MISSOULA — Another piece of major funding is falling into place for removal of the old Rattlesnake Dam.
The dam was built on Rattlesnake Creek in 1904, and was used as part of Missoula's water supply until that system was closed because of water quality concerns in the 1980s.
However, the old concrete dam remains, blocking fish spawning and habitat and there are also concerns the dam could fail in a major flood event.
To that end, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has announced it will pay $700,000 toward the removal of the dam. That's 75% of the total cost of the project.
Additional funding and support is coming from state and local government sources, as well as Trout Unlimited. Plans still call for removing the dam this summer.
