Silver Lake Dam
Silver Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Jefferson County, Missouri, built in 1981. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
About Silver Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Silver Lake 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 Silver Lake Home Owners Associ (private). It impounds the Ditch Creek near Fletcher.
The dam stands 80 feet tall and stretches 1,600 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 118 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 4,900 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1981, the structure is 45 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 satisfactory, indicating no existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 03/02/2021.
At 80 feet, this dam is taller than 97% 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 | Jefferson |
| Nearest City | Fletcher |
| River/Stream | Ditch Creek |
| Coordinates | 38.18934, -90.75672 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 80 ft |
| Dam Height | 80 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,600 ft |
| Year Completed | 1981 (45 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 4,900 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 4,900 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 3,020 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 118 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 748 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Tailings |
| Owner | SILVER LAKE HOME OWNERS ASSOCI |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 03/02/2021 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MO31851 |
| Federal ID | MO31851 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |