Forest Lake Dam dam
Forest Lake Dam
Forest Lake Dam, situated in St. Francois County, Missouri, is a private structure primarily built for recreational purposes. This Earth dam, with a height of 30 feet, offers a tranquil escape for visitors to enjoy water-based activities on its 4-acre surface area. The dam, located on TR-Bee Run, holds a storage capacity of 64 acre-feet, with a normal storage level of 40 acre-feet.
Despite its recreational appeal, Forest Lake Dam poses a high hazard potential due to its condition being unrated. The dam's maintenance and inspection records remain unupdated, raising concerns about its safety and emergency preparedness. With no state regulations or oversight, the responsibility for ensuring the dam's integrity and the safety of downstream areas lies solely with its private owners.
Water resource and climate enthusiasts interested in the Forest Lake Dam can appreciate its unique features and the potential risks associated with its current condition. As a private-owned structure with limited regulatory oversight, this dam serves as a reminder of the importance of proper maintenance and monitoring to prevent potential hazards and ensure the safety of surrounding communities and ecosystems.
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 Forest Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Big River Below Desloge | 80 cfs | → |
| Big River Near Richwoods | 346 cfs | → |
| Big River At Irondale | 44 cfs | → |
| Big River At Byrnesville | 361 cfs | → |
| Meramec River Near Sullivan | 574 cfs | → |
| Little St. Francis River At Fredericktown | 17 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Forest Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Choctaw Drive St. Francois County
- Bismarch Lake Road St. Francois County
- Council Bluff Lake Trail Washington County
- Enough Boat Launch And Trailhead
- Williamson Road Oakville
Campgrounds
- St. Francois State Park
- Washington State Park
- St. Joe State Park
- Hawn State Park
- Brazil Creek Trailhead
- Hazel Creek Campground
Fishing spots
Track Forest 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 Forest Lake Dam
Where does the data for Forest 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 Forest Lake Dam.