Cataract Creek Dam
Cataract Creek Dam is an earth dam located in Madison County, Montana, built in 1959. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a unsatisfactory condition assessment.
About Cataract Creek Dam
The primary purpose of Cataract Creek Dam is irrigation. The dam stores and diverts water for agricultural irrigation, supporting farming operations in the surrounding area. The dam is owned by Cataract Creek Water Users Assoc. (private). It impounds the Cataract Creek near Pony.
The dam stands 80 feet tall and stretches 775 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 45 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 1,800 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 6 square miles. Completed in 1959, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.
This dam carries a high hazard potential classification, which means that a failure or uncontrolled release of water would likely cause loss of human life. This classification reflects the consequences of failure, not the likelihood — it indicates that people live or work in the area downstream. Its condition is rated unsatisfactory, indicating serious safety deficiencies exist that require immediate attention or remedial action. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 10/13/2023.
At 80 feet, this dam is taller than 97% of all dams in the United States.
Living Downstream
If you live or work downstream of this dam, consider taking these steps: learn your local evacuation routes, check whether your county emergency management office has a dam failure inundation map, and sign up for local emergency alerts. The Montana dam safety program can provide more specific information about emergency planning for this structure.
Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.
Location
| State | Montana |
| County | Madison |
| Nearest City | Pony |
| River/Stream | Cataract Creek |
| Coordinates | 45.64340, -111.93740 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 80 ft |
| Dam Height | 80 ft |
| Dam Length | 775 ft |
| Year Completed | 1959 (67 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 1,800 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 1,800 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 1,478 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 45 acres |
| Drainage Area | 6 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 1,250 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Irrigation |
| Owner | CATARACT CREEK WATER USERS ASSOC. |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Unsatisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 10/13/2023 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MT00005 |
| Federal ID | MT00005 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |