Nelson Reservoir (Montana)

Nelson Reservoir
Nelson Reservoir is located in Montana
Nelson Reservoir
Nelson Reservoir
LocationPhillips County, Montana
Coordinates48°29′28″N 107°32′55″W / 48.49111°N 107.54851°W / 48.49111; -107.54851
TypeReservoir
Basin countriesUnited States
Surface area4,114.5 acres (1,665.1 ha)
Average depth19 ft (5.8 m)
Max. depth47 ft (14 m)
Water volume79,200 acre⋅ft (97,700,000 m3)
Surface elevation2,217 ft (676 m)

Nelson Reservoir is a reservoir located in Phillips County, Montana, northeast of Malta and northwest of Saco, Montana, created by damming the Milk River, a tributary of the Missouri River.

It is stocked annually with 100,000 walleye[1] as well as yellow perch and northern pike. There is both warm-weather and ice fishing.[2]

The Nelson Dam is maintained by the Bureau of Reclamation. It is a homogeneous earthfill dam originally built in 1914-1915 and enlarged in 1921–1922. It provides water storage for irrigation.[3]

There is a recreation area and campground adjacent to the reservoir.[2]

It is named for H.H. Nelson, who formed The Milk River Water User's Association to lobby for building diversion dikes and dams.[4]

Notes

  1. ^ "Nelson Reservoir". Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
  2. ^ a b "Nelson Reservoir". Visit Montana, Montana’s Official Tourism, Travel & Vacation Info Site. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
  3. ^ "Nelson Dam". Bureau of Reclamation. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
  4. ^ Manoukian, Marko (April 14, 2021). "How Nelson Reservoir got it's [sic] name". Phillips County News. Retrieved 2024-02-21.


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