Clark Canyon Dam, Earthfill dam on Beaverhead River near Dillon, Montana.
Clark Canyon Dam is an earthfill dam in southwestern Montana that holds back the Beaverhead River to form the Clark Canyon Reservoir. The stored water supplies irrigation for farmland in the surrounding valley and also serves as a recreation area open to the public.
The Bureau of Reclamation built the dam between 1961 and 1964 as part of a federal water development program for the region. Before the reservoir filled, both a railroad line and a main highway that ran through the valley had to be moved to higher ground.
The reservoir covers the former site called Camp Fortunate, where Sacagawea recognized her brother among the Lemhi Shoshoni people during the Lewis and Clark Expedition. A marker near the water today points to this meeting place, drawing visitors interested in that chapter of American history.
The reservoir is open for boating and fishing, with several marked access points along the shoreline that are easy to reach by car. Picnic areas and campsites are available nearby, so it is worth planning for at least a half day.
The small railroad town of Armstead was completely flooded when the reservoir filled, and it now lies beneath the water. In dry years, when the water level drops significantly, outlines of the old town can sometimes be seen from the shore.
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