Como Dam

Como Dam (National ID # MT00564) is a dam in Ravalli County, Montana, in the far western part of the state.

Lake Como
Como Dam and Reservoir
Lake Como
Location	Ravalli County, Montana, United States
Coordinates	46°03′16″N 114°15′40″W[1]
Type	Reservoir
Primary inflows	Rock Creek, Little Rock Creek
Primary outflows	Rock Creek
Catchment area	56.4 square miles (146 km2)[2]
Max. length	3 miles (4.8 km)
Max. width	3,200 feet (980 m)
Water volume	38,500 acre feet (47,500,000 m3)
Surface elevation	4,252 feet (1,296 m)[1]

Como Dam was originally constructed by local farmers around 1910, to impound a natural lake for irrigation storage; the United States Bureau of Reclamation enhanced and stabilized that structure in 1954, in 1976, and in 1992-1993. The dam is 85 feet high, with a length of 2550 feet at its crest. As part of the larger Bitter Root Project, the dam and reservoir are both owned by the local Bitter Root Project Irrigation District.[2]

The reservoir it creates, Lake Como, has a water surface of 1.4 square miles and normal storage of 38,495 acre-feet. Recreation includes fishing, camping, and boating. The site is surrounded by the Bitterroot National Forest.[3]

Concerns that the lack of an Early Warning System on the dam could lead to catastrophic loss of life in the Bitterroot Valley in the event of nighttime inundation led officials to take measures to ensure the safety of the dam in 2017.[4]