Prairie Nest Ranch 2 dam
Prairie Nest Ranch 2
Prairie Nest Ranch 2 is a privately owned dam located in Fort Benton, Montana, along the TR-BOX ELDER CREEK. Built in 1920, this earth dam stands at 20 feet high and has a storage capacity of 64 acre-feet, primarily serving purposes such as fire protection, stock watering, and small fish pond management. The dam is regulated by the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC), ensuring its compliance with state permitting, inspection, and enforcement requirements.
Despite its low hazard potential, Prairie Nest Ranch 2 has not been rated for its condition assessment, and there is no information available regarding its emergency action plan (EAP) or risk management measures. The dam has not been modified in recent years, and it does not have any associated structures or outlet gates. Owned by a private entity, this dam plays a crucial role in providing essential water resources for agricultural and ecological purposes in the Cascade County region of Montana.
Overall, Prairie Nest Ranch 2 serves as a key infrastructure for water resource management in the area, contributing to fire protection, livestock support, and small fish pond maintenance. With its historical significance dating back to the early 20th century, this dam represents a blend of traditional engineering practices and modern regulatory oversight, ensuring the safety and sustainability of water resources in the region. For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Prairie Nest Ranch 2 offers a fascinating insight into the intersection of human infrastructure with natural ecosystems in the Montana landscape.
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 Prairie Nest Ranch 2 -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Missouri River Near Great Falls Mt | 5,620 cfs | → |
| Missouri River Near Ulm Mt | 4,040 cfs | → |
| Sun River Near Vaughn Mt | 1,120 cfs | → |
| Lake Creek Near Power Mt | 30 cfs | → |
| Muddy Creek At Vaughn Mt | 87 cfs | → |
| Belt Creek Near Monarch Mt | 234 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Prairie Nest Ranch 2.
Boat launches
Campgrounds
- Gateway Military - Malmstrom Afb
- Thain Creek Campground
- Thain Creek
- Thain Creek Camp Ground
- Logging Creek Campground
- Logging Creek
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- Tenderfoot Creek, Sec. 30, T14n, R4e To Deep Creek, Sec. 31, T16n, R4e
- Marias River
- Falls, Sec. 25, T14n, R4e To Smith River, Sec. 25, T14n, R3e
- Camp Baker To Eden Bridge
More reservoirs
Track Prairie Nest Ranch 2 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 Prairie Nest Ranch 2
Where does the data for Prairie Nest Ranch 2 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 Prairie Nest Ranch 2.