Beshears Lake Dam dam
Beshears Lake Dam
Beshears Lake Dam, located in Audrain County, Missouri, was completed in 1976 and serves a primary purpose of irrigation. This private-owned Earth dam with a buttress core type stands at a height of 28 feet and has a storage capacity of 165 acre-feet. The dam is situated on the West Fork Guivre River and covers an area of 11 acres, with a drainage area of 635 square miles. Despite its low hazard potential, the dam's condition has not been rated, and it is not regularly inspected or regulated by the state.
Beshears Lake Dam is a vital resource for water management in the area, providing irrigation for agricultural purposes. The dam's location in Middletown, Missouri, ensures that it plays a crucial role in supporting the local farming community. With a normal storage capacity of 95 acre-feet, the dam helps to ensure a stable water supply for crops and livestock in the region.
Although Beshears Lake Dam has not been rated for its condition and has no established emergency action plan, its low hazard potential suggests that it is a relatively safe structure. However, the lack of regular inspections and regulatory oversight raises concerns about its long-term safety and maintenance. For water resource and climate enthusiasts, monitoring the condition and management of dams like Beshears Lake Dam is essential to ensuring the sustainability of water resources in the region.
Dam data reference
Condition Assessment
- Satisfactory
- No existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. Acceptable performance is expected under all loading conditions (static, hydrologic, seismic) in accordance with the minimum applicable state or federal regulatory criteria or tolerable risk guidelines.
- Fair
- No existing dam safety deficiencies are recognized for normal operating conditions. Rare or extreme hydrologic and/or seismic events may result in a dam safety deficiency. Risk may be in the range to take further action.
- Poor
- A dam safety deficiency is recognized for normal operating conditions which may realistically occur. Remedial action is necessary. POOR may also be used when uncertainties exist as to critical analysis parameters which identify a potential dam safety deficiency.
- Unsatisfactory
- A dam safety deficiency is recognized that requires immediate or emergency remedial action for problem resolution.
- Not Rated
- The dam has not been inspected, is not under state or federal jurisdiction, or has been inspected but, for whatever reason, has not been rated.
Hazard Potential Classification
- High
- Dams assigned the high hazard potential classification are those where failure or mis-operation will probably cause loss of human life.
- Significant
- Dams assigned the significant hazard potential classification are those dams where failure or mis-operation results in no probable loss of human life but can cause economic loss, environmental damage, disruption of lifeline facilities, or impact other concerns. Significant hazard potential classification dams are often located in predominantly rural or agricultural areas but could be in areas with population and significant infrastructure.
- Low
- Dams assigned the low hazard potential classification are those where failure or mis-operation results in no probable loss of human life and low economic and/or environmental losses. Losses are principally limited to the owner's property.
- Undetermined
- Dams for which a downstream hazard potential has not been designated or is not provided.
Plan around the weather
Same NOAA / yr.no feed Snoflo's iOS app uses. Watch the precipitation column on the meteogram -- rain on the basin upstream typically lifts inflow 24-72 hours later.
Next 5 days, hour by hour
Temperature line with weather symbols on top, snow + rain accumulation as columns, humidity as a dotted line.
5-day forecast table
Every 3 hours, broken out across temperature, snow, rain, humidity, and wind. Each cell is colour-coded relative to the column min/max.
| Time | Condition | Temp (°F) | Snow (in) | Rain (in) | Humidity (%) | Wind (mps) | Wind dir |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loading detailed forecast… | |||||||
15-day temperature & precipitation
Daily temperatures, snow, and rain projected over the next two weeks.
Nearby streamflow gauges
USGS streamgauges around Beshears Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| South Fork Salt River Above Santa Fe | 21 cfs | → |
| Lick Creek At Perry | 4 cfs | → |
| Long Branch Near Santa Fe | 17 cfs | → |
| Spencer Cr. Bl Plum Cr. Nr Frankford | 304 cfs | → |
| Salt River Near Center | 1,630 cfs | → |
| Salt River Near New London | 1,360 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Beshears Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Audrain County
- Callaway County
- Loutre River Trail Montgomery County
- Duane Wheelan Access Ralls County
- State Highway Bb Ralls County
Track Beshears Lake Dam in the Snoflo app
Save this dam as a favorite and get the local NOAA / yr.no forecast plus regional flow context wherever you are.
About Beshears Lake Dam
Where does the data for Beshears Lake Dam come from?
Structural and regulatory data come from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' National Inventory of Dams (NID). Weather forecast comes from NOAA / yr.no -- the same feed Snoflo's iOS app uses.
How often is the report updated?
NID structural data refreshes annually as the Corps publishes updated assessments. The weather forecast refreshes throughout the day.
What does the Low hazard rating mean?
The Corps of Engineers' hazard potential classification grades probable consequences if the dam fails: High = probable loss of human life; Significant = no probable loss of human life but possible economic loss / environmental damage; Low = no probable loss of human life, only minor economic / environmental losses. See the Dam Data Reference card above for the full definitions.
What's "% of normal"?
The current storage value compared to the historical average storage on this calendar day. 100% = right on average; values above 100% mean above-normal storage (wet year); values below mean below-normal (dry year or drought).
Can I get alerts when storage crosses a threshold?
Yes -- alerts are managed in the Snoflo iOS app. Favorite this dam, set a threshold, and you'll get a push the moment conditions cross.
Other water bodies near here
Snoflo-tracked reservoirs and dams within driving distance of Beshears Lake Dam.