Britton Lake Dam dam
Britton Lake Dam
Britton Lake Dam in Zalma, Missouri, is a privately owned earth dam completed in 1945 for fire protection, stock, and small fish pond purposes. With a height of 32 feet and a storage capacity of 154 acre-feet, the dam serves as a crucial water resource in the region, providing normal storage of 81 acre-feet across a surface area of 9 acres. The dam is located on the TR to Gimlet Creek, within the jurisdiction of the St. Louis District and under the supervision of the state of Missouri.
Despite its age, Britton Lake Dam has a high hazard potential due to its condition being currently unrated. The dam has not been inspected recently, and there is no emergency action plan in place. With its key role in water storage and fire protection, the dam poses a risk to the surrounding area in the event of a failure. Climate enthusiasts and water resource managers may find Britton Lake Dam to be an intriguing case study in the importance of maintaining and monitoring aging infrastructure to ensure the safety and sustainability of water resources in the face of changing climate 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 Britton Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| St. Francis River Near Saco | 84 cfs | → |
| Castor River At Zalma | 147 cfs | → |
| Little St. Francis River At Fredericktown | 3 cfs | → |
| St. Francis River Near Mill Creek | 96 cfs | → |
| St. Francis River Near Patterson | 365 cfs | → |
| St. Francis River At Wappapello | 566 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Britton Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Mudlick Equestrian And Hike Trail Wayne County
- Wayne County
- Ozark Trail - Marble Creek Section Iron County
- State Highway U Cape Girardeau County
- State Highway W Wayne County
- People's Creek Road 29, Wayne County
Campgrounds
- Sam A Baker State Park
- Marble Creek Rec Area
- Marble Creek Recreation Area
- Silver Mines Recreation Area
- Silver Mines
- Greenville - Lake Wappapello
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
- Markam Spring Recreation Area To Nf Boundary
- The Most Upstream Portion Of Ozark National Scenic Riverways To The Most Downstream Portion Of Ozark National Scenic Riverways
- 1 Mile West Of Alto Pass, Il To 1/2 Mile South Of Confluence With Clear Creek, West Of Trail Of Tears State Forest
- 1/2 Mile Downstream Of Confluence With Kinkaid Creek To Confluence With Mississippi River, Approx 4 Miles South Of Grand Tower, Il
Track Britton 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 Britton Lake Dam
Where does the data for Britton 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 Britton Lake Dam.