherwood.
Boat launches
- Lake View Loop Trail Maryland Heights
- Katy Trail Saint Charles
- Kirkwood
- Spanish Lake
- Spanish Pond Road Spanish Lake
Track Lake Sherwood in the Snoflo app
Save this dam as a favorite and get the local NOAA / yr.no forecast plus regional flow context wherever you are.
About Lake Sherwood
Where does the data for Lake Sherwood come from?
Structural and regulatory data come from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' National Inventory of Dams (NID). Weather forecast comes from NOAA / yr.no -- the same feed Snoflo's iOS app uses.
How often is the report updated?
NID structural data refreshes annually as the Corps publishes updated assessments. The weather forecast refreshes throughout the day.
What does the High hazard rating mean?
The Corps of Engineers' hazard potential classification grades probable consequences if the dam fails: High = probable loss of human life; Significant = no probable loss of human life but possible economic loss / environmental damage; Low = no probable loss of human life, only minor economic / environmental losses. See the Dam Data Reference card above for the full definitions.
What's "% of normal"?
The current storage value compared to the historical average storage on this calendar day. 100% = right on average; values above 100% mean above-normal storage (wet year); values below mean below-normal (dry year or drought).
Can I get alerts when storage crosses a threshold?
Yes -- alerts are managed in the Snoflo iOS app. Favorite this dam, set a threshold, and you'll get a push the moment conditions cross.
Other water bodies near here
Snoflo-tracked reservoirs and dams within driving distance of Lake Sherwood.