Dams in Montana
Dam Safety in Montana
Montana has 2,986 dams tracked in the National Inventory of Dams. Of these, 190 (6%) are classified as high hazard — meaning failure would probably cause loss of human life — and 192 are classified as significant hazard. Currently, 132 dams in the state have a condition assessment of poor or unsatisfactory, indicating recognized safety deficiencies.
The average dam in Montana is 74 years old. As dams age, inspection frequency and maintenance become increasingly important for ensuring public safety. The most common purpose for dams in Montana is fire protection, stock, or small fish pond, accounting for 1,829 of the state's dams.
Use the search above to find dams near any address in Montana, or browse by county below. Each dam listing includes its hazard potential classification, condition assessment, physical characteristics, and inspection history from the NID.
Montana Dam Facts
| Total Dams | 2,986 |
| High Hazard Dams | 190 |
| Average Dam Age | 74 years |
| Tallest Dam | 570 ft |
| Largest Reservoir | 19,100,000 acre-ft |
| Poor/Unsatisfactory Condition | 132 |
Notable Dams in Montana
Counties in Montana
High Hazard Dams in Montana
| Dam | County | Height | Condition | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yankee Doodle Tailings Dam | Silver Bow | 570 ft | Satisfactory | Other |
| Hungry Horse Dam | Flathead | 564 ft | Not Available | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Yellowtail Dam | Big Horn | 525 ft | Not Available | |
| Libby Dam | Lincoln | 422 ft | Not Available | Hydroelectric |
| Noxon Rapids | Sanders | 260 ft | Fair | Hydroelectric |
| Fort Peck Dam | McCone | 256 ft | Not Available | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Canyon Ferry Dam | Lewis and Clark | 225 ft | Not Available | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Swift (pondera) | Pondera | 205 ft | Satisfactory | Irrigation |
| Selis Ksanka Qlispe (skq) | Lake | 200 ft | Fair | Hydroelectric |
| Gibson Dam | Teton | 199 ft | Not Available | Irrigation |
| Kootenai Dvlpmnt Impoundment Dam | Lincoln | 151 ft | Poor | Other |
| Clark Canyon Dam | Beaverhead | 148 ft | Not Available | Flood Risk Reduction |
| West Fork Bitterroot (painted Rocks) | Ravalli | 143 ft | Poor | Irrigation |
| Willow Creek | Big Horn | 136 ft | Fair | Irrigation |
| Sun River Diversion Dam | Teton | 132 ft | Not Available | Irrigation |
| Newlan Creek Dam | Meagher | 131 ft | Poor | Irrigation |
| Hubbart | Flathead | 130 ft | Poor | Irrigation |
| Hauser Dam | Lewis and Clark | 125 ft | Satisfactory | Hydroelectric |
| Holter Dam | Lewis and Clark | 124 ft | Satisfactory | Hydroelectric |
| Hebgen Dam | Gallatin | 120 ft | Satisfactory | Hydroelectric |
| Ruby Dam | Madison | 111 ft | Satisfactory | Irrigation |
| Fresno Dam | Hill | 111 ft | Not Available | Irrigation |
| Lake Sherburne Dam | Glacier | 109 ft | Not Available | Irrigation |
| Beaver Creek Reservoir Dam | Hill | 108 ft | Fair | Irrigation |
| Morony | Cascade | 107 ft | Satisfactory | Hydroelectric |
| Bair | Meagher | 106 ft | Satisfactory | Irrigation |
| Nevada Creek Dam | Powell | 105 ft | Satisfactory | Irrigation |
| Cochrane | Cascade | 105 ft | Fair | Hydroelectric |
| Willow Creek Dam | Madison | 105 ft | Poor | Irrigation |
| Cooney | Carbon | 102 ft | Poor | Irrigation |
| Basin Creek Dam #1 | Silver Bow | 101 ft | Satisfactory | Water Supply |
| Crow | Lake | 99 ft | Poor | Irrigation |
| Mission | Lake | 98 ft | Fair | Irrigation |
| Lower Willow Creek Dam | Granite | 96 ft | Poor | Irrigation |
| Tongue River Dam | Big Horn | 93 ft | Satisfactory | Irrigation |
| Cedar Creek | Flathead | 93 ft | Satisfactory | Water Supply |
| East Fork Dam | Fergus | 93 ft | Satisfactory | Recreation |
| Martinsdale, North Dam | Wheatland | 91 ft | Satisfactory | Irrigation |
| North Fork Of Smith River Dam | Meagher | 91 ft | Satisfactory | Irrigation |
| Colstrip Evaporation Pond Dam | Rosebud | 88 ft | Satisfactory | Other |
