Deep Cut Detention Dam dam
Deep Cut Detention Dam
Deep Cut Detention Dam in Montana, owned by the Bureau of Land Management, serves multiple purposes including fire protection, stock watering, and as a small fish pond. This gravity dam, completed in 1960, has a structural height of 22 feet and a hydraulic height of 17 feet, with a storage capacity of 343 acre-feet and a surface area of 27.49 acres. Located on Willow Creek/Milk River in Valley County, the dam has a low hazard potential and is in fair condition, with a moderate risk assessment.
This uncontrolled spillway dam, with a length of 949 feet, plays a crucial role in water resource management and climate resilience in the region. Despite being non-federally regulated, the dam provides essential support for local firefighting efforts and livestock maintenance. With its moderate risk level and fair condition, the Deep Cut Detention Dam stands as a vital infrastructure for the community, demonstrating the importance of sustainable water resource management in the face of changing climate conditions.
Maintaining and monitoring the Deep Cut Detention Dam is essential to ensure its continued functionality and safety. With regular inspections and risk assessments, coupled with effective risk management measures, the dam can continue to serve its multiple purposes while safeguarding the surrounding environment and communities. As water resources become increasingly strained due to climate change, structures like the Deep Cut Detention Dam play a crucial role in ensuring water availability and resilience in the face of future challenges.
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 Deep Cut Detention Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Milk River At Tampico Mt | 47 cfs | → |
| Milk River At Nashua Mt | 57 cfs | → |
| Beaver Creek Near Hinsdale Mt | 31 cfs | → |
| Milk River At Juneberg Bridge Nr Saco Mt | 178 cfs | → |
| Beaver Cr Bl Guston Coulee Nr Saco Mt | 67 cfs | → |
| Nelson Creek Near Van Norman Mt | 0 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Deep Cut Detention Dam.
Track Deep Cut Detention Dam 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 Deep Cut Detention Dam
Where does the data for Deep Cut Detention Dam 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 Deep Cut Detention Dam.