Bell-settle Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Washington County, Missouri, built in 1950. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 33 ft33 ft tall, taller than 76% 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 embankment section and the water level is illustrative.
About Bell-settle Lake Dam
Bell-settle Lake Dam is a dam in Washington, Missouri. The dam is owned by Robert Carr (private). It impounds the Tr-mine a Breton Creek near Potosi.
The dam stands 33 feet tall, creates a reservoir covering 13 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 230 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 170 square miles. Completed in 1950, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.
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 01/21/1981. That was 45 years ago — unusually long for a high-hazard dam, which typically requires more frequent inspections.
At 33 feet, this dam is taller than 76% 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.
Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.
Location
| State | Missouri |
| County | Washington |
| Nearest City | Potosi |
| River/Stream | Tr-mine a Breton Creek |
| Coordinates | 37.95338, -90.77764 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 33 ft |
| Dam Height | 33 ft |
| Year Completed | 1950 (76 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 230 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 230 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 108 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 13 acres |
| Drainage Area | 170 sq mi |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Other |
| Owner | Robert Carr |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 01/21/1981 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MO30480 |
| Federal ID | MO30480 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |