Bear Creek

About Bear Creek

The primary purpose of Bear Creek is water supply. The dam stores water for municipal, industrial, or agricultural use, helping ensure a reliable supply for the surrounding area. The dam is owned by City Of Astoria (local government). It impounds the Bear Creek near Svensen.

The dam stands 94 feet tall and stretches 270 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 74 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 800 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 3 square miles. Completed in 1953, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 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. 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 11/11/2021.

At 94 feet, this dam is taller than 98% of all dams in the United States.

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 Oregon 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.