Elmwood City Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Sullivan County, Missouri, built in 1972. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 47 ft47 ft tall and 850 ft long, taller than 91% of U.S. dams with a recorded height. Height is drawn to scale against a ten-story building, about 100 ft; the profile is a generic embankment section and the water level is illustrative.
About Elmwood City Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Elmwood City Lake Dam is water supply. The dam stores water for municipal, industrial, or agricultural use, helping ensure a reliable supply for the surrounding area. The dam is owned by City of Milan (local government). It impounds the Elmwood Branch near Milan.
The dam stands 47 feet tall and stretches 850 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 224 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 7,000 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 6 square miles. Completed in 1972, 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 03/08/2022.
At 47 feet, this dam is taller than 91% 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 | Sullivan |
| Nearest City | Milan |
| River/Stream | Elmwood Branch |
| Coordinates | 40.22442, -93.11426 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 47 ft |
| Dam Height | 47 ft |
| Dam Length | 850 ft |
| Year Completed | 1972 (54 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 7,000 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 7,000 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 2,445 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 224 acres |
| Drainage Area | 6 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 11,300 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Water Supply |
| Owner | City of Milan |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 03/08/2022 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MO10240 |
| Federal ID | MO10240 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |