Henley Lake Dam is a gravity dam located in Cole County, Missouri, built in 1909. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 28 ft28 ft tall, taller than 62% of U.S. dams with a recorded height. Height is drawn to scale against a two-story house, about 25 ft; the profile is a generic concrete gravity section and the water level is illustrative.
About Henley Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Henley Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Earl Russell (private). It impounds the Tr-little Tavern Creek near Henley.
The dam stands 28 feet tall, creates a reservoir covering 7 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 105 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 200 square miles. Completed in 1909, the structure is over a century 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 06/09/1981. That was 45 years ago — unusually long for a high-hazard dam, which typically requires more frequent inspections.
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 | Cole |
| Nearest City | Henley |
| River/Stream | Tr-little Tavern Creek |
| Coordinates | 38.34967, -92.32365 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Gravity |
| NID Height | 28 ft |
| Dam Height | 28 ft |
| Year Completed | 1909 (117 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 105 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 105 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 50 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 7 acres |
| Drainage Area | 200 sq mi |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Earl Russell |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 06/09/1981 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MO30322 |
| Federal ID | MO30322 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |