Dresser #1 Dam

About Dresser #1 Dam

The primary purpose of Dresser #1 Dam 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 Steve Silvey (private). It impounds the Rubeneau Branch - Offstream near Mineral Point.

The dam stands 30 feet tall and stretches 5,231 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 44 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 1,295 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 44 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. The most recent inspection on record was 03/22/1979. That was 47 years ago — unusually long for a high-hazard dam, which typically requires more frequent inspections.

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.

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