Desoto Pit & Plant B Dam, located in Richwoods, Missouri, serves as a crucial structure for tailings management along Ditch Creek.
Wind
Humidity
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.
Year Completed |
1980 |
Dam Length |
1360 |
Dam Height |
54 |
River Or Stream |
DITCH CREEK |
Surface Area |
12 |
Drainage Area |
203 |
Nid Storage |
248 |
Structural Height |
54 |
Outlet Gates |
None |
Hazard Potential |
High |
Foundations |
Unlisted/Unknown |
Nid Height |
54 |
Big River Near Richwoods
|
221cfs |
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|
522cfs |
Big River At Byrnesville
|
241cfs |
Meramec River At Pacific
|
786cfs |
Bourbeuse River At Union
|
107cfs |
Big River At Irondale
|
27cfs |