Little Sleeping Child Creek Dam

About Little Sleeping Child Creek Dam

The primary purpose of Little Sleeping Child Creek Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Wayne Kelly (private). It impounds the Little Sleeping Child Creek near Hamilton.

The dam stands 35 feet tall and stretches 350 feet across, has a maximum storage capacity of 73 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 11 square miles. Completed in 1927, 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 satisfactory, indicating no existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 11/27/2023.

At 35 feet, this dam is taller than 82% 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.

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