Fourche Creek Dam
Fourche Creek Dam is an earth dam located in Ripley County, Missouri, built in 1975. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
About Fourche Creek Dam
The primary purpose of Fourche Creek Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Usda Fs (federal). It impounds the Fourche Creek near Gatewoods.
The dam stands 60 feet tall and stretches 1,060 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 49 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 544 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 8 square miles. Completed in 1975, 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 04/21/2021.
At 60 feet, this dam is taller than 95% 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 | Ripley |
| Nearest City | Gatewoods |
| River/Stream | Fourche Creek |
| Coordinates | 36.65500, -91.05278 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 60 ft |
| Dam Height | 60 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,060 ft |
| Year Completed | 1975 (51 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 544 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 544 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 1 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 49 acres |
| Drainage Area | 8 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 10,732 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Controlled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | USDA FS |
| Owner Type | Federal |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 04/21/2021 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MO31227 |
| Federal ID | MO31227 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |