John Bollinger No. 1 Dam

About John Bollinger No. 1 Dam

The primary purpose of John Bollinger No. 1 Dam is irrigation. The dam stores and diverts water for agricultural irrigation, supporting farming operations in the surrounding area. The dam is owned by John Bollinger (private). It impounds the Tr To Saline Creek near Fredericktown.

The dam stands 18 feet tall, creates a reservoir covering 11 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 106 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 60 square miles. Completed in 1978, the structure is 48 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 08/16/1980. That was 45 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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