Desoto Pit & Plant B Dam dam
Desoto Pit & Plant B Dam
Desoto Pit & Plant B Dam, located in Richwoods, Missouri, serves as a crucial structure for tailings management along Ditch Creek. Built in 1980, this rockfill dam stands at a height of 54 feet and stretches 1360 feet in length, with a storage capacity of 248 acre-feet. While the dam is primarily used for tailings purposes, it also supports a variety of environmental functions within its 203 square mile drainage area.
Despite its age, Desoto Pit & Plant B Dam has been consistently monitored and regulated by the DAM AND RESERVOIR SAFETY PROG in Missouri. Its hazard potential is rated as high, but its condition has been assessed as satisfactory during the most recent inspection in 2007. With a moderate risk assessment level, the dam is considered to be in good operational condition, meeting safety guidelines and emergency action plan requirements.
Enthusiasts of water resource management and climate change will find Desoto Pit & Plant B Dam to be a fascinating case study in dam infrastructure. The dam's function in tailings management, combined with its regulatory oversight and risk assessment, highlights the importance of maintaining and monitoring critical water infrastructure in the face of changing environmental conditions. As a key feature in the Kansas City District, this dam serves as a reminder of the intersection between human activity and natural resources in the modern era.
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 Desoto Pit & Plant B Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Big River Near Richwoods | 346 cfs | → |
| Meramec River Near Sullivan | 574 cfs | → |
| Big River At Byrnesville | 361 cfs | → |
| Meramec River At Pacific | 1,300 cfs | → |
| Bourbeuse River At Union | 353 cfs | → |
| Big River At Irondale | 44 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Desoto Pit & Plant B Dam.
Boat launches
- Highway W Franklin County
- Meramec State Park Franklin County
- Stierberger Court Union
- Highway Uu Franklin County
- Crawford County
- Choctaw Drive St. Francois County
Campgrounds
- Washington State Park
- Backpack Camp 8
- Meramec State Park
- Backpack Camp 1
- Backpack Camp 2
- Robertsville State Park
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
Track Desoto Pit & Plant B 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 Desoto Pit & Plant B Dam
Where does the data for Desoto Pit & Plant B 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 Desoto Pit & Plant B Dam.