One hundred years on, the dam remains a symbol of western Montana's potential—but now for landscape restoration rather than for industrial imperialism. "Today we are turning the corner," said U.S. Sen. Max Baucus to the people gathered at the confluence to witness the dam breach last month. "We all know Montana is perfect, and today we are making it more perfect." The path to perfection is a muddy one, however. A downstream view taken this month shows the Clark Fork in its temporary bypass channel, the old channel laced with mucky pools, the drained reservoir sediments divided into excavation cells, and the rail cars drawn up to accept their cargo of heavy-metal-steeped sludge. The river breached the dam to the right of the remaining spillway, through the powerhouse gap.