Hauser Dam
Encyclopedia
Hauser Dam is a hydroelectric
straight gravity dam
on the Missouri River
about 14 miles (22.5 km) northeast of Helena, Montana
, in the United States
. The original dam, built between 1905 and 1907, failed in 1908 and caused severe flooding and damage downstream. A second dam was built on the site in 1908 and opened in 1911 and comprises the present structure. The current Hauser Dam is 700 feet (213.4 m) long and 80 feet (24.4 m) high. The reservoir formed by the dam, Hauser Lake (also known as Hauser Reservoir) is 25 miles (40.2 km) long, has a surface area of 3800 acres (1,537.8 ha), and has a storage capacity of 98000 acre.ft of water when full.
The dam is a "run-of-the-river" dam
because it can generate electricity without needing to store additional water supplies behind the dam.
, a former Territorial Governor of the state of Montana
from 1885 to 1887, had enjoyed a lengthy career in bank
ing, mining
, railroads
, ranch
ing, and smelting
, but encountered a series of financial setbacks after the Panic of 1893
which nearly ruined him financially. In his early 60s, Hauser began to rebuild his finances by branching out into the relatively new industry of hydroelectric power generation. In 1894, he formed the Missouri River Power Company, and won the approval of the United States Congress
to build a dam (Hauser Dam) 2 miles (3.2 km) below Stubbs' Ferry. In 1905, Hauser and other directors of the Missouri River Power Company formed the Helena Power Transmission Company (also known as the "Helena Power and Transmission Company"). The two companies merged on February 16, 1906, to form the United Missouri River Power Company.
The dam was named for Samuel T. Hauser.
Hauser Dam was a steel dam
built on masonry
footings on top of gravel, with the ends of the dam anchored in bedrock
on either side of the river. The Wisconsin Bridge and Iron Company
constructed the dam for the power company. J.F. Jackson, a Wisconsin Bridge and Iron engineer, designed the structure. Martin Gerry supervised the construction for the power company. Gerry and Wisconsin Bridge engineer James McKittrick argued several times over the dam's design, and Gerry ordered a number of changes to the dam to strengthen it. The dam was 630 feet (192 m) long and 75 feet (22.9 m) high. Because 300 feet (91.4 m) of the center section of the dam was built on a gravel riverbed and the rest on bedrock
, sheet pilings (supplied by the L. P. Friestedt Company of Chicago
, which had a patented steel sheet piling system) were driven 35 feet (10.7 m) into the riverbed and the steel of the dam attached to the pilings. The pilings were set at an angle of 1.5:1 to discourage sliding, and a triangular masonry footing capped with concrete on the upstream side set against the pilings in the riverbed to support the dam. The upstream face of the dam was covered in concrete, and a 20 feet (6.1 m) deep layer of volcanic ash
laid down on the upstream riverbed extending 300 feet (91.4 m) from the dam to discourage seeping. The spillway was 500 feet (152.4 m) wide and 13 feet (4 m) deep. The 10 horizontal turbines in the powerhouse delivered 14,000 kilowatts
of power. The total cost of the dam at that time was $1.5 million. The United Missouri Power declared Hauser Dam operational on February 12, 1907.
On April 14, 1908, at about 2:30 PM, Hauser Dam failed after water pressure undermined the masonry footings (the steel dam itself being structurally sound). The first sign of trouble was when silt-heavy water began gushing from the base of the dam near the powerhouse. A power company employee, spotting the problem, ran into the powerhouse and told everyone to flee for their lives. About 15 minutes later, the masonry footings gave way, causing the upstream section of the dam to settle and a 30 feet (9.1 m) wide breach to open in the dam. The water pouring through the breach further undermined the dam's footing, and six minutes later a 300 feet (91.4 m) wide section of the dam tore loose. The powerhouse was only slightly damaged. A surge of water 25 feet (7.6 m) to 30 feet (9.1 m) high swept downstream. The remaining sections of the dam, anchored to bedrock, helped hold back some of the water for a time, reducing the destructiveness of the flood. In the state capital of Helena
at the time, Gerry received a telephone call from the dam operators alerting him to the dam's destruction. He immediately sent telegrams
to all towns and cities downstream, warning them of the coming flood. A Great Northern Railway locomotive was dispatched to the city of Great Falls
, 70 miles (112.7 km) downstream, warning stations along the way about the dam break.
The warnings and the geology of the Missouri River below Hauser Dam helped save numerous lives. The construction camp at Holter Dam (then being built) was swept away. Future motion picture actor Gary Cooper
and his family, living at the Seven Bar Nine Ranch, were notified in time and evacuated before the floodwaters tore across a portion of their property. The flood reached the small town of Craig, Montana
, around 7:00 PM, but the narrow canyons of the Missouri River above the town helped hold back part of the floodwaters and dissipated much of their energy. The residents of the town had received plenty of warning, and were evacuated. At first, the press reported that the town had been swept away, but this proved inaccurate as only a few shacks and the railroad station had been uprooted. The famous iron Craig Bridge (normally 25 feet (7.6 m) above water) had more than 2 foot (0.6096 m) of water over its deck and was feared doomed, but it held. The Great Northern Railway tracks from Craig to Ulm, Montana
, were under water. Workers at the Boston and Montana Smelter in Great Falls improvised a wing dam
to deflect the floodwaters away from the smelter site and dynamited a portion of Black Eagle Dam
to allow the floodwaters to go downstream. Their efforts were not needed, as the Missouri River only rose 7 feet (2.1 m) by the time it reached that city. Nonetheless, damages were estimated at more than $1 million.
At the end of the 20th century, pieces of the steel dam could still be found on the banks of the Missouri River.
rebuilt the dam. Jesse Baker Snow, a noted engineer from New York
, was the engineer and assistant superintendent for the dam's reconstruction.
But cost overruns on downstream Holter Dam
, waning investor enthusiasm, and the liability associated with the collapse of the first Hauser Dam nearly drove Samuel Hauser (United Missouri's largest shareholder) into bankruptcy. Hauser sold his interest in United Missouri River Power to John D. Ryan
, who on October 25, 1912, merged United Missouri River Power with the Butte Electric and Power Company, Billings and Eastern Montana Power Company, and Madison River Power Company to form the Montana Power Company. Montana Power took over not only United Missouri's Canyon Ferry Dam
and Hauser Dam but the partially built Holter Dam as well.
The current Hauser Dam has four sections: An overflow spillway, abutments on either side of the overflow spillway, a non-spillover section east of the left abutment (below which is the powerhouse), and a 32 feet (9.8 m) deep forebay which impounds water behind the powerhouse. The spillway is 493 feet (150.3 m) long. Five hydraulic sliding gates and 17 manually operated flashboards allow water to overflow the dam. Hauser Dam can only generate 19 megawatts
of power, and so requires little water to function.
depth of 26 feet (7.9 m) and a maximum depth of 70 feet (21.3 m).
The creation of Hauser Lake led to the creation of nearby Lake Helena
. The water impounded by Hauser Dam inundated the lower portion of Prickly Pear Creek, causing the formation of Lake Helena. A narrow canyon 3.9 miles (6.3 km) in length filled with deep water (known as the Causeway Arm) connects Hauser Lake with Lake Helena. Lake Helena is extremely shallow and develops dense amounts of aquatic vegetation, making it an important nesting, stopover, and feeding area for birds.
The distance from Hauser Dam to Holter Reservoir, the next lake downstream, is 4.6 miles (7.4 km).
The public used to be able to walk across the top of Hauser Dam (which provided easy access to both sides of the river), but the dam was closed to the public after the September 11 attacks. Hauser Dam was one of the last two such PPL dams to be closed.
Hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity generated by hydropower; the production of electrical power through the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy...
straight gravity dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
on the Missouri River
Missouri River
The Missouri River flows through the central United States, and is a tributary of the Mississippi River. It is the longest river in North America and drains the third largest area, though only the thirteenth largest by discharge. The Missouri's watershed encompasses most of the American Great...
about 14 miles (22.5 km) northeast of Helena, Montana
Helena, Montana
Helena is the capital city of the U.S. state of Montana and the county seat of Lewis and Clark County. The 2010 census put the population at 28,180. The local daily newspaper is the Independent Record. The Helena Brewers minor league baseball and Helena Bighorns minor league hockey team call the...
, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The original dam, built between 1905 and 1907, failed in 1908 and caused severe flooding and damage downstream. A second dam was built on the site in 1908 and opened in 1911 and comprises the present structure. The current Hauser Dam is 700 feet (213.4 m) long and 80 feet (24.4 m) high. The reservoir formed by the dam, Hauser Lake (also known as Hauser Reservoir) is 25 miles (40.2 km) long, has a surface area of 3800 acres (1,537.8 ha), and has a storage capacity of 98000 acre.ft of water when full.
The dam is a "run-of-the-river" dam
Run-of-the-river hydroelectricity
Run-of-the-river hydroelectricity is a type of hydroelectric generation whereby a considerably smaller water storage called pondage or none is used to supply a power station. Run-of-the-river power plants are classified as with or without pondage...
because it can generate electricity without needing to store additional water supplies behind the dam.
The first dam
The first Hauser Dam was built by the Missouri River Power Company and its successor, the United Missouri River Power Company. Samuel Thomas HauserSamuel Thomas Hauser
Samuel Thomas Hauser was an American industrialist and banker who was active in the development of Montana Territory...
, a former Territorial Governor of the state of Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
from 1885 to 1887, had enjoyed a lengthy career in bank
Bank
A bank is a financial institution that serves as a financial intermediary. The term "bank" may refer to one of several related types of entities:...
ing, mining
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
, railroads
Rail transport
Rail transport is a means of conveyance of passengers and goods by way of wheeled vehicles running on rail tracks. In contrast to road transport, where vehicles merely run on a prepared surface, rail vehicles are also directionally guided by the tracks they run on...
, ranch
Ranch
A ranch is an area of landscape, including various structures, given primarily to the practice of ranching, the practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle or sheep for meat or wool. The word most often applies to livestock-raising operations in the western United States and Canada, though...
ing, and smelting
Smelting
Smelting is a form of extractive metallurgy; its main use is to produce a metal from its ore. This includes iron extraction from iron ore, and copper extraction and other base metals from their ores...
, but encountered a series of financial setbacks after the Panic of 1893
Panic of 1893
The Panic of 1893 was a serious economic depression in the United States that began in 1893. Similar to the Panic of 1873, this panic was marked by the collapse of railroad overbuilding and shaky railroad financing which set off a series of bank failures...
which nearly ruined him financially. In his early 60s, Hauser began to rebuild his finances by branching out into the relatively new industry of hydroelectric power generation. In 1894, he formed the Missouri River Power Company, and won the approval of the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
to build a dam (Hauser Dam) 2 miles (3.2 km) below Stubbs' Ferry. In 1905, Hauser and other directors of the Missouri River Power Company formed the Helena Power Transmission Company (also known as the "Helena Power and Transmission Company"). The two companies merged on February 16, 1906, to form the United Missouri River Power Company.
The dam was named for Samuel T. Hauser.
Hauser Dam was a steel dam
Steel dam
A steel dam is a type of dam that is made of steel, rather than the more common masonry, earthworks, concrete or timber construction materials.Relatively few examples were ever built...
built on masonry
Masonry
Masonry is the building of structures from individual units laid in and bound together by mortar; the term masonry can also refer to the units themselves. The common materials of masonry construction are brick, stone, marble, granite, travertine, limestone; concrete block, glass block, stucco, and...
footings on top of gravel, with the ends of the dam anchored in bedrock
Bedrock
In stratigraphy, bedrock is the native consolidated rock underlying the surface of a terrestrial planet, usually the Earth. Above the bedrock is usually an area of broken and weathered unconsolidated rock in the basal subsoil...
on either side of the river. The Wisconsin Bridge and Iron Company
Wisconsin Bridge and Iron Company
The Wisconsin Bridge and Iron Company is, or was, a fabricator and erector of iron and steel bridges and other large structures. Information is difficult to find, but according to one source it was founded in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1888. The Riemer family of Elm Grove, Wisconsin was heavily...
constructed the dam for the power company. J.F. Jackson, a Wisconsin Bridge and Iron engineer, designed the structure. Martin Gerry supervised the construction for the power company. Gerry and Wisconsin Bridge engineer James McKittrick argued several times over the dam's design, and Gerry ordered a number of changes to the dam to strengthen it. The dam was 630 feet (192 m) long and 75 feet (22.9 m) high. Because 300 feet (91.4 m) of the center section of the dam was built on a gravel riverbed and the rest on bedrock
Bedrock
In stratigraphy, bedrock is the native consolidated rock underlying the surface of a terrestrial planet, usually the Earth. Above the bedrock is usually an area of broken and weathered unconsolidated rock in the basal subsoil...
, sheet pilings (supplied by the L. P. Friestedt Company of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, which had a patented steel sheet piling system) were driven 35 feet (10.7 m) into the riverbed and the steel of the dam attached to the pilings. The pilings were set at an angle of 1.5:1 to discourage sliding, and a triangular masonry footing capped with concrete on the upstream side set against the pilings in the riverbed to support the dam. The upstream face of the dam was covered in concrete, and a 20 feet (6.1 m) deep layer of volcanic ash
Volcanic ash
Volcanic ash consists of small tephra, which are bits of pulverized rock and glass created by volcanic eruptions, less than in diameter. There are three mechanisms of volcanic ash formation: gas release under decompression causing magmatic eruptions; thermal contraction from chilling on contact...
laid down on the upstream riverbed extending 300 feet (91.4 m) from the dam to discourage seeping. The spillway was 500 feet (152.4 m) wide and 13 feet (4 m) deep. The 10 horizontal turbines in the powerhouse delivered 14,000 kilowatts
Watt
The watt is a derived unit of power in the International System of Units , named after the Scottish engineer James Watt . The unit, defined as one joule per second, measures the rate of energy conversion.-Definition:...
of power. The total cost of the dam at that time was $1.5 million. The United Missouri Power declared Hauser Dam operational on February 12, 1907.
On April 14, 1908, at about 2:30 PM, Hauser Dam failed after water pressure undermined the masonry footings (the steel dam itself being structurally sound). The first sign of trouble was when silt-heavy water began gushing from the base of the dam near the powerhouse. A power company employee, spotting the problem, ran into the powerhouse and told everyone to flee for their lives. About 15 minutes later, the masonry footings gave way, causing the upstream section of the dam to settle and a 30 feet (9.1 m) wide breach to open in the dam. The water pouring through the breach further undermined the dam's footing, and six minutes later a 300 feet (91.4 m) wide section of the dam tore loose. The powerhouse was only slightly damaged. A surge of water 25 feet (7.6 m) to 30 feet (9.1 m) high swept downstream. The remaining sections of the dam, anchored to bedrock, helped hold back some of the water for a time, reducing the destructiveness of the flood. In the state capital of Helena
Helena, Montana
Helena is the capital city of the U.S. state of Montana and the county seat of Lewis and Clark County. The 2010 census put the population at 28,180. The local daily newspaper is the Independent Record. The Helena Brewers minor league baseball and Helena Bighorns minor league hockey team call the...
at the time, Gerry received a telephone call from the dam operators alerting him to the dam's destruction. He immediately sent telegrams
Telegraphy
Telegraphy is the long-distance transmission of messages via some form of signalling technology. Telegraphy requires messages to be converted to a code which is known to both sender and receiver...
to all towns and cities downstream, warning them of the coming flood. A Great Northern Railway locomotive was dispatched to the city of Great Falls
Great Falls, Montana
Great Falls is a city in and the county seat of Cascade County, Montana, United States. The population was 58,505 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Great Falls, Montana Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Cascade County...
, 70 miles (112.7 km) downstream, warning stations along the way about the dam break.
The warnings and the geology of the Missouri River below Hauser Dam helped save numerous lives. The construction camp at Holter Dam (then being built) was swept away. Future motion picture actor Gary Cooper
Gary Cooper
Frank James Cooper, known professionally as Gary Cooper, was an American film actor. He was renowned for his quiet, understated acting style and his stoic, but at times intense screen persona, which was particularly well suited to the many Westerns he made...
and his family, living at the Seven Bar Nine Ranch, were notified in time and evacuated before the floodwaters tore across a portion of their property. The flood reached the small town of Craig, Montana
Craig, Montana
Craig is an unincorporated community in Lewis and Clark County, Montana, United States. Craig is located along Interstate 15 north of Helena....
, around 7:00 PM, but the narrow canyons of the Missouri River above the town helped hold back part of the floodwaters and dissipated much of their energy. The residents of the town had received plenty of warning, and were evacuated. At first, the press reported that the town had been swept away, but this proved inaccurate as only a few shacks and the railroad station had been uprooted. The famous iron Craig Bridge (normally 25 feet (7.6 m) above water) had more than 2 foot (0.6096 m) of water over its deck and was feared doomed, but it held. The Great Northern Railway tracks from Craig to Ulm, Montana
Ulm, Montana
Ulm is a census-designated place in Cascade County, Montana, United States. It was originally a large ranch owned by Indiana-born cattleman William Ulm. The population was 750 at the 2000 census...
, were under water. Workers at the Boston and Montana Smelter in Great Falls improvised a wing dam
Wing dam
A wing dam is a manmade barrier that, unlike a conventional dam, only extends partway into a river. These structures force water into a fast-moving center channel which reduces the rate of sediment accumulation, while slowing water flow near the riverbanks....
to deflect the floodwaters away from the smelter site and dynamited a portion of Black Eagle Dam
Black Eagle Dam
Black Eagle Dam is a hydroelectric gravity weir dam located on the Missouri River in the city of Great Falls, Montana. The first dam on the site, built and opened in 1890, was a timber-and-rock crib dam. This structure was the first hydroelectric dam built in Montana and the first built on the...
to allow the floodwaters to go downstream. Their efforts were not needed, as the Missouri River only rose 7 feet (2.1 m) by the time it reached that city. Nonetheless, damages were estimated at more than $1 million.
