Opening date July 18, 1953 Width (crest) 34 feet (10 m) Catchment area 4,248 km² Inflow source South Fork Flathead River | Length 2,115 ft (645 m) Height 172 m Catchment area 4,245 km² Construction began 21 April 1948 | |
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Location Flathead County, near hungry horse, Montana, USA Type of dam Concrete thick arch dam Impounds South Fork Flathead River Operator United States Bureau of Reclamation Similar North Fork Flathead River, Rocky Mountains, Flathead Lake, Kerr Dam, Libby Dam | ||
Hungry horse dam reservoir in montana s flathead national forest
Hungry Horse Dam is an arch dam on the South Fork Flathead River in the Rocky Mountains of the U.S. state of Montana. It is located in Flathead National Forest, in Flathead County, about 15 miles (24 km) south of the west entrance to Glacier National Park, 9 miles (14 km) southeast of Columbia Falls, and 20 miles (32 km) northeast of Kalispell. The Hungry Horse project, dam, and powerplant are operated by the United States Bureau of Reclamation. The entrance road leading to the dam is located in Hungry Horse, Montana.
Contents
- Hungry horse dam reservoir in montana s flathead national forest
- Map of Hungry Horse Dam Martin City MT 59926 USA
- Hungry horse dam
- Dimensions and statistics
- History
- Hydroelectric power generation
- References
Map of Hungry Horse Dam, Martin City, MT 59926, USA
Hungry horse dam
Dimensions and statistics
At 564 feet (172 m) in height, the dam was the third largest and second highest concrete dam in the world at the time of its completion in 1953, with a volume of 3,100,000 cubic yards (2,400,000 m3). The dam's spillway is the highest morning glory structure in the world. The spillway is controlled by a 64-by-12-foot (19.5 by 3.7 m) ring gate.
History
Construction of Hungry Horse Dam was authorized by the Act of June 5, 1944 (58 Stat. 270, Public Law 78-329). Construction began in April 1948 and completed in July 16, 1953. The purposes of the Hungry Horse Project authorized by law are irrigation, flood control, navigation, streamflow regulation, hydroelectric generation, and other beneficial uses such as recreation. However, no irrigation facilities were built and the project has no irrigation obligations. Hydroelectric power generation is the primary purpose of the dam today. Flood control is the dam's other main purpose. The dam, reservoir, and surrounding area are used for recreation. However the once great lower gorge (montana's best whitewater) lies submerged underneath.
Hydroelectric power generation
The project contributes to hydroelectric power generation not only at Hungry Horse Dam, but by storing and releasing water for use by downriver hydroelectric dams on the Flathead River, Clark Fork, Pend Oreille River, and Columbia River. About a billion kilowatt–hours are generated annually at Hungry Horse Dam, while in an average year the release water will generate about 4.6 billion kilowatt–hours of power as it passes through the series of downstream powerplants.
Power generating facilities at Hungry Horse Dam are housed in a building constructed across the river channel at the downstream toe of the dam. The original design included four 71,250-kilowatt generators—a total of 285 megawatts installed capacity. The generator capacity was uprated in the 1990s to 107,000 kilowatts each for a total capacity of 428 megawatts.