List of lakes of Blaine County, Montana facts for kids

Blaine County, Montana, is home to many interesting bodies of water! These include both natural lakes and human-made reservoirs. In fact, there are at least 52 named lakes and reservoirs across the county. These watery places are important for many reasons, from providing homes for wildlife to helping people with water.

What are Lakes and Reservoirs?

To understand the waters of Blaine County, it's good to know the difference between lakes and reservoirs.

Lakes

A lake is usually a large body of water surrounded by land. Most lakes are natural, formed by things like glaciers, volcanoes, or rivers changing course over thousands of years. They are often fed by rivers, streams, or rainfall. Lakes are important ecosystems, providing homes for fish, birds, and many other creatures.

Reservoirs

A reservoir is like a lake, but it's built by people. Engineers create reservoirs by building a dam across a river or stream. This holds back water, forming a large pool. Reservoirs are super useful for storing water for cities, farms, and even for generating electricity. They can also be used for recreation like fishing and boating.

Lakes of Blaine County

Blaine County has several natural lakes, each with its own unique features. These lakes are often important habitats for fish, birds, and other animals. Here are some of the lakes you can find:

• Alkali Lake, 48°58′17″N 108°38′43″W / 48.97139°N 108.64528°W / 48.97139; -108.64528 (Alkali Lake), which is about 2,979 feet (908 m) above sea level.
• Bigby Lake, 48°20′51″N 108°35′44″W / 48.34750°N 108.59556°W / 48.34750; -108.59556 (Bigby Lake), at an elevation of 2,529 feet (771 m).
• Duck Lake, 48°40′19″N 108°30′18″W / 48.67194°N 108.50500°W / 48.67194; -108.50500 (Duck Lake), sitting at 3,091 feet (942 m).
• Fifteen Mile Lake, 48°40′55″N 109°00′28″W / 48.68194°N 109.00778°W / 48.68194; -109.00778 (Fifteen Mile Lake), with an elevation of 2,720 feet (830 m).
• Hornbeck Lake, 48°42′19″N 108°32′03″W / 48.70528°N 108.53417°W / 48.70528; -108.53417 (Hornbeck Lake), at 3,107 feet (947 m).
• J Lake, 48°17′55″N 108°38′16″W / 48.29861°N 108.63778°W / 48.29861; -108.63778 (J Lake), which is 2,598 feet (792 m) high.
• Lake Seventeen, 48°04′44″N 108°52′08″W / 48.07889°N 108.86889°W / 48.07889; -108.86889 (Lake Seventeen), at 3,025 feet (922 m).
• Martin Lake, 48°44′11″N 109°30′39″W / 48.73639°N 109.51083°W / 48.73639; -109.51083 (Martin Lake), with an elevation of 2,717 feet (828 m).
• Mud Lake, 48°35′20″N 108°36′51″W / 48.58889°N 108.61417°W / 48.58889; -108.61417 (Mud Lake), at 2,736 feet (834 m).
• Old Woman Lake, 48°20′30″N 108°29′22″W / 48.34167°N 108.48944°W / 48.34167; -108.48944 (Old Woman Lake), sitting at 2,612 feet (796 m).
• Ross Lake, 48°17′21″N 109°12′13″W / 48.28917°N 109.20361°W / 48.28917; -109.20361 (Ross Lake), which is 3,566 feet (1,087 m) above sea level.
• Silver Bow Lake, 48°50′40″N 108°53′31″W / 48.84444°N 108.89194°W / 48.84444; -108.89194 (Silver Bow Lake), at 3,369 feet (1,027 m).
• Skinners Lake, 48°02′47″N 108°45′24″W / 48.04639°N 108.75667°W / 48.04639; -108.75667 (Skinners Lake), with an elevation of 3,258 feet (993 m).

Reservoirs of Blaine County

Many reservoirs have been built in Blaine County to help manage water resources. These human-made lakes are very important for the local community and environment. Here are some of them:

• Als Coulee Reservoir, 48°00′44″N 109°11′14″W / 48.01222°N 109.18722°W / 48.01222; -109.18722 (Als Coulee Reservoir), at 3,481 feet (1,061 m).
• Anderson Reservoir, 48°15′20″N 108°56′53″W / 48.25556°N 108.94806°W / 48.25556; -108.94806 (Anderson Reservoir), at 3,189 feet (972 m).
• Black Coulee, 48°41′36″N 108°23′44″W / 48.69333°N 108.39556°W / 48.69333; -108.39556 (Black Coulee), with an elevation of 2,907 feet (886 m).
• Blanch Reservoir, 47°59′48″N 109°10′26″W / 47.99667°N 109.17389°W / 47.99667; -109.17389 (Blanch Reservoir), at 3,461 feet (1,055 m).
• Brush Shack Reservoir, 47°58′16″N 109°09′41″W / 47.97111°N 109.16139°W / 47.97111; -109.16139 (Brush Shack Reservoir), at 3,386 feet (1,032 m).
• Bud Reservoir, 47°57′09″N 109°12′04″W / 47.95250°N 109.20111°W / 47.95250; -109.20111 (Bud Reservoir), at 3,343 feet (1,019 m).
• Butch Reservoir, 47°57′08″N 109°07′00″W / 47.95222°N 109.11667°W / 47.95222; -109.11667 (Butch Reservoir), at 3,281 feet (1,000 m).
• Dalberg Reservoir, 48°07′52″N 109°08′00″W / 48.13111°N 109.13333°W / 48.13111; -109.13333 (Dalberg Reservoir), at 3,793 feet (1,156 m).
• Down Reservoir, 48°31′25″N 108°20′58″W / 48.52361°N 108.34944°W / 48.52361; -108.34944 (Down Reservoir), at 2,795 feet (852 m).
• Faber Reservoir, 48°15′48″N 109°08′11″W / 48.26333°N 109.13639°W / 48.26333; -109.13639 (Faber Reservoir), at 3,599 feet (1,097 m).
• Four O'Clock Reservoir, 48°01′14″N 109°11′36″W / 48.02056°N 109.19333°W / 48.02056; -109.19333 (Four O'Clock Reservoir), at 3,570 feet (1,090 m).
• Grasshopper Reservoir, 48°25′02″N 109°16′57″W / 48.41722°N 109.28250°W / 48.41722; -109.28250 (Grasshopper Reservoir), at 3,084 feet (940 m).
• Harbolt Reservoir, 48°50′07″N 109°04′27″W / 48.83528°N 109.07417°W / 48.83528; -109.07417 (Harbolt Reservoir), at 2,848 feet (868 m).
• Holm Reservoir, 48°50′00″N 109°26′03″W / 48.83333°N 109.43417°W / 48.83333; -109.43417 (Holm Reservoir), at 2,631 feet (802 m).
• J Lake, 48°18′06″N 108°38′21″W / 48.30167°N 108.63917°W / 48.30167; -108.63917 (J Lake), at 2,598 feet (792 m).
• Juniper Reservoir, 47°53′05″N 109°06′42″W / 47.88472°N 109.11167°W / 47.88472; -109.11167 (Juniper Reservoir), at 3,261 feet (994 m).
• Lower Hansen Reservoir, 48°07′29″N 109°10′19″W / 48.12472°N 109.17194°W / 48.12472; -109.17194 (Lower Hansen Reservoir), at 3,602 feet (1,098 m).
• McLaren Reservoir, 48°48′42″N 109°25′21″W / 48.81167°N 109.42250°W / 48.81167; -109.42250 (McLaren Reservoir), at 2,615 feet (797 m).
• Newhouse Reservoir, 48°16′50″N 108°58′52″W / 48.28056°N 108.98111°W / 48.28056; -108.98111 (Newhouse Reservoir), at 3,225 feet (983 m).
• Nolan Reservoir, 47°57′02″N 109°18′24″W / 47.95056°N 109.30667°W / 47.95056; -109.30667 (Nolan Reservoir), at 3,570 feet (1,090 m).
