Holly Sugar dam
Holly Sugar
Holly Sugar, Lower is a privately owned irrigation dam located in Sidney, Montana, along the L Yellowstone Main Canal. Built in 1929, this earth dam stands at a height of 10 feet and has a length of 450 feet. With a storage capacity of 77 acre-feet, Holly Sugar, Lower primarily serves the purpose of irrigation in the region.
Managed by the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC), this dam is regulated by the state and undergoes regular inspections, enforcement, and permitting processes to ensure its safety and functionality. With a low hazard potential and a condition assessment of "Not Rated," Holly Sugar, Lower has not been modified over the years and has not had an Emergency Action Plan (EAP) prepared or updated.
Water resource and climate enthusiasts interested in the infrastructure of irrigation systems in Montana may find Holly Sugar, Lower to be an intriguing case study. Its location, design, purpose, and regulatory oversight provide valuable insights into the management of water resources in the region and the importance of maintaining and monitoring dams for agricultural and environmental sustainability.
Dam data reference
Condition Assessment
- Satisfactory
- No existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. Acceptable performance is expected under all loading conditions (static, hydrologic, seismic) in accordance with the minimum applicable state or federal regulatory criteria or tolerable risk guidelines.
- Fair
- No existing dam safety deficiencies are recognized for normal operating conditions. Rare or extreme hydrologic and/or seismic events may result in a dam safety deficiency. Risk may be in the range to take further action.
- Poor
- A dam safety deficiency is recognized for normal operating conditions which may realistically occur. Remedial action is necessary. POOR may also be used when uncertainties exist as to critical analysis parameters which identify a potential dam safety deficiency.
- Unsatisfactory
- A dam safety deficiency is recognized that requires immediate or emergency remedial action for problem resolution.
- Not Rated
- The dam has not been inspected, is not under state or federal jurisdiction, or has been inspected but, for whatever reason, has not been rated.
Hazard Potential Classification
- High
- Dams assigned the high hazard potential classification are those where failure or mis-operation will probably cause loss of human life.
- Significant
- Dams assigned the significant hazard potential classification are those dams where failure or mis-operation results in no probable loss of human life but can cause economic loss, environmental damage, disruption of lifeline facilities, or impact other concerns. Significant hazard potential classification dams are often located in predominantly rural or agricultural areas but could be in areas with population and significant infrastructure.
- Low
- Dams assigned the low hazard potential classification are those where failure or mis-operation results in no probable loss of human life and low economic and/or environmental losses. Losses are principally limited to the owner's property.
- Undetermined
- Dams for which a downstream hazard potential has not been designated or is not provided.
Plan around the weather
Same NOAA / yr.no feed Snoflo's iOS app uses. Watch the precipitation column on the meteogram -- rain on the basin upstream typically lifts inflow 24-72 hours later.
Next 5 days, hour by hour
Temperature line with weather symbols on top, snow + rain accumulation as columns, humidity as a dotted line.
5-day forecast table
Every 3 hours, broken out across temperature, snow, rain, humidity, and wind. Each cell is colour-coded relative to the column min/max.
| Time | Condition | Temp (°F) | Snow (in) | Rain (in) | Humidity (%) | Wind (mps) | Wind dir |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loading detailed forecast… | |||||||
15-day temperature & precipitation
Daily temperatures, snow, and rain projected over the next two weeks.
Nearby streamflow gauges
USGS streamgauges around Holly Sugar -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Yellowstone River Near Sidney Mt | 18,200 cfs | → |
| Charbonneau Creek Nr Charbonneau | 0 cfs | → |
| Missouri River Near Culbertson Mt | 5,030 cfs | → |
| Beaver Creek Nr Trotters | 2 cfs | → |
| Big Muddy Cr Nr Mouth Nr Culbertson Mt | 10 cfs | → |
| Little Missouri River Nr Watford City | 40 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Holly Sugar.
Campgrounds
- Seven Sisters Fas
- Sharbano City Park
- Sundheim Park
- Sather Lake
- Sather Lake Recreation Area
- Fort Buford State Historic Site
Paddle runs
- Southern Boundary Of The Elkhorn Unit Of Theodore Roosevelt National Park To Northern Boundary Of The Elkhorn Unit Of Theodore Roosevelt National Park
- Southern Boundary Of The South Unit Of Theodore Roosevelt National Park To Northern Boundary Of The South Unit Of Theodore Roosevelt National Park
Track Holly Sugar in the Snoflo app
Save this dam as a favorite and get the local NOAA / yr.no forecast plus regional flow context wherever you are.
About Holly Sugar
Where does the data for Holly Sugar come from?
Structural and regulatory data come from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' National Inventory of Dams (NID). Weather forecast comes from NOAA / yr.no -- the same feed Snoflo's iOS app uses.
How often is the report updated?
NID structural data refreshes annually as the Corps publishes updated assessments. The weather forecast refreshes throughout the day.
What does the Low hazard rating mean?
The Corps of Engineers' hazard potential classification grades probable consequences if the dam fails: High = probable loss of human life; Significant = no probable loss of human life but possible economic loss / environmental damage; Low = no probable loss of human life, only minor economic / environmental losses. See the Dam Data Reference card above for the full definitions.
What's "% of normal"?
The current storage value compared to the historical average storage on this calendar day. 100% = right on average; values above 100% mean above-normal storage (wet year); values below mean below-normal (dry year or drought).
Can I get alerts when storage crosses a threshold?
Yes -- alerts are managed in the Snoflo iOS app. Favorite this dam, set a threshold, and you'll get a push the moment conditions cross.
Other water bodies near here
Snoflo-tracked reservoirs and dams within driving distance of Holly Sugar.