Clark Canyon Dam

Clark Canyon Dam
Clark Canyon Reservoir
Location of Clark Canyon Dam in Montana
Country	United States
Location	Beaverhead County, Montana
Coordinates	45°00′00″N 112°51′25″W / 45.00000°N 112.85694°W / 45.00000; -112.85694
Construction began	1961
Opening date	1964
Dam and spillways
Type of dam	Earthfill
Impounds	Beaverhead River
Height	147.5 ft (45.0 m)
Length	2,950 ft (900 m)
Elevation at crest	5,578 ft (1,700 m)
Dam volume	1,970,000 cu yd (1,510,000 m3)
Spillways	Uncontrolled overflow
Spillway capacity	9,520 cu ft/s (270 m3/s)
Reservoir
Creates	Clark Canyon Reservoir
Total capacity	325,324 acre⋅ft (0.401281 km3)
Surface area	5,903 acres (2,389 ha)
Power Station
Hydraulic head	113.9 ft (34.7 m)
Installed capacity	None

Clark Canyon Dam is an earthfill dam located in Beaverhead County, Montana, about 20 miles (32 km) south of the county seat of Dillon. The dam impounds the waters of the Beaverhead River, creating a body of water known as Clark Canyon Reservoir. The structure was constructed in 1961-1964 by the United States Bureau of Reclamation, to hold water for downstream irrigation and for flood control purposes.

Clark Canyon Dam has a crest length of 2,950 feet (900 m), and a maximum height of 147 feet (45 m). The dam contains 1,970,000 cubic yards (1,510,000 m³) of material. The elevation of the dam crest is 5,578 feet (1,700 m). The reservoir has a total capacity of 325,324 acre-feet (401,281,000 m³), and when full has a surface area of 5,903 acres (23.89 km²).

Construction of the dam and reservoir required the relocation of U.S. Route 91 (rebuilt as Interstate 15) and a main line of the Union Pacific Railroad. The reservoir inundated the former site of the small community of Armstead, Montana, and the site of Camp Fortunate, where the Lewis and Clark Expedition camped from August 17 to 22, 1805 and held negotiations with the Shoshone.^[1]