Big Basin is an earth dam located in Pulaski County, Missouri, built in 1970. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 33 ft33 ft tall and 500 ft long, taller than 76% 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 Big Basin
The primary purpose of Big Basin is debris control. The dam is designed to catch sediment, rocks, and debris carried by flowing water — particularly important in areas prone to mudslides or heavy erosion. The dam is owned by Fort Leonard Wood (federal). It impounds the Roubidoux- Smith Branch Tr near Waynesville.
The dam stands 33 feet tall and stretches 500 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 17 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 357 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 5 square miles. Completed in 1970, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.
This dam has a low hazard potential classification, meaning that failure would cause minimal damage, limited primarily to the dam owner's property, with no expected loss of life. Its condition is rated fair — the dam has minor deficiencies that are being addressed or do not pose an immediate safety threat. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 08/02/2023.
At 33 feet, this dam is taller than 76% of dams nationwide.
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Location
| State | Missouri |
| County | Pulaski |
| Nearest City | Waynesville |
| River/Stream | Roubidoux- Smith Branch Tr |
| Coordinates | 37.72000, -92.17216 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 33 ft |
| Dam Height | 33 ft |
| Dam Length | 500 ft |
| Year Completed | 1970 (56 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 357 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 357 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 144 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 17 acres |
| Drainage Area | 5 sq mi |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Debris Control |
| Owner | Fort Leonard Wood |
| Owner Type | Federal |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 08/02/2023 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MO30978 |
| Federal ID | MO30978 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |