Dams
PPL Montana operates 11 hydroelectric facilities, each offering various recreation opportunities:
Kerr
Kerr Dam is a three-unit hydroelectric plant on the Flathead River about five miles southwest of Polson, Montana and the natural outlet of Flathead Lake, the largest natural freshwater lake west of the Mississippi. The lake is 28 miles long, up to 15 miles wide and more than 300 feet deep. The lake’s sparkling waters and tree-lined shore offer unlimited recreational opportunities and wildlife habitat.
Several state parks and lakeshore communities provide boat launches and marinas on the lake, enabling water sports enthusiasts to fully enjoy its 200 square miles of surface area.
A number of businesses give boat tours of the lake or rent many types of watercraft, including canoes, kayaks, windsurfers, hydro bikes, sailing and fishing boats. Serious anglers can use state-of-the art equipment to locate trophy Mackinaw in the depths of Flathead Lake, which is home to a number of other types of fish as well.
Wild Horse Island, the largest island in the lake, is a wildlife refuge for more than 75 kinds of birds as well as deer, bighorn sheep, coyotes and bear. The appropriately named Bird Islands are frequented by geese, ospreys, herons and eagles, among other types of birds.
Thompson Falls
Thompson Falls Dam is a seven-unit hydroelectric plant on the Clark Fork River in Thompson Falls, Mont.
The Clark Fork River at Thompson Falls was originally a natural waterfall. After the dam was built, westslope cutthroat trout (a species of special concern), the threatened bull trout and other fish species instinctively jumped on the rocks to get upstream.
PPL Montana installed a mechanism to help fish reach the river on the upstream side of the dam. This temporary 43-foot-long, 2-foot-wide ladder is attached to a trap. Fish captured in the trap can be trucked above the dam and released to assist in their passage to upstream locations.
PPL Montana uses surgically implanted radio transmitters to track the fish during their migration and their approach to the dam. The process is helping PPL Montana and state fish biologists to develop a recommendation for a permanent passage for the trout.
The island at Thompson Falls contains a public park, and there are several shaded, quiet campgrounds nearby in the rugged and beautiful Clark Fork Valley. This area provides excellent fishing and boating opportunities on the Clark Fork River or the Noxon Rapids Reservoir. It’s a serene place to hike, observe wildlife or just relax.
Cochrane
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Cochrane Dam is a three-unit hydroelectric plant on the Missouri River, about eight miles downstream from Great Falls, Montana.
Cochrane Dam is one of eight hydroelectric plants and one reservoir along the Missouri and Madison Rivers covered under PPL Montana’s federal operating license. Through this license, PPL Montana works with state and federal agencies and private groups to implement a diverse array of environmental stewardship projects to protect habitats on or near the banks of the Missouri and Madison Rivers. |
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Cochrane Dam, part of the Great Falls Portage National Historic Landmark, is located between PPL Montana’s nearby Black Eagle and Ryan Dams.
Near the dam, you can access the River’s Edge Trail, which meanders through Great Falls and connects parks and other points of interest along the Missouri River.
The trail leads to the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center, which includes permanent exhibits and a theater that explain one of the pivotal points in the Corps of Discover’s westward journey more than 200 years ago. PPL Montana contributed $1.1 million toward the center’s construction.
Ryan
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Ryan Dam is a six-unit hydroelectric plant on the Missouri River, about 10 miles downstream from Great Falls, Montana.
Ryan Dam is one of eight hydroelectric plants and one reservoir along the Missouri and Madison Rivers covered under PPL Montana’s federal operating license. Through this license, PPL Montana works with state and federal agencies and private groups to implement a diverse array of environmental stewardship projects to protect habitats on or near the banks of the Missouri and Madison Rvers. |
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Ryan Dam, part of the Great Falls Portage National Historic Landmark, is located between PPL Montana’s Cochrane and Morony Dams.
The Ryan Island Park public recreational picnic area, offering beautiful vistas of the Missouri River, is located just downstream from Ryan Dam.
Near the dam, you can access the River’s Edge Trail, which meanders through Great Falls and connects parks and other points of interest along the Missouri River.
