National Dam Safety Program. Ussary Dam (MO 10698), Missouri - Nemaha - Nodaway Basin, Buchanan County, Missouri. Phase I Inspection Report.

The purpose of the inspection was to make an assessment of the general conditions of the dam with respect to safety, based upon available data and visual inspection, in order to determine if the dam poses hazards to human life or property. In accordance with the guidelines and based on visual observation, the dam is classified as having a high potential for damage and loss of life. Failure would threaten life and property. The inspection and evaluation indicates that the spillways do not meet the criteria set forth in the recommended guidelines for a small dam having a high hazard potential. Considering the small volume of water impounded and the downstream channel from the dam, one half of the Probable Maximum Flood is the appropriate spillway design flood. The spillways will not pass the 100-year flood 1 probability flood - a flood having a one percent chance of being exceeded in any one year without overtopping the dam. The spillways will pass 13 of the Probable Maximum Flood without overtopping the dam. The Probable Maximum Flood PMF is defined as the flood that may be expected from the most severe combination of critical meteorological and hydrologic conditions that are reasonably possible in the region.