Kircher P D Dam

About Kircher P D Dam

The primary purpose of Kircher P D Dam is irrigation. The dam stores and diverts water for agricultural irrigation, supporting farming operations in the surrounding area. The dam is owned by P.d.kircher (private). It impounds the Tributary To Camp Branch Crk. near La Tour.

The dam stands 23 feet tall, creates a reservoir covering 26 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 320 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 326 square miles. Completed in 1974, 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 06/07/1979. That was 46 years ago — unusually long for a high-hazard dam, which typically requires more frequent inspections.

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.

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