Unleashing the Future: Extreme Scenarios of How Smart Contracts Will Alter the Course of History
As we plunge headlong into the twenty-first century, an era hallmarked by rapid technological change, we’re constantly challenged to reevaluate and reimagine traditional systems. One such system, as integral to our society as it is ripe for disruption, is the contract system. Inherited from our forebears, it remains a slow, labor-intensive, and often opaque process. However, with the advent of blockchain technology, we’re on the cusp of a significant overhaul: the rise of smart contracts. These digital, self-executing agreements promise not only to streamline and secure transactions but also to revolutionize our industries and society at large.
From real-time tax collection systems to decentralized autonomous vehicles, smart contracts offer a glimpse into a future where trust is algorithmically guaranteed, bureaucracy is slashed, and transactions are seamless. In this column, we explore the potential of smart contracts, delving into a few provocative scenarios where they could be game-changers.
20 Groundbreaking Applications of Smart Contracts
As we cast our gaze into the not-so-distant future, a landscape laden with the potential of smart contracts emerges. These self-executing pieces of code, underpinned by the immutable nature of blockchain technology, promise to rewrite the rules of trust, intermediation, and enforcement.
1. Automated Inheritance and Will Execution:
In case of an individual’s death, smart contracts could be used to automatically execute wills, distributing assets without needing an executor or a legal process, thereby reducing disputes and legal costs.
EXAMPLE: Let’s begin with a will execution scenario, where Wilson Charles, a family patriarch, has passed away, leaving behind an extensive portfolio of assets. This includes multiple houses, cars, securities, shares in various companies, and a vacation home in Vail, CO. He has four children, Donnie, Arne, Beth, and Tiffany, eighteen grandchildren, and a lifelong commitment to three charities.
Wilson, being forward-thinking, had put in place a smart contract for the execution of his will. This smart contract, a self-executing contract with the terms of Wilson’s, will directly be written into code, and is stored on the blockchain. The smart contract was created with the help of a legal expert and a blockchain programmer to ensure the legal validity and proper execution of the contract.
Upon Wilson’s death, the smart contract is automatically triggered. The contract was designed to confirm Wilson’s passing through reliable external data sources, such as government death registry APIs which are integrated into the blockchain network. This confirmation starts the execution of the smart contract, which follows the instructions encoded in it.
Firstly, Wilson’s various assets are distributed to his four children as specified. The smart contract automatically transfers the ownership of the houses and the vacation home in Vail, CO, to Donnie and Arne. The shares in the companies and securities are split among all four children, with the smart contract interacting with the securities registry and the various companies’ shareholder registries to update the ownership.
The cars are divided among the grandchildren, with the smart contract accessing the DMV database to change the registration of each vehicle to its new owner. The smart contract also allocates a specific portion of Wilson’s estate to each grandchild, directly transferring these funds to their respective digital wallets.
Lastly, Wilson’s commitments to the three charities he believed in are fulfilled. A specific sum is transferred from Wilson’s digital wallet to the wallets of these organizations. Since the transaction is recorded on the blockchain, it’s transparent, and the charities can confirm they received the donations.
As you can see from this scenario, the smart contract has automated the entire process of executing Wilson’s will, reducing the time, cost, and potential disputes that might have arisen in its absence. The use of blockchain technology ensures transparency, security, and immutable record-keeping, making the process reliable and efficient.
2. Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs):
Entire organizations could be run on smart contracts, with decision-making processes, revenue distribution, task assignment, and more all codified into immutable contracts. This could eliminate managerial overhead and allow truly decentralized businesses.
3. Digital Identity Verification:
Smart contracts could be used for identity verification systems, replacing traditional methods. Upon confirmation of an individual’s identity, a smart contract could automatically grant access to secure systems, documents, or services.
4. Automated Supply Chains:
Smart contracts could track goods from raw materials to finished product, automatically triggering payments and shipping processes once certain conditions are met and providing unprecedented levels of transparency.
5. Decentralized Energy Grids:
In a peer-to-peer energy network, smart contracts could automatically buy and sell surplus energy between households, effectively decentralizing the energy grid.
6. Real-Time Insurance Payouts:
Insurance claims could be processed in real-time, with smart contracts verifying claim conditions and automatically disbursing payouts, reducing fraud and increasing efficiency.
7. Smart Property:
Property, such as homes or vehicles, could be tokenized and controlled via smart contracts. Access could be granted or revoked automatically based on payment, eliminating the need for physical keys.
8. Decentralized Autonomous Vehicles:
Smart contracts could govern self-driving cars, handling everything from fare payments to insurance, maintenance scheduling, and conflict resolution in case of accidents.
EXAMPLE: Driverless Rides, a pioneering company in the field of autonomous transportation, operates a fleet of 2,300 self-driving vehicles spread across 13 states, providing services to over 2 million people annually. The operation of these vehicles and the transactions involved are managed by a complex network of smart contracts, making Driverless Rides a truly decentralized autonomous vehicle company.
Each vehicle in the Driverless Rides fleet is not just an autonomous entity in the physical sense but also in the digital world. Every car is essentially a ‘node’ in the blockchain network, operating based on a set of rules defined by smart contracts. These smart contracts govern everything from fare calculations and payments to maintenance schedules and accident response protocols.
When a user books a ride through the Driverless Rides app, a smart contract is triggered. The contract interacts with the GPS data of the vehicles and the user, selecting the most appropriate vehicle based on factors like proximity, traffic, and the vehicle’s current state of charge. Once the vehicle is selected, the ride details are sent to the user and the car.
The fare for the journey is pre-determined by the smart contract, using real-time data like distance, current demand, and local regulations. The user pays the fare in a digital currency, and the payment is held in escrow by the smart contract until the journey is completed.
During the journey, the vehicle’s sensors continuously feed data into the smart contract. This data includes information about the vehicle’s speed, route compliance, and any unexpected incidents. If the vehicle is involved in an accident, the smart contract automatically triggers the insurance claim process, using the sensor data as an irrefutable record of the incident.
After the ride is completed, the smart contract releases the payment to Driverless Rides, records the transaction on the blockchain, and updates the vehicle’s availability status. It also schedules any required maintenance based on the vehicle’s usage data.
In the case of Driverless Rides, smart contracts essentially act as the company’s decentralized management system. They ensure efficient and reliable operations, reduce the need for intermediaries, and provide an enhanced level of transparency and security for both the company and the users. This decentralized model of operation represents a paradigm shift in the transportation industry brought about by the convergence of autonomous vehicles and blockchain technology.

9. Personal Data Marketplaces:
Individuals could sell access to their personal data via smart contracts, with terms and conditions, such as the type of data and the duration of access, being enforced automatically.
10. Automated Clinical Trials:
In pharmaceutical research, smart contracts could manage patient consent, automatically collect and anonymize data, ensure compliance with trial protocols, and even distribute compensation, all while maintaining the privacy and security of patient data.
11. Automated Intellectual Property Rights Management:
Smart contracts can manage the sale, distribution, and usage of creative works, automatically ensuring creators receive their due royalties.
12. Decentralized Voting Systems:
Smart contracts could enable secure, transparent voting systems that automatically tally votes and prevent fraud, making elections more democratic and accessible.
EXAMPLE: Landis Marketing, a leading sports marketing agency, has taken an innovative approach to deciding the host city for the inaugural Pickle Ball Pickle Bowl Tournament. Rather than having the decision made by a select few in boardrooms, they have decided to democratize the process by conducting a global election. After a vigorous campaign, eight cities across the globe have thrown their hat into the ring, and it’s now up to the people of the world to choose the host city.
To ensure a fair, secure, and transparent election process, Landis Marketing has decided to leverage blockchain technology and use decentralized voting systems. The use of smart contracts in this scenario is set to revolutionize public voting, making it more inclusive, efficient, and trustworthy.
The process begins with voter registration. Individuals worldwide who wish to participate in the voting process must register their details on the decentralized voting platform developed by Landis Marketing. Once registered, each voter will receive a unique digital ID linked to their blockchain wallet.
As the voting period commences, each registered voter will receive a voting token in their blockchain wallet. This token is unique and non-transferable, ensuring one person, one vote. Voters can then cast their vote by sending their token to the blockchain address corresponding to their chosen city.
The use of smart contracts in this process ensures a high level of transparency and security. Once a vote is cast, it gets recorded on the blockchain, making it tamper-proof and auditable. The smart contract also automatically verifies each vote, checking it against the list of registered voters to ensure validity.
Throughout the voting period, the tally of votes remains visible to everyone, but the connection between voters and their votes is anonymous, maintaining voter privacy. The decentralization aspect of the process also ensures that no single entity has control over the voting data, preventing any potential manipulation.
Once the voting period ends, the smart contract automatically tallies the votes and announces the winning city. This instantaneous result calculation eliminates any waiting period or room for human error.
Through this innovative use of decentralized voting systems, Landis Marketing ensures a fair and transparent selection process for the Pickle Ball Pickle Bowl Tournament host city and positions itself as a pioneer in leveraging emerging technologies for democratized decision-making.

13. Automated Student Records and Certificates:
Smart contracts can validate and store student records, automatically issuing certificates once certain criteria are met, reducing administrative burdens and fraud.14. Decentralized Job Markets:
Smart contracts could enable a decentralized job market where tasks are automatically assigned to qualified individuals who meet specific criteria, and payment is released upon task completion.15. Sustainable Development Verification:
Smart contracts can automatically verify that companies meet certain sustainability criteria, enabling transparent, decentralized sustainability certification systems.16. Trustless Online Gambling:
Online gambling could be entirely governed by smart contracts, ensuring fair games and automatic payout of winnings, eliminating the need for a trusted third party. EXAMPLE: Polychain Casinos, an innovative digital gaming company, has decided to disrupt the global online gambling industry by launching a trustless online gambling platform entirely powered by blockchain technology and smart contracts. This move aims to solve some of the most common challenges in the industry – including lack of transparency, trust issues, and delays in payout. First, every player interested in participating in Polychain’s online gambling platform must create a digital wallet that securely stores their cryptocurrency. This wallet acts as their unique identity on the platform and ensures the security of their funds. Once the wallet is set up, players can deposit funds into it, which are converted into Polychain’s unique gambling tokens. It’s important to note that Polychain’s platform is cryptocurrency-based, removing the need for traditional banking intermediaries and their associated delays and fees. The games on Polychain’s platform, whether they are card games, slots, or roulette, are powered by smart contracts. Each game is essentially a self-executing contract with the rules of the game, the payouts, and the odds coded into it. When a player places a bet, they are essentially interacting with the smart contract. The result of each game is determined by a random number generator built on blockchain technology, ensuring complete transparency and fairness. Once the game is over, the smart contract automatically executes the payment based on the game’s outcome. The winnings are instantly transferred to their digital wallet if the player wins. If the player loses, the bet amount is automatically assigned to Polychain. One of the most significant advantages of this approach is that it’s trustless, meaning players don’t have to trust the casino to be fair or to pay out their winnings. Everything is governed by code, and the blockchain’s transparency means that anyone can verify the games’ fairness and the payouts’ integrity. By launching this trustless online gambling platform, Polychain Casinos has not only removed the need for players to trust them but also significantly increased the speed and efficiency of payouts. This innovative approach could well be the future of online gambling, opening up the industry to a new wave of players who value transparency, fairness, and efficiency.
17. Automated Charity Donations:
Donations could be released to a charity only when specific, verifiable conditions are met, ensuring that funds are used as intended.
18. Decentralized Content Reward Systems:
Content creators could be rewarded automatically and transparently based on engagement metrics, ensuring fair compensation.
19. Transparent Public Budget Management:
Governments could use smart contracts to manage public budgets, automatically distributing funds when certain conditions are met, improving transparency and reducing corruption.
20. Real-Time Tax Collection:
Governments could use smart contracts to automatically collect taxes at the moment of a transaction, reducing tax evasion and increasing efficiency.
EXAMPLE: In response to the increasing complexity of the traditional tax system, the government has decided to implement a groundbreaking solution: a real-time tax collection system leveraging blockchain technology and smart contracts. This system, known as “Transparent Transaction Taxation” (TTT), aims to make the taxation process virtually invisible and painless for taxpayers, all while ensuring the fair implementation of taxes.
The TTT system assigns a unique digital identity to each individual and corporation. These digital identities are linked to their financial transactions and securely stored on a blockchain network, providing transparency and maintaining the integrity and privacy of data.
The novel aspect of this system is the shift from income tax to transaction tax. Rather than manually filing income tax returns annually, the TTT system automatically calculates and collects a small tax on each financial transaction in real-time, making the process mostly invisible and painless.
A smart contract is activated every time a financial transaction occurs, be it a paycheck deposit, a stock trade, a property sale, or a business transaction. This smart contract – a self-executing contract with the agreement terms directly written into the code – automatically computes the transaction tax based on the pre-set tax rules and regulations.
The calculated tax is immediately deducted from the transaction amount and transferred to the government’s account, making the process seamless and efficient. This approach reduces the administrative burden for taxpayers and provides the government with a steady, real-time stream of revenue.
In this system, the tax burden is fairly distributed across all transactions, mitigating the common criticisms of income tax systems, such as the perceived unfairness in tax rates between different income brackets. It also significantly reduces the possibility of tax evasion, as every transaction is automatically recorded and taxed.
Moreover, the TTT system provides taxpayers a user-friendly dashboard linked to their digital identity. This enables them to easily track their tax payments and understand their financial obligations, promoting transparency and better financial management.
With the implementation of the TTT system, the government effectively eliminates the traditional, time-consuming, and often intrusive process of income tax filing. Instead, it offers a more streamlined, efficient, and equitable approach to taxation, harnessing the power of emerging technologies to revolutionize a crucial societal process. This innovation in taxation could potentially become the norm in the future, setting a new standard for tax systems worldwide.
Final Thoughts
As we’ve illustrated with these examples, smart contracts have the potential to usher in a new era of efficiency, transparency, and trust. Whether it’s through automating will execution or managing an entire fleet of autonomous vehicles, the possibilities seem boundless. As with any disruptive technology, there are undoubtedly challenges and potential pitfalls that we must navigate carefully. However, the benefits of smart contracts are compelling enough that they are undeniably, part of our future.
We stand on the precipice of a new paradigm, one where smart contracts can and will reshape the fabric of our digital society. The transition won’t be overnight, and it won’t be without its hurdles. But as we stare into the promise of this technologically augmented future, one thing is clear: the potential of smart contracts goes far beyond a mere upgrade of our current systems. They can rewrite the rulebook, shifting how we interact, transact, and trust.
The future is brimming with promise. As we unravel it thread by thread, our society will inevitably find new ways to adapt, evolve, and thrive. And in this dynamic tapestry, smart contracts are set to be a defining weave.
Unleashing the Future: Extreme Scenarios of How Smart Contracts Will Alter the Course of History
Built in 1954, the Canyon Ferry Dam has stood as an engineering marvel, powering over 100,000 homes.
Modern civilization is built on precision, innovation, and control—but when one failure occurs in an interconnected system, the consequences can be unstoppable. The Canyon Ferry Disaster is more than a catastrophe; it is a cautionary tale of how a single breach can unravel decades of progress, setting off a chain reaction of destruction that no one can stop.
What began as a fracture in one dam quickly escalated into the largest infrastructure collapse in American history. One after another, dams crumbled, rivers swelled beyond control, and cities vanished beneath an unrelenting flood. The Missouri River, once a lifeline for millions, became a weapon of mass destruction, leaving entire states submerged and the nation in chaos.
