Located in the Anthonies Mill development, the Lake Melissa Dam is a homogeneous rolled earth structure. It was constructed in 1995 for recreational purposes and the dam was initially thought to be less than 35 feet in height. A state inspection in 1996 revealed that the embankment was actually 42 feet in height. Because the Lake Melissa Dam was over 35 feet in height, the owner was required to obtain a safety permit from the Missouri Dam and Reservoir Safety Program to operate the dam. The state regulations governing safety permits require dams to have adequate spillway capacity and meet minimum factors of safety for slope stability. During the 1996 inspection, a small slide was discovered on the downstream slope of the embankment and seepage was observed at the toe of the dam. These observations were noteworthy, considering the fact that the lake never filled and was about 14 feet below normal pool during the inspection.

WILSON HYDRO was retained to analyze the stability of the embankment, investigate a slide in the downstream slope of the dam, evaluate the adequacy of the spillway, design modifications to meet the state dam safety regulations, and prepare recommendations for modifying the dam to maintain a full reservoir.