Taum Sauk Upper Reservoir Dam Failure and Changes to the Missouri Dam Safety Law

Abstract Only - The slide show I have developed documents the devastation that occurred as a result of the failure of the Taum Sauk Upper Reservoir on December 14, 2005. This reservoir is part of AmerenUE's pumped storage facility located near Lesterville, Missouri and is situated on the top of Proffit Mountain at elevation 1600 feet. At approximately 5:15 AM on December 14, 2005 the upper reservoir failed, completely draining the 1.5 billion gallon reservoir in roughly 12 minutes. The resulting wave of water moved in a northwesterly direction carving a 600 foot wide path down the side of the mountain and removing trees and topsoil down to rock. Upon reaching the floodplain of the East Fork Black River, the flow divided, causing flooding both upstream and downstream of the confluence. Johnson Shut-Ins State Park lies immediately downstream of the confluence. The park was heavily damaged by floodwaters that carried tons of broken concrete, reinforcing steel, several acres of broken timber, and the rhyolite from which the dam was constructed. Much of the debris flowed through the park and was deposited in the Taum Sauk Lower Reservoir. Fortunately, there was no loss of life, but the park superintendent's residence was destroyed and his family injured in the flood.
Information will also be shared outlining the changes this failure has initiated to the current Missouri Dam Safety Law.