Hickory Creek Watershed Structure H- 11

About Hickory Creek Watershed Structure H- 11

The primary purpose of Hickory Creek Watershed Structure H- 11 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 Neosho (local government). It impounds the Tr-hickory near Neosho.

The dam stands 42 feet tall and stretches 860 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 3 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 205 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 38 square miles. Completed in 2000, the structure is 26 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. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 09/23/2002. That was 23 years ago — unusually long for a high-hazard dam, which typically requires more frequent inspections.

At 42 feet, this dam is taller than 89% 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.