Bear Creek Dam is an earth dam located in Ralls County, Missouri, built in 1962. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 65 ft65 ft tall and 1,152 ft long, taller than 96% of U.S. dams with a recorded height. Height is drawn to scale against a ten-story building, about 100 ft; the profile is a generic embankment section and the water level is illustrative.
About Bear Creek Dam
The primary purpose of Bear Creek Dam is flood risk reduction. The dam is designed to control downstream flooding by temporarily storing excess water during storms and releasing it at a controlled rate. The dam is owned by City of Hannibal (local government). It impounds the Bear Creek near Hannibal.
The dam stands 65 feet tall and stretches 1,152 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 545 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 14,155 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 27 square miles. Completed in 1962, 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 satisfactory, indicating no existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 12/08/2022.
At 65 feet, this dam is taller than 96% 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 Missouri 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 | Missouri |
| County | Ralls |
| Nearest City | Hannibal |
| River/Stream | Bear Creek |
| Coordinates | 39.68278, -91.42167 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 65 ft |
| Dam Height | 65 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,152 ft |
| Year Completed | 1962 (64 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 14,155 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 14,155 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 11,816 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 545 acres |
| Drainage Area | 27 sq mi |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | City of Hannibal |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 12/08/2022 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MO10977 |
| Federal ID | MO10977 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |