Decuman dam
Decuman
Decuman is a privately owned earth dam located in Teton, Montana, with a primary purpose of providing fire protection, stock watering, and serving as a small fish pond. Completed in 1965, the dam stands at a height of 15 feet and has a storage capacity of 62 acre-feet. Situated on the TR-Farmers Canal, Decuman plays a crucial role in water resource management in the area, particularly for agricultural and wildlife purposes.
Managed by the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC), Decuman is regulated, inspected, and enforced by the state to ensure its safe operation. With a low hazard potential and a current condition assessment of "Not Rated," the dam serves as a vital infrastructure for the local community while posing minimal risk. Despite lacking certain detailed assessments and emergency preparedness measures, Decuman remains a key asset in the region's water resource and climate resilience efforts.
As a part of the broader water infrastructure network in the area, Decuman contributes to the overall water management system by providing essential services and benefits to the environment and the community. With its strategic location and functions, the dam underscores the importance of sustainable water resource management in addressing the challenges posed by climate change and ensuring the availability of water for various needs in the region.
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 Decuman -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Teton River Bl South Fork Nr Choteau Mt | 191 cfs | → |
| Sun River Bl Diversion Dam Nr Augusta Mt | 1,190 cfs | → |
| Sun River Bl Willow Cr Nr Augusta Mt | 1,130 cfs | → |
| North Fork Sun River Near Augusta Mt | 610 cfs | → |
| South Fork Sun River Near Augusta Mt | 674 cfs | → |
| Sun River At Simms Mt | 1,030 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Decuman.
Campgrounds
- Choteau Mountain View Campground
- Pishkun Reservoir Fas
- Cave Mountain
- Cave Mountain Campground
- Green Gulch Dispersed Camp Campground
- Elko Campground
Fishing spots
- Davis Lake
- Sun River Slope Canal
- Duck Creek
- Dry Creek-Krezelok Reservoir
- Big Salmon Creek
- Big Salmon Lake
Paddle runs
- Fool Creek, Sec. 24, T25n, R11w To Wilderness Boundary
- Wilderness Boundary To South Fork Sun River, Sec. 26, T22n, R10w
- Headwaters, Sec. 4, T18n, R10w To North Fork Sun River, Sec. 26, T22n, R10w
- Headwaters, Sec. 34, T28n, R11w To Swift Reservoir
- Pool Creek, Sec. 7, T28n, R12w To Falls, Sec. 25, T29n, R12w
- Headwaters, Sec. 15, T18n, R10w To Straight Creek, Sec. 25, T19n, R10w
Track Decuman 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 Decuman
Where does the data for Decuman 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 Decuman.