Bell Lake Dam

About Bell Lake Dam

The primary purpose of Bell Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Nathaniel Winer (private). It impounds the Tributary To First Creek near Smithville.

The dam stands 34 feet tall, creates a reservoir covering 6 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 109 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 106 square miles. Completed in 1951, 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. The most recent inspection on record was 09/26/1978. That was 47 years ago — unusually long for a high-hazard dam, which typically requires more frequent inspections.

At 34 feet, this dam is taller than 80% 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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