How Many Dams are in Missouri? Expect to be Shocked by the Number

Math is not my strong suit, so I was not expecting to be close when I guessed how many dams there are in Missouri. However, I was shocked by the actual number of dams the Show Me State really has.

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This began as a curiosity. I was looking at the Missouri Department of Natural Resources website about dams. They provided a link to the US Army Corp of Engineers who have a map showing how many dams there are in Missouri. Keep in mind that every blue dot on their map is a dam. It's jaw-dropping.

The number of Missouri dams is staggering. The US Army Corp of Engineers says Missouri has a total of 5,400 dams with an average age of around 48 years old. One concerning thing is they say that one-third are "High Hazard Potential Dams". Yikes.

My guess would have been around 50 dams in Missouri. That just shows how flawed my math skills are. It's my guess times more than 100. It's obvious that these 5,400 Missouri dams are not always large structures holding back mammoth amounts of water. Some are relatively insignificant, but they're still dams.

It's incredible that in a state like Missouri that everyone knows has a lot of dams that the real number almost always exceeds the guesses.