Fort Peck Lake
{{Short description|Reservoir in Montana}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2023}}
{{Infobox body of water
| name = Fort Peck Lake
| image = Fort Peck Lake.jpeg
| alt =
| caption = The lake seen from the Lewis and Clark Overlook east of the dam
| image_bathymetry =
| alt_bathymetry =
| caption_bathymetry =
| location = {{flag|Montana}},
{{flag|United States}}
| coords = {{coord|47|46|41|N|106|40|53|W|region:US-MT_type:waterbody|display =inline,title}}{{cite gnis|id=771516|name=Fort Peck Lake|entrydate=1980-04-04|accessdate=2011-07-10}}
| lake_type = Reservoir
| inflow = Missouri River, Musselshell River, Fourchette Creek, Dry Creek
| outflow = Missouri River
| catchment = {{convert|57500|sqmi|km2|abbr=on}}{{cite web|url=http://www.nwo.usace.army.mil/html/Lake_Proj/fortpeck/factsheet.pdf|title=Fort Peck Dam and Reservoir Fact Sheet|publisher=U.S. Army Corps of Engineers|work=Omaha District|access-date=2011-07-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100216021707/http://www.nwo.usace.army.mil/html/Lake_Proj/fortpeck/factsheet.pdf|archive-date=2010-02-16|url-status=dead}}
| basin_countries =
| date-built =
| date-flooded =
| length = {{convert|134|mi|km|abbr=on}}
| width =
| area = {{convert|245000|acre|ha}}
| depth = {{convert|76.3|ft|m|abbr=on}}
| max-depth = {{convert|220|ft|m|abbr=on}}
| volume = {{convert|18687731|acre.ft|km3|abbr=on|lk=in}}
| residence_time =
| shore =
| elevation = {{convert|2250|ft|m}}
| frozen = Winter
| islands = York Island, others unnamed
| cities = Fort Peck
| pushpin_map = Montana#USA
| pushpin_label_position =
| pushpin_map_alt = Location of Fort Peck Lake in Montana, USA.
| pushpin_map_caption =
| website =
| reference =
}}
Fort Peck Lake, or Lake Fort Peck, is a major reservoir in Montana, formed by the Fort Peck Dam on the Missouri River. The lake lies in the eastern prairie region of Montana approximately {{convert|140|mi|km}} east of Great Falls and {{convert|120|mi|km}} north of Billings, reaching into portions of six counties.
The dam and reservoir were built in the 1930s to enhance navigation on the Missouri River, supplying enough water downstream of the dam to provide for a {{convert|9|foot||adj=mid| deep}}, {{convert|300|foot||adj=mid| wide}} navigation channel from Sioux City, Iowa, to the mouth of the Missouri just above St. Louis.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=83_DGLrdZ2MC&q=fort+Peck+Reservoir+9-foot+deep+channel+from+Sioux+City%2C+Iowa%2C+to+the+mouth+of+the+Missouri&pg=PA3|title=Upper Missouri Basin Water Rights: Memorandum of the Chairman. May 1960|last=Affairs|first=United States Congress Senate Committee on Interior and Insular|date=1960|publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office|pages=3|language=en}}
History
Following severe flooding along the Missouri River in 1943, which hampered the economic development of the Missouri River Valley and damaged production of military supplies for then-ongoing World War II, five additional dams were added when the federal government adopted the Pick-Sloan Plan, calling for a series of dams and reservoirs to be built along the Missouri and its tributaries.{{cite web
|url=http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Project.jsp?proj_Name=Pick+Sloan+Missouri+Basin+Program
|title=Pick Sloan Missouri Basin Program
|publisher=U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
|date=2010-08-03
|access-date=2011-07-11
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110615040357/http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Project.jsp?proj_Name=Pick+Sloan+Missouri+Basin+Program
