Libby Dam dam
Libby Dam
Libby Dam, also known as Lake Koocanusa, is a Federal-owned structure located in Lincoln, Montana. Completed in 1973, this gravity dam serves multiple purposes including flood risk reduction, hydroelectric power generation, and recreation. With a height of 362 feet and a structural height of 422 feet, Libby Dam plays a crucial role in managing the flow of the Kootenai River and maintaining a maximum storage capacity of 6,027,000 acre-feet.
Despite being characterized with a high hazard potential, US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) continuously implements risk management measures to ensure the safety of the dam and surrounding communities. USACE conducts regular inspections, maintains monitoring instruments, and collaborates with local emergency managers to update Emergency Action Plans and conduct emergency exercises. The dam's Emergency Action Plan is designed to mitigate potential risks, such as the unlikely scenario of a massive rockslide triggering a dam failure, which could result in deadly flooding downstream.
In the face of extreme weather events, such as heavy rainfall and snowmelt, USACE works diligently to balance flood risk by releasing water through the spillway to prevent overtopping and failure of the dam. While the risk assessment characterizes the dam's risk as moderate, USACE remains confident in the dam's structural integrity and its ability to reduce flood risks significantly. By employing proactive measures and closely monitoring conditions, USACE aims to minimize the potential for life loss and property damage, ensuring the continued effectiveness of Libby Dam in water resource management and climate resilience efforts.
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 Libby Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Kootenai River Bl Libby Dam Nr Libby Mt | 9,940 cfs | → |
| Fisher River Near Libby Mt | 476 cfs | → |
| Yaak River Near Troy Mt | 1,380 cfs | → |
| Tobacco River Near Eureka Mt | 388 cfs | → |
| Kootenai River At Leonia Id | 13,900 cfs | → |
| Clark Fork River Below Cabinet Gorge Dam Id | 41,700 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Libby Dam.
Boat launches
- Lincoln County
- Osprey Landing
- National Forest Development Road 333 Lincoln County
- City Service Road Libby
- Rocky Gorge Road Lincoln County
- Peck Gulch Road Lincoln County
Campgrounds
- Dunn Creek Flats
- Dunn Creek Campground
- Blackwell Flats
- Blackwell Flats Campground
- Mcgillivray Campground
- Mcgillivray Campground And Group Sites
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- Junction Of The Fisher River (Three Miles Sownstream Of Libby Dam) To Tub Gulch, Approximately Four Miles Upstream From The Town Of Libby, Montana
- 10 Miles From Tub Gulch To Quartz Creek To 10 Miles From Tub Gulch To Quartz Creek
- From The Junction Of Hennesey Creek Downstream For Nine Miles To The Confluence With The Kootenai River To
- From The Boundary Of The Flagstaff Mountain Inventoried Roadless Area #690 Downstream For Three Miles To The Confluence Of Main Quartz Creek To
- Lookout Creek And South Fork, Sec. 21, T34n, R30w To Upstream For 6 Miles
- From The Headwaters Of The West Fork Of Quartz Creek Downstream For Three Miles To The Boundary Of The Flagstaff Mountain Inventoried Roadless Area #690 To
Track Libby Dam 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 Libby Dam
Where does the data for Libby Dam 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 Libby Dam.