Hinman Dam

About Hinman Dam

Hinman Dam is a dam in Lewis and Clark, Montana. The dam is owned by Roger Hinman (private). It impounds the Beartooth Creek.

The dam stands 34 feet tall and stretches 216 feet across, and has a maximum storage capacity of 21 acre-feet. Completed in 2000, the structure is 26 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. The most recent inspection on record was 03/31/2004. That was 22 years ago — unusually long for a high-hazard dam, which typically requires more frequent inspections.

At 34 feet, this dam is taller than 80% 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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