Lake of the Oaks Dam is an earth dam located in Clark County, Missouri, built in 1962. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 34 ft34 ft tall and 990 ft long, taller than 78% of U.S. dams with a recorded height. Height is drawn to scale against a two-story house, about 25 ft; the profile is a generic embankment section and the water level is illustrative.
About Lake of the Oaks Dam
The primary purpose of Lake of the Oaks Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Ben Knapp (private). It impounds the Tr-buck Run Cr near St Patrick.
The dam stands 34 feet tall and stretches 990 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 65 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 2,141 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 900 square miles. Completed in 1962, 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 08/13/1990. That was 36 years ago — unusually long for a high-hazard dam, which typically requires more frequent inspections.
At 34 feet, this dam is taller than 78% 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.
Location
| State | Missouri |
| County | Clark |
| Nearest City | St Patrick |
| River/Stream | Tr-buck Run Cr |
| Coordinates | 40.26740, -91.60064 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 34 ft |
| Dam Height | 34 ft |
| Dam Length | 990 ft |
| Year Completed | 1962 (64 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 2,141 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 2,141 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 880 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 65 acres |
| Drainage Area | 900 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 3,630 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Ben Knapp |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 08/13/1990 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MO10133 |
| Federal ID | MO10133 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |