Sayersbrook Dam
Sayersbrook Dam is an earth dam located in Washington County, Missouri, built in 1971. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a unsatisfactory condition assessment.
About Sayersbrook Dam
The primary purpose of Sayersbrook Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is private-owned. It impounds the Ashly Branch near Aptue.
The dam stands 67 feet tall and stretches 920 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 36 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 1,080 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1 square miles. Completed in 1971, 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 unsatisfactory, indicating serious safety deficiencies exist that require immediate attention or remedial action. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 11/25/2020.
At 67 feet, this dam is taller than 96% of all dams in the United States.
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 | Washington |
| Nearest City | Aptue |
| River/Stream | Ashly Branch |
| Coordinates | 37.98667, -90.92556 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 67 ft |
| Dam Height | 67 ft |
| Dam Length | 920 ft |
| Year Completed | 1971 (55 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 1,080 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 1,080 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 708 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 36 acres |
| Drainage Area | 1 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 3,920 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Unsatisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 11/25/2020 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MO30112 |
| Federal ID | MO30112 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |