Artesian Lake Dam dam
Artesian Lake Dam
Artesian Lake Dam, located in Washington, Missouri, was completed in 1962 and serves as a recreational spot for water resource and climate enthusiasts. This private-owned earth dam stands at 26 feet in height and boasts a storage capacity of 195 acre-feet, with a normal storage level of 92 acre-feet. The dam is situated on TR-Little Indian Creek, within the Kansas City District, and offers a surface area of 14 acres for visitors to enjoy.
Despite its age, Artesian Lake Dam has a high hazard potential and is currently rated as "Not Rated" in terms of its condition assessment. The last inspection of the dam was conducted in 1990, raising concerns about its safety and maintenance. With no state regulation or permitting in place, the dam's emergency action plan and risk management measures remain unclear, leaving room for potential risks and hazards to be addressed in the future.
For those passionate about water resources and climate, Artesian Lake Dam presents an intriguing case of a privately-owned recreational dam with historical significance. As the dam continues to age and face potential hazards, the need for updated inspections, maintenance, and risk management measures becomes increasingly crucial to ensure the safety of both the structure and the surrounding community.
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 Artesian Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Big River Near Richwoods | 380 cfs | → |
| Meramec River Near Sullivan | 716 cfs | → |
| Bourbeuse River At Union | 256 cfs | → |
| Big River At Byrnesville | 505 cfs | → |
| Meramec River At Pacific | 1,330 cfs | → |
| Big River At Irondale | 57 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Artesian Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Meramec State Park Franklin County
- Highway W Franklin County
- Stierberger Court Union
- Highway Uu Franklin County
- Crawford County
- Downtown Washington
Campgrounds
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
Track Artesian Lake 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 Artesian Lake Dam
Where does the data for Artesian Lake 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 Artesian Lake Dam.