Bass Lake Dam

About Bass Lake Dam

The primary purpose of Bass Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Kingdom Of Callaway Ests (private). It impounds the Trib. To Cow Creek near Readsville.

The dam stands 33 feet tall, creates a reservoir covering 30 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 530 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 528 square miles. Completed in 1980, the structure is 46 years old.

This dam carries a high hazard potential classification, which means that a failure or uncontrolled release of water would likely cause loss of human life. This classification reflects the consequences of failure, not the likelihood — it indicates that people live or work in the area downstream.

At 33 feet, this dam is taller than 78% of dams nationwide.

Living Downstream

If you live or work downstream of this dam, consider taking these steps: learn your local evacuation routes, check whether your county emergency management office has a dam failure inundation map, and sign up for local emergency alerts. The Missouri dam safety program can provide more specific information about emergency planning for this structure.

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