Lake Bar-dew Dam
Lake Bar-dew Dam is an earth dam located in Washington County, Oklahoma, built in 1938. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
About Lake Bar-dew Dam
The primary purpose of Lake Bar-dew Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Samuel L And Samuel B Colburn (private). It impounds the Unnamed Tributary near Bartlesville.
The dam stands 41 feet tall and stretches 700 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 44 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 1,020 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1 square miles. Completed in 1938, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.
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. Its condition is rated poor, meaning the dam has recognized safety deficiencies that require remediation to address risks. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 10/27/2022.
At 41 feet, this dam is taller than 88% 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 Oklahoma dam safety program can provide more specific information about emergency planning for this structure.
Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.
Location
| State | Oklahoma |
| County | Washington |
| Nearest City | Bartlesville |
| River/Stream | Unnamed Tributary |
| Coordinates | 36.81996, -96.00033 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 41 ft |
| Dam Height | 41 ft |
| Dam Length | 700 ft |
| Year Completed | 1938 (88 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 1,020 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 1,020 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 600 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 44 acres |
| Drainage Area | 1 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 13,900 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Controlled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | SAMUEL L AND SAMUEL B COLBURN |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 10/27/2022 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | OK10411 |
| Federal ID | OK10411 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |