Nelson Irrigation (wheatland) is an earth dam located in Wheatland County, Montana, built in 1956. It carries a Low hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 25 ft25 ft tall and 500 ft long, taller than 50% of U.S. dams with a recorded height. Height is drawn to scale against a two-story house, about 25 ft; the profile is a generic embankment section and the water level is illustrative.
About Nelson Irrigation (wheatland)
The primary purpose of Nelson Irrigation (wheatland) is irrigation. The dam stores and diverts water for agricultural irrigation, supporting farming operations in the surrounding area. The dam is owned by Mark & Mary Miller (private). It impounds the Hopley Creek near Harlowton.
The dam stands 25 feet tall and stretches 500 feet across, has a maximum storage capacity of 117 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 46 square miles. Completed in 1956, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.
This dam has a low hazard potential classification, meaning that failure would cause minimal damage, limited primarily to the dam owner's property, with no expected loss of life.
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Location
| State | Montana |
| County | Wheatland |
| Nearest City | Harlowton |
| River/Stream | Hopley Creek |
| Coordinates | 46.56300, -109.96920 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 25 ft |
| Dam Height | 25 ft |
| Dam Length | 500 ft |
| Year Completed | 1956 (70 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 117 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 117 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 69 acre-ft |
| Drainage Area | 46 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 300 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Irrigation |
| Owner | Mark & Mary Miller |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MT00128 |
| Federal ID | MT00128 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |