Sparrow Pond Dam dam
Sparrow Pond Dam
Sparrow Pond Dam, located in Beaverhead, Montana, was completed in 1965 by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as a Federal project. The dam serves as a Fish and Wildlife Pond, with a primary purpose of providing habitat for local wildlife. It is an Earth-type dam, constructed with stone core and soil foundation, standing at a height of 7 feet and a length of 520 feet. The dam has a maximum storage capacity of 114 acre-feet and a normal storage of 20 acre-feet, covering a surface area of 17 acres.
Despite its low hazard potential, Sparrow Pond Dam has a very high risk assessment rating due to its poor condition as of the last inspection in August 2018. The dam is under the jurisdiction of the Fish and Wildlife Service for regulation, inspection, and operation. With a drainage area of 0.2 square miles and a controlled spillway type, the dam has a maximum discharge capacity of 32 cubic feet per second. While the dam's structural integrity may be a concern, the surrounding Sparrow Slough area benefits from the conservation efforts supported by the dam, making it a crucial site for water resource and climate enthusiasts to monitor and support 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 Sparrow Pond Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Red Rock Cr Ab Lakes Nr Lakeview Mt | 43 cfs | → |
| Madison River At Kirby Ranch Nr Cameron Mt | 676 cfs | → |
| Henrys Fork Blw Coffee Pot Rapids Nr Macks Inn Id | 372 cfs | → |
| Henrys Fork Nr Lake Id | 8 cfs | → |
| Henrys Fork Nr Island Park Id | 718 cfs | → |
| Beaver Creek At Spencer Id 12n-36e-23a | 22 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Sparrow Pond Dam .
Boat launches
- Henry's Lake - Boat Access
- Mccrea Road Fremont County
- Island Park Boating Site
- Fremont County
- Forest Road 413 Fremont County
- Windy Point Boat Launch
Campgrounds
- Upper Lake
- Upper Lake Campground
- Elk Lake Dispersed Camping And Picnic Area
- Steel Creek Group Campground
- Al Taylor Cabin
- Cliff Point Campground
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- 1/2 Below Landon Camp, Sec. 32, T12s, R1w To Up River 3/4 Mi, Sec. 31, T12s, R1w
- 1/4 Mi West Landon Camp, Sec. 31, T12s, R1w To Fossil Creek, Sec. 27, T12s, R2w
- Fossil Ck & Wf Madison, Sec. 27, T12s, R2w To Miner Creek, Sec. 30 T12s, R2w
- Bear Creek
- Shakelford Homestead, Sec. 26, T12s, R1w To 1/2 Mi Below Landon Camp, Sec. 32, T12s, R1w
- Elk Rv & Wf Madison Rv, Sec. 17, T12s, R1e To Dirty Creek, Sec. 11, T11s, R1w
Track Sparrow Pond 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 Sparrow Pond Dam
Where does the data for Sparrow Pond 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 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 Sparrow Pond Dam .