BILLINGS, MONT. -- The East Bench Irrigation District will gradually reduce releases from Clark Canyon Dam, south of Dillon, Mont, beginning Wednesday, October 26. Releases will temporarily be suspended on Thursday, October 27 from approximately 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. A residual amount of flow will remain in the river from stream bank storage and natural springs.

The short term flow reduction to the Beaverhead River is necessary to allow for inspection of the dam outlet works by Reclamation and East Bench Irrigation District personnel. Immediately following the inspection on October 27, releases will be resumed to provide in-stream flows for the fall and winter.

Clark Canyon Dam is constructed at the head of the Beaverhead River. The zoned earth-fill dam has a structural height of 147.5 feet, a crest length of 2,950 feet, and a volume of 1,970,000 cubic yards of material. The spillway consists of an approach channel, concrete inlet channel, un-gated concrete crest, concrete chute, concrete stilling basin, and an outlet channel. The outlet works consists of an approach channel; concrete intake structure; concrete conduit; a gate chamber with high-pressure gates, two of which serve for emergency ahead of the regulating gates; concrete access shaft and shaft house; and a concrete stilling basin. The outlet channel is shared by the outlet works and spillway.