Potter Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Lafayette County, Missouri, built in 1972. It carries a Low hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 36 ft36 ft tall and 600 ft long, taller than 82% 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 Potter Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Potter Lake Dam is grade stabilization. Grade stabilization dams prevent erosion by reducing the slope and velocity of water flowing through a channel. They're commonly used to stop gullies from deepening and to protect downstream land and infrastructure. The dam is owned by Herman Potter (private). It impounds the Tr-sni-a-bar Creek near Lexington.
The dam stands 36 feet tall and stretches 600 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 7 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 82 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 313 square miles. Completed in 1972, 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.
At 36 feet, this dam is taller than 82% of dams nationwide.
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Location
| State | Missouri |
| County | Lafayette |
| Nearest City | Lexington |
| River/Stream | Tr-sni-a-bar Creek |
| Coordinates | 39.10362, -94.00229 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 36 ft |
| Dam Height | 35 ft |
| Dam Length | 600 ft |
| Year Completed | 1972 (54 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 82 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 82 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 54 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 7 acres |
| Drainage Area | 313 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 502 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Grade Stabilization |
| Owner | Herman Potter |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MO50279 |
| Federal ID | MO50279 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |