Tom Smith Lake -East Dam dam
Tom Smith Lake -East Dam
Tom Smith Lake -East Dam, also known as Merryvale Farm Dam, is a private dam located in Kansas City, Missouri. Built in 1965, this earth dam stands at a height of 55 feet and serves primarily for recreational purposes. With a storage capacity of 127 acre-feet, the dam sits along the TR-Blue River and covers a surface area of 7 acres within a drainage area of 392 square miles.
Despite its satisfactory condition assessment as of 2011, the dam poses a high hazard potential and is subject to regular inspections by the DAM AND RESERVOIR SAFETY PROG regulatory agency. The last inspection, conducted in November 2017, determined that the dam meets safety guidelines. However, there is a lack of emergency action preparedness, with no updated emergency contacts or inundation maps available.
Owned privately and situated within Jackson County, Missouri, the Tom Smith Lake -East Dam provides a picturesque and recreational space for locals and visitors alike. As climate change continues to impact water resources, monitoring and maintaining the safety of dams like this one becomes increasingly crucial to ensure the protection of surrounding communities and the environment.
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 Tom Smith Lake -East Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Blue River At Blue Ridge Blvd Ext In Kc | 137 cfs | → |
| Blue R At Kenneth Rd | 92 cfs | → |
| Tomahawk C Nr Overland Park | 23 cfs | → |
| Indian C At State Line Rd | 105 cfs | → |
| Blue R Nr Stanley | 60 cfs | → |
| Blue River At Kansas City | 291 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Tom Smith Lake -East Dam.
Boat launches
- East Loch Lloyd Parkway Loch Lloyd
- River Trail Kansas City
- Southeast Raytown Road Lee's Summit
- Cass County
- Lee's Summit
- South Lake Road Cass County
Track Tom Smith Lake -East Dam 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 Tom Smith Lake -East Dam
Where does the data for Tom Smith Lake -East Dam 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 Tom Smith Lake -East Dam.