Butterfly Lake Dam dam
Butterfly Lake Dam
Located in River Aux Vases, Missouri, Butterfly Lake Dam is a privately owned structure primarily used for recreation. Completed in 1973, this earth and buttress dam stands at a height of 68 feet and has a length of 600 feet, creating a reservoir with a normal storage capacity of 1091 acre-feet. The dam's hazard potential is classified as high, but its condition assessment in 2007 was deemed satisfactory.
The dam is regulated by the DAM AND RESERVOIR SAFETY PROG in Missouri, with state permitting, inspection, and enforcement in place to ensure its safety and compliance with regulations. While the dam has not been modified in recent years, its last inspection in 2016 showed that it meets guidelines and is in a moderate risk category. With a surface area of 65 acres and a drainage area of 1171 acres, Butterfly Lake Dam remains a significant feature in the local landscape and provides opportunities for outdoor recreation in the area.
Overall, Butterfly Lake Dam serves as both a recreational resource and a critical piece of infrastructure in the River Aux Vases community. Its moderate risk level and satisfactory condition indicate that it continues to function effectively, providing storage and flood control benefits while also offering opportunities for outdoor activities. As water resource and climate enthusiasts, monitoring and maintaining the safety of structures like Butterfly Lake Dam is essential to ensure the resilience of our water systems in the face of changing environmental 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 Butterfly Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Big River Below Desloge | 100 cfs | → |
| Little St. Francis River At Fredericktown | 5 cfs | → |
| South Fork Saline Creek Near Perryville | 22 cfs | → |
| St. Francis River Near Mill Creek | 119 cfs | → |
| Mississippi River At Chester | 240,000 cfs | → |
| Big River At Irondale | 49 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Butterfly Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Choctaw Drive St. Francois County
- Bismarch Lake Road St. Francois County
- Phegley Resort Lane Randolph County
- Water Street Chester
Campgrounds
- Hawn State Park
- St. Joe State Park
- Silver Mines
- Silver Mines Recreation Area
- St. Francois State Park
- Fort Kaskaskia State Park
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- Forest Boundary At North Section Line Of Sec 4, T33n, R5e To Forest Boundary At South Section Line Of Sec 35, T32n, R5e
- 1/2 Mile Downstream Of Confluence With Kinkaid Creek To Confluence With Mississippi River, Approx 4 Miles South Of Grand Tower, Il
- 1 Mile West Of Alto Pass, Il To 1/2 Mile South Of Confluence With Clear Creek, West Of Trail Of Tears State Forest
- State Highway 49 Bridge Near Dillard, Missouri To Forest Boundary In Sections 13/24, T38n, R3w
Track Butterfly 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 Butterfly Lake Dam
Where does the data for Butterfly 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 Butterfly Lake Dam.