Forest Lake Dam
Forest Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Adair County, Missouri, built in 1951. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
About Forest Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Forest Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by City Of Kirksville (local government). It impounds the Chariton River near Kirksville.
The dam stands 66 feet tall and stretches 1,630 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 646 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 15,961 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 16 square miles. Completed in 1951, 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 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 03/09/2022.
At 66 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 | Adair |
| Nearest City | Kirksville |
| River/Stream | Chariton River |
| Coordinates | 40.16961, -92.65821 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 66 ft |
| Dam Height | 66 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,630 ft |
| Year Completed | 1951 (75 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 15,961 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 15,961 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 12,431 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 646 acres |
| Drainage Area | 16 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 15,046 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | CITY OF KIRKSVILLE |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 03/09/2022 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MO10128 |
| Federal ID | MO10128 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |