Pepper #1 dam
Pepper #1
Pepper #1, located in Wilsall, Montana, along the North Fork Lena Creek, is a privately owned irrigation dam constructed in 1953 by the USDA NRCS. With a dam height of 30 feet and a storage capacity of 139 acre-feet, this earth dam serves the primary purpose of irrigation in the region. The dam is regulated by the Montana DNRC and is subject to state permitting, inspection, and enforcement, ensuring its safe operation and maintenance.
Despite its age, Pepper #1 is classified as having low hazard potential and its condition is currently not rated. The dam has a spillway width of 8 feet and a maximum discharge capacity of 50 cfs, providing adequate flood protection for the surrounding area. While no recent inspection date is available, the dam is considered to meet state guidelines for emergency action plans, although specific details on preparedness measures are not provided in the data.
Overall, Pepper #1 stands as a vital water resource infrastructure in Park County, Montana, supporting agricultural activities through its irrigation capabilities. As a part of the larger network of dams managed by the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Pepper #1 plays a crucial role in water management and conservation efforts in the region. With its regulated status and low hazard potential, the dam serves as a testament to the importance of sustainable water resource management 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 Pepper #1 -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| South Fork Musselshell R Ab Martinsdale Mt | 43 cfs | → |
| Shields River Nr Livingston Mt | 252 cfs | → |
| Musselshell River Nr Martinsdale | 149 cfs | → |
| Boulder River At Big Timber Mt | 757 cfs | → |
| Yellowstone River Near Livingston Mt | 6,260 cfs | → |
| Musselshell River At Harlowton Mt | 170 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Pepper #1.
Campgrounds
- Porcupine Cabin
- Crandall Creek Cabin
- Shields River Dispersed Site
- Ibex Cabin
- Halfmoon Campground
- Battle Ridge
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- Gallatin Forest Boundary, Sec. 26, T3s, R12e To Blakley Creek, Sec. 26, T3s, R12e
- Blakley Creek, Sec. 26, T4s, R12e To Miller Creek, Sec 13, T4s, R21e
- Arch Coulee Junction, Sec. 32, T13n, R11e To Forest Boundary, Sec. 35, T13n, R11e
- Miller Creek, Sec. 13, T4s, R21e To Bramble Creek, Sec. 26, T5s, R12e
- Bible Run
- Bramble Creek, Sec. 26, T5s, R12e To Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness, Sec. 22, T7s, R12e
More reservoirs
Track Pepper #1 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 Pepper #1
Where does the data for Pepper #1 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 Pepper #1.