Montana’s Top 12 Counties with High-Risk Dams

Have you ever heard the tale of the Dutch boy who saved his town by plugging a leaking dam with his finger? While the story is fictional, the lesson holds true—when a dam starts to leak, it's a sign of much bigger problems.

Montana is home to numerous dams that play a crucial role in hydroelectric power, irrigation, and flood control. However, these massive structures require constant maintenance, and when issues arise, they can have serious consequences.

Get our free mobile app

Many of our nation's dams, including Montana's, are aging infrastructures that are a growing challenge. Staker.com recently made a list counties in Montana with the most hazardous dams and it was not a comforting list to read.

Montana was ranked 14th in the country for dams needing maintenance. There are a total of 206 high-hazard dams, with 48.1% of them posing a threat to Montana residents.

Data was collected from the Army Corps of Engineers National Inventory of Dams from October 2023. Some dams have information withheld.

"A designation of "poor" is given to inspected dams showing deficiencies that threaten the dam's integrity during normal operations. "Unsatisfactory" is given to dams that require "immediate or emergency remedial action," according to the Army Corps of Engineers. About 1 in 10 of the inventory's dam listings have no condition reported by state agencies. "- Stacker.com

Let's look at the top 12 Counties in Montana with hazardous dams...

#12. Gallatin County

Total high-hazard dams: 4
Number potentially dangerous: 3 (75.0%)
Potentially dangerous dams include:
- 1 in poor condition
- 2 not rated

#11. Sweet Grass County

Total high-hazard dams: 4
Number potentially dangerous: 3 (75.0%)
Potentially dangerous dams include:
- 3 in poor condition

#10. Ravalli County

Total high-hazard dams: 9
Number potentially dangerous: 7 (77.8%)
Potentially dangerous dams include:
- 2 in poor condition
- 4 not rated
- 1 condition withheld

#9. Phillips County

Total high-hazard dams: 6
Number potentially dangerous: 5 (83.3%)
Potentially dangerous dams include:
- 5 condition withheld

#8. Teton County

Total high-hazard dams: 12
Number potentially dangerous: 10 (83.3%)
Potentially dangerous dams include:
- 1 in poor condition
- 9 condition withheld

#7. Beaverhead County

Total high-hazard dams: 7
Number potentially dangerous: 6 (85.7%)
Potentially dangerous dams include:
- 5 not rated
- 1 condition withheld

#6. Lake County

Total high-hazard dams: 9
Number potentially dangerous: 8 (88.9%)
Potentially dangerous dams include:
- 8 condition withheld

#5. Chouteau County

Total high-hazard dams: 1
Number potentially dangerous: 1 (100.0%)
Potentially dangerous dams include:
- 1 condition withheld

#4. Musselshell County

#2. Liberty County

Total high-hazard dams: 2
Number potentially dangerous: 2 (100.0%)
Potentially dangerous dams include:
- 2 condition withheld

#1. Glacier County

Credit: GetMyBoat, Staker.com