Kicking Horse
Kicking Horse is an earth dam located in Lake County, Montana, built in 1930. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a unsatisfactory condition assessment.
About Kicking Horse
The primary purpose of Kicking Horse is irrigation. The dam stores and diverts water for agricultural irrigation, supporting farming operations in the surrounding area. The dam is owned by Bia (federal). It impounds the Feeder Canal.
The dam stands 30 feet tall and stretches 5,700 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 629 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 10,130 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 2 square miles. Completed in 1930, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.
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 09/26/2022.
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 | Lake |
| Nearest City | None |
| River/Stream | Feeder Canal |
| Coordinates | 47.45191, -114.07126 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 30 ft |
| Dam Height | 30 ft |
| Dam Length | 5,700 ft |
| Year Completed | 1930 (96 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 10,130 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 10,130 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 9,200 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 629 acres |
| Drainage Area | 2 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 750 cfs |
| Spillway Type | None |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Irrigation |
| Owner | BIA |
| Owner Type | Federal |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Unsatisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 09/26/2022 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MT00594 |
| Federal ID | MT00594 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |