St. Joe State Park Dam dam
St. Joe State Park Dam
Located in St. Francois County, Missouri, the St. Joe State Park Dam stands as a vital structure for water resource management in the area. Completed in 1965, this Rockfill dam plays a significant role in tailings management, with a height of 130 feet and a storage capacity of 54,166 acre-feet. The dam regulates the flow of the Shaw Branch-Flat River, covering a drainage area of 3,256 acres and providing essential flood control measures.
Managed by the DAM AND RESERVOIR SAFETY PROG and regulated by the state of Missouri, the St. Joe State Park Dam boasts a high hazard potential and a satisfactory condition assessment. Despite its age, the dam continues to meet safety guidelines and is inspected regularly to ensure its structural integrity. With a moderate risk assessment rating, the dam remains a crucial asset for maintaining water resources and climate resilience in the region.
Featuring an uncontrolled spillway and no outlet gates, the St. Joe State Park Dam serves as a vital component of the water infrastructure in St. Francois County. With a surface area of 970 acres and a maximum discharge capacity of 12,100 cubic feet per second, the dam plays a crucial role in managing water levels and protecting the surrounding community from potential flooding events. As a key structure in the area, the dam represents a blend of engineering excellence and environmental stewardship, showcasing the importance of sustainable water resource management in the face of changing climate conditions.
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 St. Joe State Park Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Big River Below Desloge | 103 cfs | → |
| Big River At Irondale | 54 cfs | → |
| Little St. Francis River At Fredericktown | 6 cfs | → |
| St. Francis River Near Mill Creek | 124 cfs | → |
| Big River Near Richwoods | 363 cfs | → |
| East Fork Black River Nr Lesterville | 8 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near St. Joe State Park Dam.
Boat launches
- Bismarch Lake Road St. Francois County
- Choctaw Drive St. Francois County
- Enough Boat Launch And Trailhead
- Council Bluff Lake Trail Washington County
- Ozark Trail - Marble Creek Section Iron County
Campgrounds
- St. Joe State Park
- St. Francois State Park
- Hawn State Park
- Silver Mines
- Silver Mines Recreation Area
- Washington State Park
Fishing spots
Track St. Joe State Park 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 St. Joe State Park Dam
Where does the data for St. Joe State Park 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 St. Joe State Park Dam.