STATE AND FEDERAL regulatory officials are moving to address seepage problems at the Beaver Creek dam in Montana, US. Since the first filling of the reservoir in 1977, seepage from the dam has been a concern for state dam safety engineers.
In order to identify the exact location of the seepage, piezometric pressures within the dam will be monitored through a series of new and existing test holes in the dam. Engineers are concerned that continued seepage, especially at the dam abutments, could lead to internal erosion of embankment materials. So far, in the test holes that already exist, no evidence of eroded material has been found.
Built in 1974, owned and operated by the Hill County, the dam has a hydraulic head of about 32m. The reservoir impounded by
the dam has a storage capacity of approximately 9497km3, and is used for irrigation, flood control, recreation and fish and wildlife
habitat purposes.