Lake Thunderhead Dam
Lake Thunderhead Dam is an earth dam located in Putnam County, Missouri, built in 1965. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
About Lake Thunderhead Dam
The primary purpose of Lake Thunderhead Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Wildflower Poa (private). It impounds the North Blackbird Creek near Martinstown.
The dam stands 54 feet tall and stretches 1,400 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 1,015 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 28,690 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 25 square miles. Completed in 1965, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.
This dam carries a high hazard potential classification, which means that a failure or uncontrolled release of water would likely cause loss of human life. This classification reflects the consequences of failure, not the likelihood — it indicates that people live or work in the area downstream. Its condition is rated satisfactory, indicating no existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 07/15/2021.
At 54 feet, this dam is taller than 94% of dams nationwide.
Living Downstream
If you live or work downstream of this dam, consider taking these steps: learn your local evacuation routes, check whether your county emergency management office has a dam failure inundation map, and sign up for local emergency alerts. The Missouri dam safety program can provide more specific information about emergency planning for this structure.
Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.
Location
| State | Missouri |
| County | Putnam |
| Nearest City | Martinstown |
| River/Stream | North Blackbird Creek |
| Coordinates | 40.52955, -93.01934 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 54 ft |
| Dam Height | 54 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,400 ft |
| Year Completed | 1965 (61 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 28,690 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 28,690 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 15,900 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 1,015 acres |
| Drainage Area | 25 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 13,170 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | WILDFLOWER POA |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 07/15/2021 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MO10007 |
| Federal ID | MO10007 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |