How Our Dams Help Shape Our State

I’ve been talking and ruminating a lot about Montana’s hydroelectric dams in recent weeks. When those conversations involve someone other than myself, they sometimes include a comment such as “wouldn’t it be great if they would tear those creaky old dams out and let that river run naturally again?”

My mostly polite response often involves something along the lines of “yeah, wild, free-flowing rivers are very cool. But maybe we should think more broadly about this idea before placing sticks of dynamite or turning the keys on a bulldozer.” Montana is blessed with its share of rivers, most of which enrich our lives in one way or another. Some like the Blackfoot, my personal favorite, are simply gorgeous. Other folks will add the Yellowstone, Madison, Gallatin, Missouri, Bitterroot, Clark Fork, Flathead and Kootenai. Even the humble Milk River, which flows across much of northern Montana, has moments of aesthetic virtue.

Should we have dams on all these rivers? Absolutely not. Free-flowing rivers like the Blackfoot, the Bitterroot and the Yellowstone are part of what make Montana a special place.

There is little argument that dam construction has environmental consequences, notably on fish and wildlife, and in the case of some of the large federally owned dams like Fort Peck, Libby, Canyon Ferry or Clark Canyon near Dillon, people, farms and ranches and small communities have been displaced to make room for large reservoirs.

What did we get in return? Abundant electricity that serves us all affordable energy bills and good paying jobs that support families. Historically, Montana dams fueled mines, smelters, lumber mills, flour mills, grain elevators, railroads and streetlights, electric trolleys, along with irrigation and flood control. Today, they support all sorts of commercial activity and bring light and heat to hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses.

While Montana’s hydroelectric dams come with clear trade-offs, they have also helped shape our state. Each of these historic and cultural assets carries a story worth remembering.

The dams and related features have become part of life in Montana in entertaining ways.

In addition to generating carbon-free electricity, Madison Dam helps maintain a healthy fishery in the Madison River. Periodic water releases during hot summer months keep water from reaching temperatures that are lethal to fish.

The next time you make the drive between Helena and Great Falls along Interstate 155 on a nice day in spring, summer or fall, make note of how many anglers you spot floating the river or standing waist-deep in its waters. What is the draw? A river with plentiful fish kept healthy by cool water released through Holter Dam.

Same goes for another of Montana’s legendary trout streams, the Madison River near Ennis. Water from the reservoir formed by Hebgen Dam cools the river in hot summer months, fortifying the fishing and the local economy. Similarly, below Madison Dam, periodic water releases during hot summer months keep water from reaching temperatures that are lethal to fish.

What about boating on Holter Lake or through the Gates of the Mountains or upstream on the big water of Canyon Ferry Reservoir? Would camping along the Missouri at Black Sandy be as appealing without the ample water above Hauser Dam?

I suspect the answer to all these questions is a resounding “no.”

The truth is the recreational benefits of most Montana dams boost the quality of life for many of us. That fact is worth considering in any well-informed discussion of the value of our state’s historic dams.

Butch Larcombe, a former newspaper reporter, editor, magazine editor and one-time employee of NorthWestern Energy, is the author of “Golden Kilowatts: Water Power and the Early Growth of Montana.” Copies of his book have been donated by NorthWestern Energy to a number of Montana historical societies and museums. All proceeds from the book sales are retained by the nonprofit organizations.

Golden Kilowatts is currently available at:

Montana Historical Society, 225 N. Roberts, Helena, MT, (406) 444-2694

The History Museum, Cascade County Historical Society, 422 2nd St. S., Great Falls, MT, (406) 452-3462

Butte-Silver Bow Public Archives, 17 W. Quartz, Butte, MT (406) 782-3280

All proceeds benefit historical societies statewide. Visit https://app.mt.gov/shop/mhsstore/golden-kilowatts-water-power-and-the-early-growth-of-montana to purchase online.

Butch Larcombe worked as a newspaper reporter and editor in Montana for nearly 30 years and was also the editor and general manager of Montana Magazine. He worked in corporate communications at NorthWestern Energy for six years before retiring in 2018. Originally from Malta, Montana, he now lives near Bigfork.