Ron Lutes dam
Ron Lutes
Ron Lutes is a private earth dam located in Marble Hill, Missouri, designed by the USDA NRCS and completed in 1997 for flood risk reduction along the TR-CHICKEN CREEK. Standing at 27 feet high with a hydraulic height of 26 feet, this structure serves multiple purposes including flood risk reduction, grade stabilization, and recreation. With a normal storage capacity of 72 acre-feet and a maximum discharge of 15 cubic feet per second, Ron Lutes plays a crucial role in water resource management in the area.
Although classified as having a low hazard potential, Ron Lutes is considered to have moderate risk (3) based on a risk assessment. Despite its condition being labeled as "Not Rated," the dam has not been regularly inspected since November 2000. While the dam does not have outlet gates or associated structures, it features an uncontrolled spillway with a width of 15 feet. As a critical infrastructure within the region, maintaining and monitoring Ron Lutes is essential to ensure its continued effectiveness in flood risk reduction and water resource management.
Located within the St. Louis District and owned privately, Ron Lutes remains a significant asset in the area's water resource and climate resilience efforts. With its stone core and soil foundations, this dam serves as a vital structure in the local landscape. As water resource and climate enthusiasts, staying informed about Ron Lutes and its ongoing maintenance and risk management measures is crucial to ensuring the safety and sustainability of this essential infrastructure.
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 Ron Lutes -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Castor River At Zalma | 147 cfs | → |
| Little St. Francis River At Fredericktown | 3 cfs | → |
| St. Francis River Near Saco | 84 cfs | → |
| St. Francis River Near Mill Creek | 96 cfs | → |
| South Fork Saline Creek Near Perryville | 20 cfs | → |
| St. Francis River Near Patterson | 365 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Ron Lutes.
Boat launches
- State Highway U Cape Girardeau County
- Red Star Access
- Mudlick Equestrian And Hike Trail Wayne County
- Wayne County
- Cape Girardeau County
- People's Creek Road 29, Wayne County
Campgrounds
- Lake Girardeau Conservation Area - Mdc
- Sam A Baker State Park
- Silver Mines Recreation Area
- Silver Mines
- General Watkins Conservation Area - Mdc
- Sulphur Springs - Lake Wappapello
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 Mile West Of Alto Pass, Il To 1/2 Mile South Of Confluence With Clear Creek, West Of Trail Of Tears State Forest
- Markam Spring Recreation Area To Nf Boundary
- 1/2 Mile Downstream Of Confluence With Kinkaid Creek To Confluence With Mississippi River, Approx 4 Miles South Of Grand Tower, Il
More reservoirs
Track Ron Lutes 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 Ron Lutes
Where does the data for Ron Lutes 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 Low 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 Ron Lutes.