Coffee Mate dam
Coffee Mate
Coffee Mate, located in Fergus County, Montana, is a privately owned earth dam constructed in 1938 by the USDA NRCS to serve various purposes including fire protection, stock, and a small fish pond. The dam stands at a height of 15 feet and has a storage capacity of 130 acre-feet, with a normal storage level of 20 acre-feet. Situated on TR-Coffee Creek, the dam has a drainage area of 7.41 square miles and a maximum discharge capacity of 150 cubic feet per second.
Maintained by the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC), Coffee Mate is classified as a low hazard potential dam with a condition assessment of 'Not Rated'. Despite not being regularly inspected, the dam is designed to withstand emergencies with an emergency action plan (EAP) meeting guidelines for risk management. The dam's spillway width measures 30 feet, ensuring efficient water release and flood control. The structure, although not under federal jurisdiction, plays a crucial role in water resource management and climate resilience in the region.
Coffee Mate's strategic location and design highlight the importance of earth dams in providing essential water resources for agricultural and environmental purposes. With its long history of service dating back to the 1930s, the dam continues to play a key role in supporting local communities and ecosystems. As climate change impacts water availability, structures like Coffee Mate are vital for ensuring sustainable water management practices and safeguarding against potential hazards in the future.
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 Coffee Mate -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Judith River Nr Mouth | 434 cfs | → |
| Missouri River At Fort Benton Mt | 6,610 cfs | → |
| Belt Creek Near Monarch Mt | 255 cfs | → |
| Teton River At Loma Mt | 20 cfs | → |
| Missouri River At Virgelle Mt | 6,600 cfs | → |
| Marias River Near Loma Mt | 477 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Coffee Mate.
Boat launches
Campgrounds
- Thain Creek Camp Ground
- Slaughter River
- Thain Creek
- Thain Creek Campground
- The Wall
- Pablo Rapids (Lower Site)
Fishing spots
- Panton Coulee Reservoir
- Sage Creek (Judith Drainage)
- Warm Spring Creek
- Big Lake
- Running Wolf Creek
- Ackley Lake Feeder Canal
Paddle runs
More reservoirs
Track Coffee Mate 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 Coffee Mate
Where does the data for Coffee Mate 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 Coffee Mate.