| Bullhook Dam | Hill | 87 ft | Satisfactory | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Ryan | Cascade | 82 ft | Satisfactory | Hydroelectric |
| Pike Creek Dam | Fergus | 81 ft | Satisfactory | Recreation |
| Cataract Creek Dam | Madison | 80 ft | Unsatisfactory | Irrigation |
| Box Elder Creek Dam | Sheridan | 80 ft | Satisfactory | Recreation |
| Big Casino Creek Dam | Fergus | 80 ft | Satisfactory | Irrigation |
| Bullhook Lower Diversion | Hill | 77 ft | Satisfactory | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Petrolia | Petroleum | 76 ft | Poor | Irrigation |
| Como Dam | Ravalli | 76 ft | Not Available | Irrigation |
| East Fork | Hill | 76 ft | Satisfactory | Recreation |
| Black Lake | Missoula | 75 ft | Unsatisfactory | Recreation |
| Browns Dam | Hill | 73 ft | Not Rated | Irrigation |
| Hanson Creek Dam | Fergus | 72 ft | Satisfactory | Recreation |
| Three Mile Reservoir (l.&c.) | Lewis and Clark | 70 ft | Poor | Irrigation |
| Lower Two Medicine | Glacier | 70 ft | Satisfactory | Irrigation |
| Sullivan Dam | Toole | 68 ft | Satisfactory | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Castle Rock Reservoir Dam | Rosebud | 67 ft | Satisfactory | Other |
| Moulton Creek Dam #1 | Silver Bow | 67 ft | Satisfactory | Water Supply |
| Tiber Dike | Liberty | 65 ft | Not Available | |
| Cowpath Dam | Toole | 65 ft | Satisfactory | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Bearpaw Lake Dam | Hill | 64 ft | Satisfactory | Recreation |
| Bynum Reservoir Dam | Teton | 60 ft | Satisfactory | Irrigation |
| Deadmans Basin Dam | Wheatland | 60 ft | Satisfactory | Irrigation |
| Delmoe Lake Dam | Jefferson | 60 ft | Poor | Irrigation |
| Tabor South | Lake | 60 ft | Poor | Recreation |
| Flower Creek Dam | Lincoln | 59 ft | Satisfactory | Water Supply |
| Lake Frances East Dam | Pondera | 59 ft | Satisfactory | Irrigation |
| Scott Coulee Dam | Hill | 58 ft | Satisfactory | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Chessman Main Dam | Lewis and Clark | 57 ft | Fair | Water Supply |
| Glacier Lake North Dam | Carbon | 57 ft | Satisfactory | Irrigation |
| Lima | Beaverhead | 56 ft | Satisfactory | Irrigation |
| Ackley Lake Dam | Judith Basin | 55 ft | Satisfactory | Irrigation |
| Georgetown Dam | Deer Lodge | 55 ft | Satisfactory | Hydroelectric |
| Nilan North Dam | Lewis and Clark | 54 ft | Satisfactory | Irrigation |
| Swift Dike (pondera) | Pondera | 53 ft | Satisfactory | Irrigation |
| Powell | Powell | 52 ft | Poor | Irrigation |
| Big Sky Dam | Madison | 52 ft | Satisfactory | Recreation |
| Nilan East Dam | Lewis and Clark | 51 ft | Satisfactory | Irrigation |
| Jocko | Missoula | 51 ft | Poor | Irrigation |
| Doggett Reservoir | Meagher | 50 ft | Fair | Irrigation |
| Broadwater Dam | Broadwater | 50 ft | Satisfactory | Hydroelectric |
| Four Horns | Glacier | 50 ft | Satisfactory | Irrigation |
| Martinsdale, East Dam | Wheatland | 49 ft | Poor | Irrigation |
| Mcdonald | Lake | 47 ft | Satisfactory | Irrigation |
| Green Hollow Creek Dam | Madison | 45 ft | Satisfactory | Recreation |
| Colstrip Diversion Dam | Rosebud | 44 ft | Satisfactory | Other |
| Rainbow | Cascade | 44 ft | Satisfactory | Hydroelectric |
| Lake Creek | Lincoln | 44 ft | Satisfactory | Hydroelectric |
| Taylor, Upper | Powell | 43 ft | Satisfactory | Irrigation |
| Anita Dam | Blaine | 42 ft | Fair | Irrigation |
| Burnt Fork Dam | Ravalli | 42 ft | Not Rated | Irrigation |
| Depression Detention Dam | Carbon | 42 ft | Poor | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Black Eagle | Cascade | 41 ft | Poor | Hydroelectric |
| Ninepipe | Lake | 41 ft | Fair | Irrigation |
| Olson, Oscar (meagher) | Meagher | 40 ft | Satisfactory | Irrigation |
| Upper Dry Fork | Sanders | 40 ft | Unsatisfactory | Irrigation |
| Dry Blood Creek Dam | Petroleum | 40 ft | Fair | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Cottonwood Dam (park) | Park | 39 ft | Poor | Irrigation |
| Madison Dam | Madison | 39 ft | Satisfactory | Hydroelectric |
| Jordan Dam | Park | 38 ft | Poor | Irrigation |