Richwoods Mine B Dam is an other dam located in Washington County, Missouri, built in 1943. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a unsatisfactory condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 48 ft48 ft tall and 3,700 ft long, taller than 92% 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 Richwoods Mine B Dam
The primary purpose of Richwoods Mine B Dam is tailings. Tailings dams contain waste material from mining operations — typically a slurry of finely ground rock left over after valuable minerals have been extracted. These structures require ongoing monitoring because tailings can contain heavy metals and other contaminants. The dam is owned by Clint Schink (private). It impounds the Tr-ditch Creek near Richwoods.
The dam stands 48 feet tall and stretches 3,700 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 57 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 1,000 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1943, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.
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 unsatisfactory, indicating serious safety deficiencies exist that require immediate attention or remedial action. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 10/28/2021.
At 48 feet, this dam is taller than 92% 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 | Washington |
| Nearest City | Richwoods |
| River/Stream | Tr-ditch Creek |
| Coordinates | 38.17430, -90.80796 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Other |
| NID Height | 48 ft |
| Dam Height | 48 ft |
| Dam Length | 3,700 ft |
| Year Completed | 1943 (83 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 1,000 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 1,000 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 860 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 57 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 3,600 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Tailings |
| Owner | Clint Schink |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Unsatisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 10/28/2021 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MO31404 |
| Federal ID | MO31404 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |