Byington Lake Dam dam
Byington Lake Dam
Byington Lake Dam, located in Cooper Hill, Missouri, is a private earth dam completed in 1970 with a primary purpose of fire protection, stock, or small fish pond. The dam stands at a height of 33 feet and has a storage capacity of 159 acre-feet, with a normal storage level of 125 acre-feet. The dam is situated on Owens Creek and serves as a recreational area covering 9 acres with a drainage area of 110 square miles.
Although Byington Lake Dam is not regulated by the state and has not been inspected since 1980, it has a high hazard potential due to its proximity to residential areas. The dam's condition assessment is not rated, and there is no emergency action plan in place. Despite these concerns, the dam continues to provide essential functions for fire protection and recreational activities in the area. For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Byington Lake Dam presents an intriguing case study of a privately-owned structure with potential safety and regulatory challenges that warrant further attention and monitoring.
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 Byington Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Gasconade River Near Rich Fountain | 1,710 cfs | → |
| Maries River At Westphalia | 363 cfs | → |
| Moreau River Near Jefferson City | 6,210 cfs | → |
| Osage River Below St. Thomas | 37,200 cfs | → |
| Missouri River At Jefferson City | 102,000 cfs | → |
| Bourbeuse River Near High Gate | 71 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Byington Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- County Route 809 Osage County
- Us 50;Us 63 Osage County
- Osage County
- Chamois
- Gasconade
- Old Ferry Road 10801, Cole County
Campgrounds
- Rollins Ferry Access - Mdc
- Paydown Access - Mdc
- Chamois Access - Mdc
- Hermann City Rv Park
- Pine Ridge Recreation Area
- Pine Ridge Campground
Paddle runs
- State Highway 49 Bridge Near Dillard, Missouri To Forest Boundary In Sections 13/24, T38n, R3w
- Northern Boundary Of Fort Leonard Wood To North Section Line Of Sec 31, T36n, R10w
- County Highway O, Laclede, County, Missouri To Ozark Spring
- Missouri State Highway 17 To Fort Leonard Wood (Army Base)
Track Byington 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 Byington Lake Dam
Where does the data for Byington 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 Byington Lake Dam.