Lake Girardeau Dam dam
Lake Girardeau Dam
Lake Girardeau Dam, located in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, is a state-owned structure designed by the Missouri Department of Conservation with a primary purpose of recreation. Completed in 1964, this earth dam stands at a height of 39 feet and has a length of 1450 feet, creating a reservoir with a storage capacity of 2866 acre-feet. The dam, built on Crooked Creek, has a spillway type of uncontrolled and a hazard potential rated as high.
Despite being classified as high hazard potential, Lake Girardeau Dam has been assessed as satisfactory in condition, with the last inspection conducted in May 2015. The dam's risk assessment is moderate, with a rating of 3. The emergency action plan (EAP) for the dam has been prepared, with the last revision in May 2013. The dam's drainage area is 1980 square miles, and its surface area covers 147 acres, providing a picturesque location for outdoor recreational activities. Overall, Lake Girardeau Dam serves as not only a vital water resource but also a popular destination for nature enthusiasts and climate advocates.
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 Girardeau Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Castor River At Zalma | 147 cfs | → |
| Mississippi River At Thebes | 290,000 cfs | → |
| Little River Ditch No. 1 Near Morehouse | 125 cfs | → |
| South Fork Saline Creek Near Perryville | 20 cfs | → |
| Little St. Francis River At Fredericktown | 3 cfs | → |
| St. Francis River At Wappapello | 566 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Lake Girardeau Dam.
Boat launches
- State Highway U Cape Girardeau County
- Red Star Access
- 2nd Street Thebes
- Cape Girardeau County
- Clear Creek Levee Road Union County
- Front Street 677, Grand Tower
Campgrounds
- Lake Girardeau Conservation Area - Mdc
- General Watkins Conservation Area - Mdc
- Trail Of Tears State Park
- Pine Hills Campground
- Pine Hills
- Trail Of Tears State Forest
Fishing spots
- Crane Lake Recreation Area
- Dutchman Lake
- Beaver Lake Recreation Area
- Little Cache Lake #1 (Bowman Lake)
Paddle runs
- 1 Mile West Of Alto Pass, Il To 1/2 Mile South Of Confluence With Clear Creek, West Of Trail Of Tears State Forest
- Forest Boundary At North Section Line Of Sec 4, T33n, R5e To Forest Boundary At South Section Line Of Sec 35, T32n, R5e
- 1/2 Mile Downstream Of Confluence With Kinkaid Creek To Confluence With Mississippi River, Approx 4 Miles South Of Grand Tower, Il
- Markam Spring Recreation Area To Nf Boundary
Track Lake Girardeau 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 Lake Girardeau Dam
Where does the data for Lake Girardeau 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 Lake Girardeau Dam.