Dry Blood Creek Dam
Dry Blood Creek Dam is a gravity dam located in Petroleum County, Montana, built in 1964. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Dry Blood Creek Dam
The primary purpose of Dry Blood Creek Dam is flood risk reduction. The dam is designed to control downstream flooding by temporarily storing excess water during storms and releasing it at a controlled rate. The dam is owned by Doi Blm (federal). It impounds the Dry Blood Creek near Fort Peck.
The dam stands 40 feet tall and stretches 1,300 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 51 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 529 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 11 square miles. Completed in 1964, 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 fair — the dam has minor deficiencies that are being addressed or do not pose an immediate safety threat. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 07/20/2020.
At 40 feet, this dam is taller than 87% of dams nationwide.
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 | Petroleum |
| Nearest City | Fort Peck |
| River/Stream | Dry Blood Creek |
| Coordinates | 47.22650, -108.37790 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Gravity |
| NID Height | 40 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,300 ft |
| Year Completed | 1964 (62 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 529 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 529 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 317 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 51 acres |
| Drainage Area | 11 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 2,435 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | DOI BLM |
| Owner Type | Federal |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 07/20/2020 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MT00808 |
| Federal ID | MT00808 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |