Dresser Ind. Old #1

Dresser Ind. Old #1 is an earth dam located in Washington County, Missouri, built in 1968. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a unsatisfactory condition assessment.

About Dresser Ind. Old #1

The primary purpose of Dresser Ind. Old #1 is tailings. Tailings dams contain waste material from mining operations — typically a slurry of finely ground rock left over after valuable minerals have been extracted. These structures require ongoing monitoring because tailings can contain heavy metals and other contaminants. The dam is owned by Warden Lakes Llc (private). It impounds the Rubeneau Branch-offstream near Mineral Point.

The dam stands 45 feet tall and stretches 5,373 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 39 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 1,300 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1968, 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 12/01/2020.

At 45 feet, this dam is taller than 91% 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.

High HazardUnsatisfactory ConditionEmergency Action Plan: Yes

Location

StateMissouri
CountyWashington
Nearest CityMineral Point
River/StreamRubeneau Branch-offstream
Coordinates37.94671, -90.72787

Physical Characteristics

Dam TypeEarth
NID Height45 ft
Dam Height45 ft
Dam Length5,373 ft
Year Completed1968 (58 years old)

Storage & Hydraulics

NID Storage1,300 acre-ft
Max Storage1,300 acre-ft
Normal Storage1,300 acre-ft
Surface Area39 acres
Drainage Area0 sq mi
Max Discharge5 cfs
Spillway TypeUncontrolled

Ownership & Safety

PurposeTailings
OwnerWARDEN LAKES LLC
Owner TypePrivate
Hazard ClassificationHigh
Condition AssessmentUnsatisfactory
Last Inspection12/01/2020
Emergency Action PlanYes

Identifiers

NID IDMO30753
Federal IDMO30753
More InfoState Dam Safety Program

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