Big Creek Lake is a concrete dam located in Ravalli County, Montana, built in 1892. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 12 ft12 ft tall and 65 ft long. Height is drawn to scale against a two-story house, about 25 ft; the profile is a generic concrete gravity section and the water level is illustrative.
About Big Creek Lake
The primary purpose of Big Creek Lake is irrigation. The dam stores and diverts water for agricultural irrigation, supporting farming operations in the surrounding area. The dam is owned by Big Creek Lake Res Assn (private). It impounds the Big Creek near Stevensville.
The dam stands 12 feet tall and stretches 65 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 242 acres, has a storage capacity of 2,904 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 50 square miles. Completed in 1892, the structure is over a century old.
This dam has a significant hazard potential classification, meaning that a failure could cause significant economic damage — flooding roads, bridges, or property downstream — but is not expected to result in loss of life. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 09/11/2023.
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Location
| State | Montana |
| County | Ravalli |
| Nearest City | Stevensville |
| River/Stream | Big Creek |
| Coordinates | 46.49490, -114.35390 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Concrete |
| NID Height | 12 ft |
| Dam Height | 12 ft |
| Dam Length | 65 ft |
| Year Completed | 1892 (134 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 2,904 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 2,904 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 242 acres |
| Drainage Area | 50 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 250 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Irrigation |
| Owner | Big Creek Lake Res Assn |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 09/11/2023 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MT01174 |
| Federal ID | MT01174 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |