Clark Canyon Dam facts for kids

Quick facts for kids 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 a big dam in Beaverhead County, Montana. It's about 20 miles (32 km) south of Dillon. This dam holds back the Beaverhead River. It forms a large lake called Clark Canyon Reservoir. The United States Bureau of Reclamation built it from 1961 to 1964. Its main jobs are to store water for farms and to help prevent floods.

About Clark Canyon Dam

Clark Canyon Dam is an earthfill dam. This means it is built mostly from earth and rock. It is very long, stretching about 2,950 feet (899 meters) across the river. The dam stands tall at 147 feet (45 meters) high.

The dam holds back a huge amount of water. The reservoir can hold over 325,000 acre-feet of water. When the reservoir is full, its surface covers about 5,903 acres (2,389 hectares). That's a lot of space for water!

Building the Dam

Building Clark Canyon Dam was a big project. It changed the landscape quite a bit. Workers had to move parts of U.S. Route 91, which is now Interstate 15. They also had to move a main train line belonging to the Union Pacific Railroad.

The new reservoir also covered some old places. A small town called Armstead, Montana was flooded. Also, the site of Camp Fortunate was covered by the water. Camp Fortunate is a very important historical spot. The famous Lewis and Clark Expedition camped there in August 1805. They met with the Shoshone people at this camp.

Fun at Clark Canyon Reservoir

Clark Canyon Reservoir is a popular spot for outdoor activities. Many people enjoy fishing in the lake. The reservoir is regularly stocked with different kinds of fish. This means new fish are added often to keep the fish population healthy.

Fish Species in the Lake

You can find many types of fish in Clark Canyon Reservoir. Here are some of the species that live there: