Lake Sherburne Dam

About Lake Sherburne Dam

The primary purpose of Lake Sherburne Dam is irrigation. The dam stores and diverts water for agricultural irrigation, supporting farming operations in the surrounding area. The dam is owned by Bureau Of Reclamation (federal). It impounds the Swiftcurrent Creek near Babb.

The dam stands 109 feet tall and stretches 1,086 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 2,163 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 110,679 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 63 square miles. Completed in 1919, the structure is over a century 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. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 09/01/2021.

At 109 feet, this dam is taller than 98% 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.

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