Blue Heron Dam dam
Blue Heron Dam
Blue Heron Dam, located in Missouri on Pond Creek in the city of Tiff, stands as a testament to private ownership and state regulation in the realm of water resource management. Completed in 1969 for the primary purpose of tailings, this earth dam with buttress core types spans 1100 feet in length and reaches a height of 51 feet, providing a storage capacity of 2176 acre-feet. Despite a high hazard potential, the dam is deemed to be in satisfactory condition as of the last assessment in 2007.
Managed by the DAM AND RESERVOIR SAFETY PROG in Missouri, Blue Heron Dam falls under state jurisdiction, with permitting, inspection, and enforcement processes in place to ensure its safety and compliance with regulations. The dam boasts a spillway width of 100 feet and a maximum discharge capacity of 6284 cubic feet per second, serving a drainage area of 2010 acres. With its moderate risk rating and regular inspection frequency of 3 years, Blue Heron Dam remains a vital structure in the region's water resource and climate management efforts.
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 Blue Heron Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Big River At Irondale | 44 cfs | → |
| Big River Below Desloge | 80 cfs | → |
| Big River Near Richwoods | 346 cfs | → |
| Meramec River Near Sullivan | 574 cfs | → |
| East Fork Black River Nr Lesterville | 8 cfs | → |
| Big River At Byrnesville | 361 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Blue Heron Dam.
Boat launches
- Bismarch Lake Road St. Francois County
- Choctaw Drive St. Francois County
- Council Bluff Lake Trail Washington County
- Enough Boat Launch And Trailhead
- Meramec State Park Franklin County
- Highway W Franklin County
Campgrounds
- St. Francois State Park
- Washington State Park
- St. Joe State Park
- Brazil Creek Trailhead
- Hazel Creek Campground
- Hazel Creek
Fishing spots
Track Blue Heron 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 Blue Heron Dam
Where does the data for Blue Heron 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 Blue Heron Dam.