Guilford Lake Dam

Guilford Lake Dam is an earth dam located in St. Louis County, Missouri, built in 1976. It carries a High hazard potential classification.

About Guilford Lake Dam

The primary purpose of Guilford Lake Dam is fire protection, stock, or small fish pond. The dam maintains a small impoundment used for fire suppression, livestock watering, or as a fish pond. The dam is owned by Charles Guilford (private). It impounds the Tr To Fox Creek near Allenton.

The dam stands 32 feet tall, creates a reservoir covering 2 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 55 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 27 square miles. Completed in 1976, the structure is 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 11/19/1980. That was 45 years ago — unusually long for a high-hazard dam, which typically requires more frequent inspections.

At 32 feet, this dam is taller than 76% 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 HazardNot Rated ConditionEmergency Action Plan: Not Required

Location

StateMissouri
CountySt. Louis
Nearest CityAllenton
River/StreamTr To Fox Creek
Coordinates38.54594, -90.72850

Physical Characteristics

Dam TypeEarth
NID Height32 ft
Dam Height32 ft
Year Completed1976 (50 years old)

Storage & Hydraulics

NID Storage55 acre-ft
Max Storage55 acre-ft
Normal Storage46 acre-ft
Surface Area2 acres
Drainage Area27 sq mi

Ownership & Safety

PurposeFire Protection, Stock, Or Small Fish Pond
OwnerCHARLES GUILFORD
Owner TypePrivate
Hazard ClassificationHigh
Condition AssessmentNot Rated
Last Inspection11/19/1980
Emergency Action PlanNot Required

Identifiers

NID IDMO31137
Federal IDMO31137
More InfoState Dam Safety Program

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