Bear Lake
Bear Lake is a gravity dam located in Barron County, Wisconsin, built in 1880. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Bear Lake
The primary purpose of Bear Lake is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Barron County (local government). It impounds the Bear Creek near Haugen.
The dam stands 22 feet tall and stretches 513 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 1,358 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 38,120 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 60 square miles. Completed in 1880, the structure is over a century old.
This dam has a low hazard potential classification, meaning that failure would cause minimal damage, limited primarily to the dam owner's property, with no expected loss of life. Its condition is rated fair — the dam has minor deficiencies that are being addressed or do not pose an immediate safety threat. The most recent inspection on record was 07/21/2015. That was over 10 years ago.
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Location
| State | Wisconsin |
| County | Barron |
| Nearest City | Haugen |
| River/Stream | Bear Creek |
| Coordinates | 45.60988, -91.77391 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Gravity |
| NID Height | 22 ft |
| Dam Height | 22 ft |
| Dam Length | 513 ft |
| Year Completed | 1880 (146 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 38,120 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 38,120 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 27,254 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 1,358 acres |
| Drainage Area | 60 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 933 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Controlled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Barron County |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 07/21/2015 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | WI00099 |
| Federal ID | WI00099 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |