Willow Creek Dam (Montana) facts for kids

The Willow Creek Dam (also known as National ID # MT00577) is a large dam located in Lewis and Clark County, Montana. It was built to help manage water for farming and to prevent floods.

Willow Creek Dam: A Montana Landmark

This important earthen dam was first built a long time ago, between 1907 and 1911. The United States Bureau of Reclamation was in charge of building it. Since then, the dam has been made stronger and updated many times.

The dam stands 93 feet tall, which is about as high as a nine-story building! It stretches 650 feet across at the top. Its main job is to hold back the water from Willow Creek. This water is then used to irrigate farms and to control flooding, especially as part of the bigger Sun River Project. The Bureau of Reclamation still owns and operates the dam today.

Willow Creek Reservoir: Fun on the Water

The dam creates a big lake called Willow Creek Reservoir. This reservoir covers a huge area of water, about 1,530 acres. That's like more than 1,000 football fields! There are also 3,069 acres of land around the reservoir. The shoreline stretches for about eleven miles, offering lots of space to explore.

The reservoir can hold a lot of water, up to 32,400 acre-feet. It's a popular spot for outdoor activities. You can go fishing for rainbow trout and kokanee salmon. Many people also enjoy camping, hunting, boating, and hiking around the reservoir. It's a great place to spend time outdoors in Montana!