Fort Peck Lake, or Lake Fort Peck, is a major

reservoir A reservoir (; ) is an enlarged lake behind a dam, usually built to water storage, store fresh water, often doubling for hydroelectric power generation. Reservoirs are created by controlling a watercourse that drains an existing body of wa ...

Montana Montana ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North Dakota to the east, South Dakota to the southeast, Wyoming to the south, an ...

, formed by the Fort Peck Dam on the

Missouri River The Missouri River is a river in the Central United States, Central and Mountain states, Mountain West regions of the United States. The nation's longest, it rises in the eastern Centennial Mountains of the Bitterroot Range of the Rocky Moun ...

. The lake lies in the eastern

prairie Prairies are ecosystems considered part of the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome by ecologists, based on similar temperate climates, moderate rainfall, and a composition of grasses, herbs, and shrubs, rather than trees, as the ...

region of Montana approximately east of Great Falls and 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 , navigation channel from

Sioux City, Iowa Sioux City () is a city in Woodbury County, Iowa, Woodbury and Plymouth County, Iowa, Plymouth counties in the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 85,797 in the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, making it the List of cities in Iowa, fo ...

, to the mouth of the Missouri just above St. Louis.

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 World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, 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. 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. The federal government forced out ranchers and farmers who lived in the valley bottom to prepare room for the lake.

Description

With a volume of when full, Fort Peck is the fifth largest artificial lake in the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

. It extends through central Montana, and its twisting, inlet-studded shoreline has a total length of some . 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 southwards. The lake covers an area of , making it the largest in Montana by surface area, although

Flathead Lake Flathead Lake (, ) is a large natural lake in northwest Montana, United States. The lake is a remnant of the ancient, massive glacial dammed lake, Glacial Lake Missoula, Lake Missoula, of the era of the last interglacial. Flathead Lake is a nat ...

has a larger volume due to its greater depth. The reservoir is also a tourist attraction, with 27 designated recreational sites bordering its shores. Bordering nearly the entire reservoir is the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge, which has preserved much of the high prairie and hill country around the lake. The lake is featured in the film

Jurassic Park III ''Jurassic Park III'' is a 2001 American Science fiction film, science fiction adventure film, adventure action film directed by Joe Johnston and written by Peter Buchman, Alexander Payne, and Jim Taylor (writer), Jim Taylor. It is the third ...

, as part of an excavation.

Fishing

Fishing is popular at the reservoir and a large variety of fish have been introduced into the lake.

References

External links

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - Fort Peck Dam and LakeFt. Peck Project - Recreation.gov
area recreation information, camping reservations
Charles M. Russell National Wildlife RefugeMontana Department of Fish, Wildlife, and ParksFort Peck Lake at Big Sky FishingFort Peck Lake Reservoir and Recreation Area
{{authority control Reservoirs in Montana Missouri River Protected areas of Phillips County, Montana Protected areas of Fergus County, Montana Protected areas of Petroleum County, Montana Protected areas of Garfield County, Montana Protected areas of Valley County, Montana Protected areas of McCone County, Montana Bodies of water of Phillips County, Montana Bodies of water of Fergus County, Montana Bodies of water of Petroleum County, Montana Bodies of water of Garfield County, Montana Bodies of water of Valley County, Montana Bodies of water of McCone County, Montana 1947 establishments in Montana Fishing areas

History

Description

Fishing

See also

References

External links