Glen Lake dam
Glen Lake
Glen Lake is a picturesque reservoir located in Lincoln, Montana, owned by the local government and regulated by the DNRC. Built in 1950 by the USDA NRCS, this Earth-type dam serves primarily for irrigation purposes, with a storage capacity of 3,580 acre-feet and a surface area of 300 acres. The dam stands at 14 feet tall and spans 700 feet along Lick Creek, providing essential water resources for the surrounding area.
Despite its critical role in irrigation, Glen Lake poses a high hazard potential due to its poor condition assessment. The last inspection in June 2020 revealed significant maintenance issues, highlighting the urgent need for repairs to ensure the dam's structural integrity and prevent potential risks to downstream communities. With a history of state regulation and enforcement, ongoing inspections, and an emergency action plan in place, efforts are underway to address the dam's deteriorating condition and mitigate any potential hazards associated with the reservoir.
As water resource and climate enthusiasts, keeping a close eye on Glen Lake's maintenance and risk assessment is crucial to safeguarding the surrounding environment and communities. With its historical significance, high hazard potential, and critical role in irrigation, maintaining the dam's integrity and implementing risk management measures are essential steps in preserving this valuable water resource for future generations.
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 Glen Lake -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Tobacco River Near Eureka Mt | 388 cfs | → |
| Flathead River At Flathead British Columbia | 2,120 cfs | → |
| Kootenai River Bl Libby Dam Nr Libby Mt | 9,980 cfs | → |
| Fisher River Near Libby Mt | 481 cfs | → |
| N F Flathead River Nr Columbia Falls Mt | 6,310 cfs | → |
| Flathead River At Columbia Falls Mt | 18,200 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Glen Lake.
Boat launches
- Sophie Lake Road Lincoln County
- Peck Gulch Road Lincoln County
- Rocky Gorge Road Lincoln County
- Canadian Border River Access Boating Site
- National Forest Development Road 333 Lincoln County
Campgrounds
- Rock Lake
- Riverside Park - Eureka
- Grave Creek Campground
- Big Therriault Lake
- Big Therriault Lake Campground
- Little Therriault Lake Campground
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- Beginning Of Stahl Creek To End Of Stahl Creek
- Beginning Of Clarence Creek To End Of Clarence Creek
- Beginning Of Blue Sky To End Of Blue Sky
- Grave Creek System
- Big Creek Bridge Adjacent To Lake Koocanusa, Sec. 33, T35n, R29w To North And South Fork Of Big Creek
- Little North Fork And Big Creek, Sec. 32, T35n, R29w To Upstream 2 Miles
Track Glen Lake 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 Glen Lake
Where does the data for Glen Lake 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 High 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 Glen Lake.