This is not just the story of a disaster—it is the story of how fragile our modern world truly is. This account will trace the slow-motion nightmare that unfolded over twelve days, the desperate evacuations, and the lessons we must learn to ensure this never happens again. Because if history has taught us anything, it is this: when the first dam breaks, the clock starts ticking.
1. Setting the Stage: A Calm Before the Chaos
The Missouri River glides silently beneath the warm glow of an early spring sunset, its surface undisturbed, almost tranquil. The vast Canyon Ferry Reservoir stretches to the horizon, a colossal body of water swollen to its limits by the seasonal snowmelt. Beneath its smooth facade, 134 billion cubic feet of water press against the towering Canyon Ferry Dam, a monolith of stone and steel standing guard over Montana’s rugged landscape.
Built in 1954, the dam is more than just an engineering marvel—it is a lifeline. Its hydroelectric turbines provide power to over 100,000 homes, its waters irrigate thousands of acres of farmland, and its reservoir draws boaters, anglers, and campers seeking escape into Montana’s wilderness. At 210 feet high and 3,280 feet long, it is a sentinel of progress, a testament to mankind’s ability to tame nature’s fury.
But below the surface, unseen and unforgiving forces are at play.
Downstream, the Missouri River winds its way through a chain of dams, each a critical link in the region’s infrastructure. The Hauser Dam, just 14 miles away, holds 5 billion cubic feet of water in check. Farther down, 30 miles from Canyon Ferry, the Holter Dam contains another 12 billion cubic feet. Together, these structures balance power and control, protecting Helena, Great Falls, and dozens of smaller communities nestled along the riverbanks.
Beyond them, the Missouri River Basin sprawls across the heartland, home to over 2.5 million people who depend on its waters for drinking, industry, and agriculture. While only a fraction of them live within the immediate floodplain, a catastrophic failure here would send shockwaves across the Midwest, disrupting power grids, supply chains, and entire economies.
Yet, on this serene evening, there are no warnings, no sirens—only a quiet, uneasy stillness. A handful of anglers cast their lines into the glassy waters, unaware that history is about to change.
Because at this very moment, a plan is in motion. A deliberate act of destruction has been set into place—one designed to exploit the river at its most vulnerable. The conspirators know the stakes. They understand the chain reaction that a single breach will unleash. And they know that within hours, this calm reservoir will become an unstoppable force of devastation.
For now, the only sounds are the splash of fish breaking the surface and the soft rustling of wind through the pines. The Canyon Ferry Dam stands, silent and unyielding.
But not for long.

The Canyon Ferry Reservoir has long been a hidden gem tucked into the mountains of Montana.
2. The Prelude to Destruction
Dressed in unremarkable fishing gear, two men unload a motorized raft on the quiet eastern edge of the Canyon Ferry Reservoir. To an untrained observer, they appear to be ordinary fishermen, blending seamlessly into the tranquil surroundings. But their actions—subtle, deliberate—betray their true intent. Weighted backpacks filled with explosives, carefully constructed to withstand the pressure and turbulence of deep water, are lowered into the raft. The payload, consisting of seven interconnected explosive packs, is designed to deliver a synchronized detonation capable of breaching even the most robust dam structures.
The dam's spillway—its Achilles' heel—is their target. The Canyon Ferry Dam, holding back 134 billion cubic feet of water, stands as a critical point in the Missouri River’s intricate hydrological system. A breach here would unleash catastrophic downstream consequences. The Hauser Dam, 14 miles downstream and containing 5 billion cubic feet of water, would likely fail within hours. Holter Dam, located 30 miles from Canyon Ferry and holding 12 billion cubic feet, would inevitably collapse under the combined pressure. Together, these three dams control the flow of water through a basin that directly supports over 300,000 residents in Montana while indirectly impacting millions across the Midwest.
Under the cover of nightfall, the perpetrators navigate their raft with care, steering away from any prying eyes or patrol boats. The reservoir, spanning 10 miles, offers them plenty of space to operate in relative isolation. As they approach the dam’s spillway—a point they meticulously identified as the structural weak spot—they move with precision.
Their explosives are tethered along a cable designed to span the height of the dam’s foundation. Each pack is carefully positioned at calculated depths to maximize the impact of the detonation, ensuring that the initial blast will penetrate the earth and concrete barrier holding back the massive reservoir. The tether is anchored securely to the spillway wall, and the waterproof timers are activated. The countdown begins, set to deliver devastation at precisely 12:02 a.m.
The two men work in silence, their practiced efficiency reflecting months of planning. They know the stakes: a breach at Canyon Ferry will initiate a chain reaction, leading to the catastrophic failure of dams further downstream. As they finish their task, the duo vanishes into the surrounding wilderness, leaving no trace of their presence.
This single act sets the stage for a disaster that will reshape the lives of millions. Helena, the state capital located 23 miles from Canyon Ferry, is home to over 30,000 residents who rely on the dam for water, power, and flood control. Beyond Helena, the floodwaters will race toward Great Falls, a city of 58,000, and eventually to the broader Midwest, where the economic and human toll will be felt by millions.
By midnight, the tranquility of the Montana night will give way to an engineered catastrophe as the first moments of destruction begin to unfold.

At precisely 12:02 am, the stillness of the Montana night is shattered.
3.) The Midnight Call: Emergency Crews Mobilize
At precisely 12:02 a.m., the stillness of the Montana night is shattered. A deep, concussive explosion rips through the base of Canyon Ferry Dam, sending shockwaves through the massive concrete structure. The once-unyielding wall of reinforced concrete and earth buckles, and within seconds, a catastrophic breach opens.
The reservoir, swollen with 134 billion cubic feet of water, unleashes its fury, carving a violent new channel through the canyon walls. A roaring, frothing wave surges downstream at over 30 mph, erasing roads, bridges, and homes in its path.
The Midnight Alarm: Emergency Crews Awaken
Within minutes of the explosion, emergency dispatch centers across Montana light up with frantic calls.
- Montana Highway Patrol officers jolt awake to the shrill ring of their radios, orders crackling through the speakers:
“Evacuate all communities along the Missouri River. The dam is gone.” - Firehouses scramble to respond, their crews grabbing gear in a blur of movement as sirens scream through sleeping towns.
- National Guard units, roused from their beds, are ordered to immediate deployment, their convoys speeding toward the rising disaster.
The news spreads in waves of disbelief and urgency.
- Dispatchers struggle to relay information, overwhelmed by a flood of 911 calls from terrified residents.
- Mayors and emergency coordinators in Helena, Great Falls, and beyond are jolted awake by emergency briefings—what they hear defies belief.
- Hospitals activate mass casualty protocols, clearing emergency rooms for an influx of injured evacuees.
As the first reports filter in—Canyon Ferry is gone, Hauser is failing, Holter is next—one thing becomes clear: this is no localized disaster. This is a national catastrophe in motion.
The First Domino: Hauser and Holter Collapse
By 12:30 a.m., emergency responders in Townsend, East Helena, and Helena are already in the streets, pounding on doors, screaming at people to evacuate. But the flood moves faster than they can warn.
- The Hauser Dam, just 14 miles downstream, is overwhelmed within 45 minutes. The 5 billion cubic feet of water behind it surges free, adding fuel to the already unstoppable wave.
- By 2:00 a.m., Holter Dam (holding 12 billion cubic feet) collapses, its concrete walls buckling under the relentless force.
The Missouri River has now doubled in volume, multiplying its destructive power with each collapse.
A Night of Chaos: Emergency Crews Race Against Time
With every hour that passes, the flood picks up speed, debris, and lives.
- State troopers in helicopters broadcast evacuation orders over loudspeakers, their voices barely audible over the roaring flood.
- Firefighters and medics stage along higher ground, awaiting the injured—but knowing their numbers will quickly overwhelm resources.
- National Guard engineers race to reinforce bridges and levees, but it’s already too late for many.
The entire state of Montana is now in a state of emergency.
Great Falls: The Next City in Line
Located 75 miles downstream, Great Falls (population 58,000) braces for the inevitable. The Missouri River is now a runaway force of destruction, fed by three dam failures.
- At 4:30 a.m., city sirens wail, warning of the incoming wall of water.
- Military helicopters circle above, lighting up the darkness with searchlights as they pull stranded residents from rooftops.
- Highway patrol officers form human chains, dragging people from stalled vehicles on submerged highways.
The Missouri River is no longer a river—it is a weapon, carrying the flood toward even more densely populated regions.
Dawn Brings a Grim Reality
By 6:00 a.m., the rising sun reveals a transformed landscape. The waters now stretch for miles beyond the riverbanks, swallowing entire towns like an advancing ocean.
- Over 500,000 residents across the Missouri River Basin are without power, clean water, or escape routes.
- Railroads, highways, and supply chains are severed, cutting off vital aid to affected areas.
- Rescue crews, exhausted and overwhelmed, begin marking buildings with spray paint, signaling where survivors have been found—and where bodies remain.
The nation wakes up to the biggest disaster in modern American history—and it is only just beginning.

Over the coming days, over 300 bridges will be destroyed!.
4. The Domino Effect: From Montana to the Midwest
The Cascading Failure of Missouri River Dams
As the breach at Canyon Ferry Dam unleashes 134 billion cubic feet of water, a deadly chain reaction begins, overwhelming the Missouri River’s system of dams and reservoirs. The surging flood quickly overcomes the Hauser Dam (14 miles downstream, holding 5 billion cubic feet) and then slams into the Holter Dam (another 15 miles downstream, containing 12 billion cubic feet). Each failure amplifies the flood’s destructive force, accelerating its deadly march across Montana.
Yet, this is just the beginning. The water, now a roaring deluge of over 150 billion cubic feet, is propelled downstream by the Missouri River’s rapid elevation drop—a geographical feature that turns a disaster into a catastrophe.
From Canyon Ferry to Fort Peck Dam, the Missouri River plunges more than 1,000 feet in elevation over a 300-mile stretch. This steep decline transforms the flood into a fast-moving torrent, exponentially increasing its power. The river, normally controlled by a series of hydroelectric projects, is now an unchecked, relentless force.
The Final Stand: Fort Peck Dam
Located nearly 300 miles northeast of Canyon Ferry, Fort Peck Dam is the largest dam on the Missouri River and one of the most massive earthen dams in the world. Completed in 1940, it stands 250 feet high and 21,026 feet long, forming the Fort Peck Reservoir, which stretches 134 miles and holds an astonishing 19 million acre-feet (825 billion cubic feet) of water. This dam plays a critical role in regulating the Missouri River’s flow and preventing catastrophic floods.
But as the floodstorm barrels toward Fort Peck, engineers at the dam realize the terrifying reality: the dam’s current outflow system cannot release water fast enough to compensate for the incoming surge. Fort Peck is already at near-capacity from spring runoff, and with the combined floodwaters from Canyon Ferry, Hauser, and Holter, the reservoir’s levels begin to rise at a staggering rate.
At 10:45 a.m., the reservoir has exceeded emergency spillway levels. The earthen dam, never designed to withstand such an overwhelming surge, starts showing signs of structural failure. Engineers scramble to increase controlled releases, but it’s futile.
By 11:12 a.m., a massive section of Fort Peck’s earthen embankment gives way. Within minutes, the entire eastern section collapses, sending a 150-foot-high wall of water racing downstream at over 30 mph.
The Cataclysm Unleashed
With Fort Peck’s 825 billion cubic feet of water now joining the flood, the torrent has become an unstoppable inland tsunami, moving relentlessly toward Garrison Dam in North Dakota. The elevation drop between Fort Peck and Garrison spans over 300 feet, adding even more momentum to the water’s deadly charge.
By 3:30 p.m., the Garrison Dam, one of the largest hydroelectric facilities in the U.S., collapses under the onslaught. This final breach sends a surge of over 2.5 trillion cubic feet of water cascading down the Missouri River, obliterating towns, cities, and infrastructure across Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and the Midwest.

While most people have been warned to evacuate, the destruction of property is unfathomable.
5.) The Slow March of Disaster: A Nation Watches in Horror
By daylight, the unstoppable wall of water has already consumed much of Montana and North Dakota, and now it creeps—agonizingly slow yet inescapable—toward the heart of the Midwest. The disaster does not strike all at once. Instead, it unfolds in slow motion, a grinding inevitability that emergency crews and news helicopters track in real time, broadcasting the destruction hour by hour to a stunned nation.
Bismarck Overwhelmed: The Water Rises, and Hope Fades
From the air, Bismarck looks like a city under siege by nature itself. The once-mighty Missouri River has swollen to five times its normal width, and levees that held through the night are now visibly bulging, crumbling, then failing altogether.
Helicopters hover over the stranded residents, capturing footage of entire neighborhoods gradually vanishing beneath the encroaching flood. The footage is surreal—people wading through waist-deep water, clutching their children and whatever belongings they can carry.
On the ground, emergency responders battle exhaustion as they ferry stranded families to safety in boats. Some neighborhoods are completely cut off, leaving rescue crews to make impossible choices about who to evacuate first.
- Bismarck’s flood stage is typically 16 feet, but by noon, the water has risen past 35 feet—and it keeps climbing.
- Highway 83, the last major evacuation route, is swallowed in slow motion.
- National Guard troops coordinate rooftop rescues while power stations spark and fail.
The collapse of Garrison Dam upstream means that Bismarck’s fate is sealed—the city will not be spared. Residents flee to higher ground, watching their homes become part of the ever-widening floodplain.
Oahe Dam Teeters on the Brink: The Clock Runs Out
Further downstream, Pierre, South Dakota, waits in agonizing silence. Residents have been watching the rising water for days, knowing the Oahe Dam stands between them and annihilation.
Live news feeds capture the moment the colossal structure gives way. At 9:40 a.m., an earthen section of the dam cracks, buckles, then collapses. The dam’s 102 billion cubic feet of water explode outward, sending a new tidal wave racing toward South Dakota’s capital.
From above, helicopters capture the moment the surge hits downtown Pierre. Streets become rivers, cars float like toys, and entire buildings dislodge and drift away. The bridge spanning the Missouri River collapses, cutting off all hope of escape for those still trapped on the wrong side.
- Pierre’s population of 14,000 has less than 30 minutes before the entire city is underwater.
- The flood, now carrying the force of three dam failures, picks up even more speed as it descends into South Dakota.
- Livestock in nearby fields struggle in the churning water, helpless as their pastures become part of the widening disaster.
Sioux City: The Evacuation Race Against Time
As the water thunders southward, Sioux City, Iowa, watches and waits, its people glued to live updates of Pierre’s destruction. They know they are next.
The city’s levees, reinforced only hours earlier, are now visibly weakening. Military convoys rush thousands toward higher ground, but the roads are choked with traffic, a slow-moving panic.
By mid-afternoon, the inevitable happens—the Missouri River breaks through. The flood arrives not as a single towering wave, but as a relentless surge, rising inch by inch until the entire city is drowning.
- Families abandon vehicles on flooded highways, scrambling for higher overpasses.
- Shelters overflow as tens of thousands are displaced.
- A power station explodes in a shower of sparks, plunging half the city into darkness.
Final Thoughts - A Pill for Humanity’s Future
The Canyon Ferry Disaster is more than a tragedy—it is a warning. A single point of failure unraveled the entire Missouri River Basin, leaving millions displaced and the heartland in ruins. The disaster underscores the fragility of our systems and the urgent need for innovation, resilience, and vigilance.
As communities embark on the long road to recovery, one truth is clear: we must redesign our world to prevent such catastrophic chain reactions from ever happening again. The lessons of this tragedy must shape the future, ensuring that our civilization does not crumble under the weight of its own complexity.
That’s Good, Keep Going! TRUST! ????