Hungry Horse Dam
Hungry Horse Dam is an arch dam in the Western United States, on the South Fork Flathead River in the Rocky Mountains of northwest Montana. It is located in Flathead National Forest in Flathead County, about fifteen miles (24 km) south of the west entrance to Glacier National Park, nine miles (14 km) southeast of Columbia Falls, and twenty miles (32 km) northeast of Kalispell. The Hungry Horse project, dam, and powerplant are operated by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. The entrance road leading to the dam is located in Hungry Horse.
| Hungry Horse Dam | |
|---|---|
Location in western United States Location in Montana | |
| Location | Flathead County, near Hungry Horse, Montana, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 48.341°N 114.014°W |
| Construction began | April 21, 1948 |
| Opening date | July 18, 1953 |
| Operator(s) | U.S. Bureau of Reclamation |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Type of dam | Concrete thick arch dam |
| Impounds | South Fork Flathead River |
| Height | 564 ft (172 m) |
| Length | 2,115 ft (645 m) |
| Width (crest) | 34 feet (10.4 m) |
| Width (base) | 320 feet (98 m) |
| Dam volume | 2,934,500 cu yd (2,243,600 m3) |
| Spillway type | Gated Morning Glory |
| Spillway capacity | 50,000 cu ft/s (1,400 m3/s) |
| Reservoir | |
| Creates | Hungry Horse Reservoir |
| Total capacity | 3,467,179 acre-feet (4.28 km3) |
| Catchment area | 1,640 square miles (4,200 km2) |
| Normal elevation | 3,560 feet (1,085 m) above sea level |
| Power Station | |
| Type | Conventional |
| Hydraulic head | 520 ft (160 m) |
| Turbines | 4 x 107 MW Francis turbines |
| Installed capacity | 428 MW |
| Annual generation | 1,086,250,400 KWh (2012) |
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 and flood control are the primary purposes of the dam. The dam, reservoir, and surrounding area are used for recreation.