Lake Venita Dam
Lake Venita Dam is an earth dam located in Lafayette County, Missouri. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
About Lake Venita Dam
The primary purpose of Lake Venita Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Illinois Central Gulf Rr (private). It impounds the Tr-owl Creek near Odessa.
The dam stands 30 feet tall, creates a reservoir covering 15 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 241 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 440 square miles.
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.
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 | Lafayette |
| Nearest City | Odessa |
| River/Stream | Tr-owl Creek |
| Coordinates | 39.00611, -93.96260 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 30 ft |
| Dam Height | 30 ft |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 241 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 241 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 150 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 15 acres |
| Drainage Area | 440 sq mi |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | ILLINOIS CENTRAL GULF RR |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not Rated |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MO20164 |
| Federal ID | MO20164 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |