Garrison Dam, about 77 miles (124 kilometers) north of Bismarck, North Dakota, is part of the United States government’s Missouri River Basin development program. It is one of the world’s largest earth-filled dams. The dam’s main section is 12,000 feet (3,658 meters) long and 210 feet (64 meters) high. Construction of the dam started in 1947. The first of the dam’s five generating units began to produce power in 1956. The dam has a capacity of 515,000 kilowatts. It forms Lake Sakakawea, which is 178 miles (286 kilometers) long.
See also Lake Sakakawea ; Missouri River (Dams and reservoirs) .