|archive-date=2011-06-15
|url-status=dead
}} Fort Peck Dam was built from 1933 to 1940 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; water impoundment began in 1937 and the reservoir was first filled to capacity in 1947.{{cite web
|url=http://home.nps.gov/mnrr/planyourvisit/upload/PickSloan.pdf
|title=Missouri River: The Pick-Sloan Plan
|publisher=U.S. National Park Service
|work=Missouri National Recreational River
|access-date=2011-07-10
|archive-date=October 31, 2020
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201031125402/http://home.nps.gov/mnrr/planyourvisit/upload/PickSloan.pdf
|url-status=dead
}} The federal government forced out ranchers and farmers who lived in the valley bottom to prepare room for the lake.{{Cite web |last=Hegyi |first=Nate |date=2019-10-23 |title=The Next Yellowstone: A Hunter's Paradise |url=https://www.kunc.org/environment/2019-10-23/the-next-yellowstone-a-hunters-paradise |access-date=2023-04-05 |website=KUNC |language=en}}
Description
With a volume of {{convert|18700000|acre.ft|km3}} when full, Fort Peck is the fifth largest artificial lake in the United States. It extends {{convert|134|mi|km}} through central Montana, and its twisting, inlet-studded shoreline has a total length of some {{convert|1520|mi|km}}.{{cite web
|url = http://www.nwo.usace.army.mil/html/Lake_Proj/fortpeck/welcome.html
|title = Welcome to the Fort Peck Dam/Lake Fort Peck Homepage
|publisher = U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
|work = Omaha District
|access-date = 2011-07-10
|url-status = dead
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060220161904/http://www.nwo.usace.army.mil/html/Lake_Proj/fortpeck/welcome.html
|archive-date = 2006-02-20
}} Along with the Missouri River, smaller tributaries such as the Musselshell River, Fourchette Creek, Timber Creek, Hell Creek and Dry Creek feed the reservoir; the latter forms the longest side arm of the reservoir, which reaches some {{convert|30|mi|km}} southwards. The lake covers an area of {{convert|245000|acre|ha}}, making it the largest in Montana by surface area, although Flathead Lake has a larger volume due to its greater depth.{{cite web
|url=https://www.nps.gov/subjects/archeology/index.htm
|title=Montana
|publisher=U.S. National Park Service
|work=Archeology Program
|date=2009-10-28
|access-date=2011-07-10}}{{cite web
|url=http://www.umt.edu/flbs/AboutFLBS/FlatheadLake.aspx
|title=About Flathead Lake
|publisher=University of Montana
|work=Flathead Lake Biological Station
|date=2011-06-06
|access-date=2011-07-10}}
The reservoir is also a tourist attraction, with 27 designated recreational sites bordering its shores.{{cite web
|url=http://www.nwo.usace.army.mil/html/Lake_Proj/fortpeck/recreation.html
|title=Fort Peck Lake Recreational Opportunities
|publisher=U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
|work=Omaha District
|access-date=2011-07-10
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051128014723/http://www.nwo.usace.army.mil/html/Lake_Proj/fortpeck/recreation.html
|archive-date=2005-11-28
|url-status=dead
}} Bordering nearly the entire reservoir is the {{convert|1719|sqmi|km2|adj=on}} Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge, which has preserved much of the high prairie and hill country around the lake.{{cite web
|url=http://www.fws.gov/cmr/
|title=Welcome to Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge
|publisher=U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
|work=Mountain-Prairie Region
|date=2011-07-06
|access-date=2011-07-10}}
The lake is featured in the film Jurassic Park III, as part of an excavation.
