Kerr Dam facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Seli’š Ksanka Qlispe’ Dam |
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Seli’š Ksanka Qlispe’ Dam (2018)
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| Location | Flathead Indian Reservation, Lake County, Montana, USA |
| Construction began | 1930 |
| Opening date | 1938 |
| Operator(s) | Energy Keepers Inc., Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Impounds | Flathead River |
| Height | 205 ft (62 m) |
| Length | 751 ft (229 m) |
| Reservoir | |
| Total capacity | 1,217,000 acre⋅ft (1.501 km3) |
| Catchment area | 8,587 sq mi (22,240 km2) |
| Surface area | 191.5 sq mi (496 km2) |
| Power station | |
| Commission date | 1938-1954 |
| Turbines | 3 units |
| Installed capacity | 208 MW |
| Annual generation | 1,100 GWh annually |
The Seli’š Ksanka Qlispe’ Dam, once known as the Kerr Dam, is a large concrete dam on the Flathead River. It was built in 1938. This dam helps control the water level of Flathead Lake near Polson, Montana.
The dam's main job is to create hydroelectricity. This is a way to make electricity using the power of moving water. It also helps with fun activities like boating and provides water for farming. The dam was first named after Frank Kerr. He was the head of the Montana Power Company, which built the dam. This happened during the Great Depression, a time when many people needed jobs.
The dam is located on the Flathead Indian Reservation. The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes helped operate it for many years. In 2015, the tribes bought the dam. They renamed it Seli’š Ksanka Qlispe’ Dam. This new name honors the three tribes that make up the confederacy.
Building the Dam: A Look Back
Building the dam started in 1930. A company called Rocky Mountain Power wanted to make electricity from the river. But times were tough because of the Great Depression. The company had to stop building in 1931.
In 1934, James Brett, a Montana official, asked President Franklin D. Roosevelt for money. He needed $5 million to finish the dam. President Roosevelt knew that people in the area needed jobs. He agreed to give the money. This was part of his plan to create jobs through projects like the Works Progress Administration.
The Montana Power Company started building again in 1936. The dam was finished in 1938. It made Flathead Lake about 10 feet deeper. This helped control the lake's water for electricity, farming, and fun. The dam has three big machines called turbines. They use water from the river to make power.
Who Owns the Dam Now?
The dam is inside the Flathead Indian Reservation. For a long time, it was run by NorthWestern Energy and the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. The dam could make enough power for about 147,000 homes. It also brought in over $9 million each year for the tribes.
On September 4, 2015, something big happened. The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT) bought the dam. They paid $18.2 million for it. Their own company, Energy Keepers, Inc (EKI), now owns and runs the dam.
The tribes celebrated buying the dam on September 5, 2015. They had a special ceremony at Salish Kootenai College. They officially renamed the dam Seli’š Ksanka Qlispe’ Dam. This name honors the Séliš, Ksanka, and Ql’ispé tribes.
The Dam in Stories
The book Wind from an Enemy Sky tells a story about the Seli’š Ksanka Qlispe’ Dam. The plot of the novel is all about the dam's construction. It was written by D'Arcy McNickle.
Images for kids
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Séliš Ksanka Ql’ispé Dam, formerly known as Kerr Dam, was completed in 1938. It dams the Flathead River a few miles below Flathead Lake southwest of Polson, Montana (2017)