At the end of the 20th century, pieces of the steel dam could still be found on the banks of the Missouri River.
The second dam
United Missouri River Power began reconstruction of Hauser Dam in July 1908, completing it in the spring of 1911. The Foundation Company of New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
rebuilt the dam. Jesse Baker Snow, a noted engineer from New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, was the engineer and assistant superintendent for the dam's reconstruction.
But cost overruns on downstream Holter Dam
Holter Dam
Holter Dam is a hydroelectric straight gravity dam on the Missouri River about northeast of Helena, Montana, in the United States. The dam, which was built between 1908 and 1918, is long and high. The reservoir formed by the dam, Holter Lake is long and has a storage capacity of of water when...
, waning investor enthusiasm, and the liability associated with the collapse of the first Hauser Dam nearly drove Samuel Hauser (United Missouri's largest shareholder) into bankruptcy. Hauser sold his interest in United Missouri River Power to John D. Ryan
John D. Ryan (mining)
John Dennis Ryan was an American industrialist and copper mining magnate. President of Anaconda Copper Mining Company and creator of Montana Power Company.-Biography:...
, who on October 25, 1912, merged United Missouri River Power with the Butte Electric and Power Company, Billings and Eastern Montana Power Company, and Madison River Power Company to form the Montana Power Company. Montana Power took over not only United Missouri's Canyon Ferry Dam
Canyon Ferry Dam
Canyon Ferry Dam is a concrete gravity dam in a narrow valley of the Missouri River where the Big Belt Mountains and the Spokane Hills merge, approximately downstream from the confluence of the Gallatin, Madison, and Jefferson Rivers, and about east of the city of Helena, Montana...
and Hauser Dam but the partially built Holter Dam as well.
The current Hauser Dam has four sections: An overflow spillway, abutments on either side of the overflow spillway, a non-spillover section east of the left abutment (below which is the powerhouse), and a 32 feet (9.8 m) deep forebay which impounds water behind the powerhouse. The spillway is 493 feet (150.3 m) long. Five hydraulic sliding gates and 17 manually operated flashboards allow water to overflow the dam. Hauser Dam can only generate 19 megawatts
Watt
The watt is a derived unit of power in the International System of Units , named after the Scottish engineer James Watt . The unit, defined as one joule per second, measures the rate of energy conversion.-Definition:...
of power, and so requires little water to function.
Hauser Lake
The reservoir formed by Hauser Dam is 15.5 miles (24.9 km) in length and only 0.1 mile (0.160934 km) to 1.1 miles (1.8 km) in width. The lake has a surface area of 3800 acres (1,537.8 ha), and has a storage capacity of 98000 acre.ft of water when full. Hauser Lake has a meanArithmetic mean
In mathematics and statistics, the arithmetic mean, often referred to as simply the mean or average when the context is clear, is a method to derive the central tendency of a sample space...
depth of 26 feet (7.9 m) and a maximum depth of 70 feet (21.3 m).
The creation of Hauser Lake led to the creation of nearby Lake Helena
Lake Helena
Lake Helena is a body of water along Prickly Pear Creek in the Helena Valley of Lewis and Clark County in southwestern Montana. It is in size and is above sea level.-History:Completion of Hauser Dam on the Missouri River in 1907 created Hauser Lake...
. The water impounded by Hauser Dam inundated the lower portion of Prickly Pear Creek, causing the formation of Lake Helena. A narrow canyon 3.9 miles (6.3 km) in length filled with deep water (known as the Causeway Arm) connects Hauser Lake with Lake Helena. Lake Helena is extremely shallow and develops dense amounts of aquatic vegetation, making it an important nesting, stopover, and feeding area for birds.
The distance from Hauser Dam to Holter Reservoir, the next lake downstream, is 4.6 miles (7.4 km).
Dam operations
On November 2, 1999, Montana Power announced it was selling all of its dams and other electric power generating plants to PPL, Inc. for $1.6 billion. The sale was expected to generate $30 million in taxes for the state of Montana (although MPC said the total would be lower). In November 2001, citizens of Montana upset with energy price increases announced by PPL sought passage of a ballot initiative that would require the state of Montana to buy all of PPL's hydroelectric dams, including Hauser Dam. Montana voters rejected the initiative in November 2002.The public used to be able to walk across the top of Hauser Dam (which provided easy access to both sides of the river), but the dam was closed to the public after the September 11 attacks. Hauser Dam was one of the last two such PPL dams to be closed.