Dead Mans Hole Dam

Dead Mans Hole Dam is an earth dam located in Buchanan County, Missouri. It carries a High hazard potential classification.

About Dead Mans Hole Dam

Dead Mans Hole Dam is a dam in Buchanan, Missouri. The dam is owned by Sonnenmoser Bros (private). It impounds the Tr-missouri River near Atchison.

The dam stands 32 feet tall, creates a reservoir covering 3 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 51 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 110 square miles.

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.

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
CountyBuchanan
Nearest CityAtchison
River/StreamTr-missouri River
Coordinates39.56492, -95.03682

Physical Characteristics

Dam TypeEarth
NID Height32 ft
Dam Height32 ft

Storage & Hydraulics

NID Storage51 acre-ft
Max Storage51 acre-ft
Normal Storage40 acre-ft
Surface Area3 acres
Drainage Area110 sq mi

Ownership & Safety

PurposeOther
OwnerSONNENMOSER BROS
Owner TypePrivate
Hazard ClassificationHigh
Condition AssessmentNot Rated
Emergency Action PlanNot Required

Identifiers

NID IDMO11101
Federal IDMO11101
More InfoState Dam Safety Program

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