The trail leads to the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center, which includes permanent exhibits and a theater that explain one of the pivotal points in the Corps of Discover’s westward journey more than 200 years ago. PPL Montana contributed $1.1 million toward the center’s construction.
Morony
Morony Dam is a two-unit hydroelectric plant on the Missouri River, about 15 miles northeast of Great Falls, Montana.
Morony Dam is one of eight hydroelectric plants and one reservoir along the Missouri and Madison Rivers covered under PPL Montana’s federal operating license. Through this license, PPL Montana works with state and federal agencies and private groups to implement a diverse array of environmental stewardship projects to protect habitats on or near the banks of the Missouri and Madison Rivers.
Morony Dam is part of the Great Falls Portage National Historic Landmark.
Near the dam, you can access the River’s Edge Trail, which meanders through Great Falls and connects parks and other points of interest along the Missouri River.
The trail leads to the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center, which includes permanent exhibits and a theater that explain one of the pivotal points in the Corps of Discover’s westward journey more than 200 years ago. PPL Montana contributed $1.1 million toward the center’s construction.
Holter
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Holter Dam is a four-unit hydroelectric plant on the Missouri River, about 43 miles northeast of Helena, Montana.
Holter Dam is one of eight hydroelectric plants and one reservoir along the Missouri and Madison Rivers covered under PPL Montana’s federal operating license. Through this license, PPL Montana works with state and federal agencies and private groups to implement a diverse array of environmental stewardship projects to protect habitats on or near the banks of the Missouri and Madison Rivers. |
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Holter Reservoir is a popular site for recreational activities such as boating; fishing for brown and rainbow trout, mountain whitefish and walleye; hiking; and camping. Numerous campgrounds dot the river above and below the dam.
PPL Montana’s Hauser Dam, located 29 miles upstream, offers additional recreational opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts.
In 2000, PPL Montana contributed $100,000 toward the development of Beartooth Landing Campground, a boat-in-only site on Holter Reservoir.
Several years later, PPL Montana contributed $100,000 toward the design and development of handicap-accessible facilities at the Holter Lake campground.
PPL Montana’s other financial contributions at Holter Dam include a $5,000 contribution in 2002 to develop the portage facilities at the left side of the dam, and a $1 million contribution in 2005 toward the design and redevelopment of the Holter Dam campground.
Rainbow
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Rainbow Dam, part of the Great Falls Portage National Historic Landmark, is an eight-unit hydroelectric plant on the Missouri River, about six miles northeast of Great Falls, Montana.
Rainbow Dam is one of eight hydroelectric plants and one reservoir along the Missouri and Madison Rivers covered under PPL Montana’s federal operating license. Through this license, PPL Montana works with state and federal agencies and private groups to implement a diverse array of environmental stewardship projects to protect habitats on or near the banks of the Missouri and Madison Rivers. |
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PPL Montana contributed $100,000 toward the completion of the Lewis and Clark Overlook and the construction of both the Rainbow and Crooked Falls overlooks near Rainbow Dam.
In 2003, the company contributed $150,000 for construction of a pedestrian-bike trail from Rainbow Dam to the Sulfur Springs Trailhead.
The Sulfur Springs Trailhead was made possible in part through a $100,000 contribution from PPL Montana, which continues to contribute $10,000 a year toward operation and maintenance expenses at the site.
Black Eagle
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Black Eagle Dam is a three-unit hydroelectric plant at Black Eagle Falls on the Missouri River, about two miles downstream from Great Falls, Montana.
Black Eagle Dam is one of eight hydroelectric plants and one reservoir along the Missouri and Madison Rivers covered under PPL Montana’s federal operating license. Through this license, PPL Montana works with state and federal agencies and private groups to implement a diverse array of environmental stewardship projects to protect habitats on or near the banks of the Missouri and Madison Rivers. |
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For example, PPL Montana contributed $500,000 toward the design and development of Black Eagle Memorial Island and the island’s Rainbow Boat Launch. The company contributes an additional $15,000 a year to cover ongoing operation and maintenance expenses.
