Mesaros dam
Mesaros
Mesaros, located in Cascade, Montana, is a privately owned dam built in 1958 for fire protection, stock, and small fish pond purposes. With a height of 30 feet and a length of 415 feet, Mesaros stands as a vital structure on TR-SPRING WILLOW CREEK, serving the community of Great Falls. The dam has a storage capacity of 257 acre-feet, providing essential water resources for various needs.
Managed by the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC), Mesaros is regulated, inspected, and enforced to ensure its safety and functionality. Despite being classified as having a low hazard potential and not rated for condition assessment, the dam continues to play a crucial role in water resource management in the region. With its strategic location and purposeful design, Mesaros serves as a reminder of the intricate relationship between water resources and climate resilience.
As an integral part of the local infrastructure, Mesaros contributes to the overall water security and environmental sustainability of the area. Its proximity to the Walla Walla District and Congressional District 00 in Montana highlights its significance in water management efforts. With ongoing monitoring and regulatory oversight, Mesaros stands as a testament to the importance of maintaining and investing in water infrastructure for the benefit of communities and ecosystems in the face of changing climate conditions.
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 Mesaros -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Smith River Near Eden Mt | 434 cfs | → |
| Missouri River At Cascade Mt | 3,530 cfs | → |
| Missouri River Near Ulm Mt | 4,040 cfs | → |
| Sun River Near Vaughn Mt | 1,120 cfs | → |
| Belt Creek Near Monarch Mt | 234 cfs | → |
| Muddy Creek At Vaughn Mt | 87 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Mesaros.
Boat launches
- Cascade County
- Old Us Highway 91 Cascade County
- Big Bend Boat Ramp
- River Drive South 814, Great Falls
- Log Gulch Boat Ramp
- Beartooth Road Lewis And Clark County
Campgrounds
- American Legion/Lions Park - Cascade
- Pelican Point Fas
- Mountain Palace Fas
- Prewett Creek Fas
- Mid Canon Fas
- Dearborn Fas
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- Tenderfoot Creek, Sec. 30, T14n, R4e To Deep Creek, Sec. 31, T16n, R4e
- Falls, Sec. 25, T14n, R4e To Smith River, Sec. 25, T14n, R3e
- Camp Baker To Eden Bridge
- Missouri River
- Hauser Dam, Sec. 29, T12n, R2w To Cochran Gulch, Sec. 18, T12n, R2w
- Town Of Nelson, Sec. 12, T12n, R2w To Missouri River, Sec. 19, T12n, R2w
Track Mesaros 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 Mesaros
Where does the data for Mesaros 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 Mesaros.