• North Chinook Reservoir, 48°46′00″N 109°18′54″W / 48.76667°N 109.31500°W / 48.76667; -109.31500 (North Chinook Reservoir), at 2,582 feet (787 m).
• Old Woman Reservoir, 48°18′15″N 108°41′08″W / 48.30417°N 108.68556°W / 48.30417; -108.68556 (Old Woman Reservoir), at 2,641 feet (805 m).
• Putnam Lake, 48°09′38″N 108°56′32″W / 48.16056°N 108.94222°W / 48.16056; -108.94222 (Putnam Lake), at 3,182 feet (970 m).
• Richmond Reservoir, 48°47′48″N 109°01′21″W / 48.79667°N 109.02250°W / 48.79667; -109.02250 (Richmond Reservoir), at 2,844 feet (867 m).
• Rieve Reservoir, 48°14′17″N 109°10′45″W / 48.23806°N 109.17917°W / 48.23806; -109.17917 (Rieve Reservoir), at 3,760 feet (1,150 m).
• Sandpiper Reservoir, 47°55′46″N 109°11′12″W / 47.92944°N 109.18667°W / 47.92944; -109.18667 (Sandpiper Reservoir), at 3,284 feet (1,001 m).
• Seventeen Mile Reservoir, 48°05′00″N 108°52′03″W / 48.08333°N 108.86750°W / 48.08333; -108.86750 (Seventeen Mile Reservoir), at 3,025 feet (922 m).
• Staff Reservoir, 48°28′30″N 109°25′15″W / 48.47500°N 109.42083°W / 48.47500; -109.42083 (Staff Reservoir), at 2,953 feet (900 m).
• Suction Creek Reservoir, 48°01′37″N 109°00′35″W / 48.02694°N 109.00972°W / 48.02694; -109.00972 (Suction Creek Reservoir), at 3,097 feet (944 m).
• T U Reservoir, 48°05′38″N 109°16′51″W / 48.09389°N 109.28083°W / 48.09389; -109.28083 (T U Reservoir), at 3,707 feet (1,130 m).
• Thirtymile Reservoir, 48°31′05″N 108°44′29″W / 48.51806°N 108.74139°W / 48.51806; -108.74139 (Thirtymile Reservoir), at 2,349 feet (716 m).
• Threemile Reservoir, 48°26′12″N 108°37′59″W / 48.43667°N 108.63306°W / 48.43667; -108.63306 (Threemile Reservoir), at 2,352 feet (717 m).
• Tule Lake, 48°40′51″N 109°03′08″W / 48.68083°N 109.05222°W / 48.68083; -109.05222 (Tule Lake), at 2,717 feet (828 m).
• Twin Reservoir, 48°44′56″N 109°14′23″W / 48.74889°N 109.23972°W / 48.74889; -109.23972 (Twin Reservoir), at 2,589 feet (789 m).
• Upper Hansen Reservoir, 48°08′44″N 109°10′52″W / 48.14556°N 109.18111°W / 48.14556; -109.18111 (Upper Hansen Reservoir), at 3,809 feet (1,161 m).
• Weigand Reservoir, 48°15′37″N 108°24′57″W / 48.26028°N 108.41583°W / 48.26028; -108.41583 (Weigand Reservoir), at 2,543 feet (775 m).
• Weigand Reservoir, 48°15′42″N 108°24′33″W / 48.26167°N 108.40917°W / 48.26167; -108.40917 (Weigand Reservoir), at 2,536 feet (773 m).
• White Bear Reservoir, 48°20′26″N 108°57′10″W / 48.34056°N 108.95278°W / 48.34056; -108.95278 (White Bear Reservoir), at 3,238 feet (987 m).
• Wren Reservoir, 47°54′51″N 109°05′46″W / 47.91417°N 109.09611°W / 47.91417; -109.09611 (Wren Reservoir), at 3,241 feet (988 m).

Why are These Waters Important?

Both lakes and reservoirs in Blaine County play a big role in the area. They provide water for people to drink and for farmers to grow crops. They also create homes for many types of wildlife, including fish, birds, and other animals. These water bodies are also great places for outdoor activities like fishing and enjoying nature.

See also

• List of lakes in Montana