In addition, the company contributed $60,000 to a project to enhance public access to the River’s Edge Trail on the south shore of Black Eagle and Rainbow reservoirs.
Also downstream from the dam is the Lewis and Clark Historic Trail Interpretive Center, which features exhibits describing the Lewis and Clark expedition of 1804-1806. PPL Montana contributed $1.1 million toward the center’s construction.
Nearby is Giant Springs Heritage State Park and Fish Hatchery. One of the largest freshwater springs in the world, Giant Springs flows at a rate of 156 million gallons a day.
Black Eagle Dam is part of the Great Falls Portage National Historic Landmark.
Hauser
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Hauser Dam is a six-unit hydroelectric plant on the Missouri River, about 14 miles northeast of Helena, Montana.
Hauser Dam is one of eight hydroelectric plants and one reservoir along the Missouri and Madison Rivers covered under PPL Montana’s federal operating license. Through this license, PPL Montana works with state and federal agencies and private groups to implement a diverse array of environmental stewardship projects to protect habitats on or near the banks of the Missouri and Madison Rivers. |
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The dam has a security gate for full-time recreational pedestrian access to allow visitors convenient access to fishing and hiking opportunities along the Missouri River below the dam.
PPL Montana contributed $1.4 million to acquire, design and develop White Sandy Recreation Site on the shores of Hauser Lake. Dedicated in May 2007, the site has individual campsites, a group camping area, fish-cleaning station, day-use area and boat docks. This area is popular for boating, kokanee salmon and trout fishing, and water-skiing. The company also has contributed a total of $400,000 to expand the dam’s causeway and reconstruct the access site. In addition to its initial contributions, PPL Montana continues to provide $50,000 a year for the operation and maintenance of recreational sites at Hauser Dam.
Hauser Reservoir and nearby Lake Helena are popular sites for recreational activities such as fishing and hiking. Numerous campgrounds and cabins dot the river above and below the dam.
Mystic Lake
Mystic Lake Dam is a two-unit hydroelectric plant on the West Rosebud Creek in the Beartooth Mountains, about 75 miles southwest of Billings, in southern Montana.
Covering more than 430 acres and naturally formed, Mystic Lake is the largest lake in the Beartooth Mountains. PPL Montana’s hydroelectric facility is situated on its east end. The hike to the lake from along the West Rosebud Trail offers breathtaking views of the West Rosebud Valley and surrounding mountain peaks.
The Beartooth Mountains that surround Mystic Lake are home to Granite Peak, the tallest mountain in Montana. At 12,799 feet, climbers consider it one of the most difficult challenges in the lower 48 states.
From late spring to early fall, anglers, hikers and other outdoor enthusiasts use the two campgrounds in the lower valley downstream.
Madison
Madison Dam is a four-unit hydroelectric plant on the Madison River at the head of Bear Trap Canyon, about 10 miles north of Ennis, Montana.
Madison Dam is one of eight hydroelectric plants and one reservoir along the Missouri and Madison Rivers. PPL Montana works with state and federal agencies and private groups to implement a diverse array of environmental stewardship projects to protect habitats on or near the banks of the Missouri and Madison Rivers.
Boaters and kayakers are drawn to the white-water stretches of Bear Trap Canyon, which opens into a valley populated by a number of ranches and farms.
South of Madison Dam, just north of the Idaho border near Yellowstone National Park, is PPL Montana’s Hebgen Lake, which PPL Montana operates as a storage reservoir.
Hebgen Lake — about 15 miles long and measuring up to four miles at its widest point on its southern end — is surrounded by spectacular scenery and offers camping, boating, fishing and water activities. A man-made lake retained by an earth-filled dam, Hebgen has been called the premier still-water fishing lake in Montana.
PPL Montana cooperated with the Forest Service to improve the day use recreation site at the dam, contributing more than $200,000. PPL Montana contributes annually for operation and maintenance of this site.
PPL Montana is also cooperating with the U.S. Forest Service to provide a handicap-accessible day use site on the west shore of Hebgen Lake.