Fishing
Fishing is popular at the reservoir and a large variety of fish have been introduced into the lake.{{Cite web |title=FISHMT :: Waterbody Details |url=https://myfwp.mt.gov/fishMT/waterbody/searchByID?waterBodyID=41986 |access-date=2022-06-13 |website=myfwp.mt.gov}}
| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
|+Species ! colspan="1" rowspan="1" |Species ! colspan="1" rowspan="1" |Family ! colspan="1" rowspan="1" |Class ! colspan="1" rowspan="1" |Native to MT |
| Bigmouth Buffalo
|Sucker |Warmwater |Native |
| Black Bullhead
|Catfish |Warmwater |Introduced |
| Black Crappie
|Sunfish |Warmwater |Introduced |
| Blue Sucker
|Sucker |Warmwater |Native |
| Bluegill
|Sunfish |Warmwater |Introduced |
| Brassy Minnow
|Minnow |Warmwater |Native |
| Brook Stickleback
|Stickleback |Warmwater |Native |
| Brown Trout
|Trout |Coldwater |Introduced |
| Burbot
|Codfish |Coldwater |Native |
| Channel Catfish
|Catfish |Warmwater |Native |
| Chinook Salmon
|Trout | |Introduced |
| Cisco
|Trout |Warmwater |Introduced |
| Common Carp
|Minnow |Warmwater |Introduced |
| Creek Chub
|Minnow |Warmwater |Native |
| Emerald Shiner
|Minnow |Warmwater |Native |
| Fathead Minnow
|Minnow |Warmwater |Native |
| Flathead Chub
|Minnow |Warmwater |Native |
| Freshwater Drum
|Drum |Warmwater |Native |
| Goldeye
|Mooneye |Warmwater |Native |
| Green Sunfish
|Sunfish |Warmwater |Introduced |
| Iowa Darter
|Perch |Warmwater |Native |
| Lake Chub
|Minnow |Warmwater |Native |
| Lake Trout
|Trout |Coldwater |Native |
| Lake Whitefish
|Trout |Coldwater |Introduced |
| Largemouth Bass
|Sunfish |Warmwater |Introduced |
| Longnose Dace
|Minnow |Warmwater |Native |
| Longnose Sucker
|Sucker |Warmwater |Native |
| Northern Pike
|Pike |Warmwater |Introduced |
| Northern Redbelly Dace
|Minnow |Warmwater |Native |
| Paddlefish
|Paddlefish |Warmwater |Native |
| Pallid Sturgeon
|Sturgeon |Warmwater |Native |
| Plains Killifish
|Killifish | |Introduced |
| Plains Minnow
|Minnow |Warmwater |Native |
| Rainbow Trout
|Trout |Coldwater |Introduced |
| River Carpsucker
|Sucker |Warmwater |Native |
| Sand Shiner
|Minnow |Warmwater |Native |
| Sauger
|Perch |Warmwater |Native |
| Shorthead Redhorse
|Sucker |Warmwater |Native |
| Shovelnose Sturgeon
|Sturgeon |Warmwater |Native |
| Smallmouth Bass
|Sunfish |Warmwater |Introduced |
| Smallmouth Buffalo
|Sucker |Warmwater |Native |
| Spottail Shiner
|Minnow |Warmwater |Introduced |
| Stonecat
|Catfish | |Native |
| Walleye
|Perch |Warmwater |Introduced |
| White Crappie
|Sunfish |Warmwater |Introduced |
| White Sucker
|Sucker |Warmwater |Native |
| Yellow Perch
|Perch |Warmwater |Introduced |
See also
References
{{reflist|2}}
{{Omaha District dams}}
External links
- [https://www.nwo.usace.army.mil/Missions/Dam-and-Lake-Projects/Missouri-River-Dams/Fort-Peck/ U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - Fort Peck Dam and Lake]
- [https://www.recreation.gov/camping/gateways/288 Ft. Peck Project - Recreation.gov], area recreation information, camping reservations
- [https://www.fws.gov/refuge/charles_m_russell/ Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge]
- [http://fwp.mt.gov/ Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks]
- [http://www.bigskyfishing.com/Montana-Info/Hi-Line/fort-peck-lake.shtm Fort Peck Lake at Big Sky Fishing]
- [http://www.visitmt.com/categories/moreinfo.asp?IDRRecordID=2181&siteid=1 Fort Peck Lake Reservoir and Recreation Area] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110702063157/http://visitmt.com/categories/moreinfo.asp?IDRRecordID=2181&SiteID=1 |date=July 2, 2011 }}
{{authority control}}
Category:Reservoirs in Montana
Category:Protected areas of Phillips County, Montana
Category:Protected areas of Fergus County, Montana
Category:Protected areas of Petroleum County, Montana
Category:Protected areas of Garfield County, Montana
Category:Protected areas of Valley County, Montana
Category:Protected areas of McCone County, Montana
Category:Bodies of water of Phillips County, Montana
Category:Bodies of water of Fergus County, Montana
Category:Bodies of water of Petroleum County, Montana
Category:Bodies of water of Garfield County, Montana
Category:Bodies of water of Valley County, Montana
Category:Bodies of water of McCone County, Montana