Strumfels Lake Dam

Strumfels Lake Dam is an earth dam located in St. Louis County, Missouri, built in 1959. It carries a High hazard potential classification.

Hazard potentialHighFailure would probably cost lives
ConditionNot assessed
Emergency action planNot reported
Last inspection08/18/1981
Height34 ft
Built195967 years ago

Dam profile

NID height · 34 ft
34 FT TWO-STORY HOUSEMEDIAN U.S. DAM · 24 FT

34 ft tall, 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 Strumfels Lake Dam

The primary purpose of Strumfels Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by G. W. Strumfels (private). It impounds the Tr to Glaize Creek near Manchester.

The dam stands 34 feet tall, creates a reservoir covering 4 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 73 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 24 square miles. Completed in 1959, 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 08/18/1981. That was 45 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

StateMissouri
CountySt. Louis
Nearest CityManchester
River/StreamTr to Glaize Creek
Coordinates38.62167, -90.50583

Physical Characteristics

Dam TypeEarth
NID Height34 ft
Dam Height34 ft
Year Completed1959 (67 years old)

Storage & Hydraulics

NID Storage73 acre-ft
Max Storage73 acre-ft
Normal Storage30 acre-ft
Surface Area4 acres
Drainage Area24 sq mi

Ownership & Safety

PurposeRecreation
OwnerG. W. Strumfels
Owner TypePrivate
Hazard ClassificationHigh
Condition AssessmentNot assessed
Last Inspection08/18/1981
Emergency Action PlanNot Required

Identifiers

NID IDMO30849
Federal IDMO30849
More InfoState Dam Safety Program