Osborne Creek dam
Osborne Creek
Osborne Creek, also known as Cascade Ranch #, is a private water resource located in Jackson County, Oregon. This earth dam, completed in 1964, serves primarily for irrigation purposes and stands at a height of 60 feet with a hydraulic height of 56 feet. The dam has a storage capacity of 775 acre-feet and covers a surface area of 35.4 acres, drawing water from a drainage area of 3.25 square miles.
Despite its essential role in providing water for agriculture, Osborne Creek's dam is rated as having a high hazard potential with a poor condition assessment. The last inspection in July 2021 highlighted its need for maintenance and repairs. The outlet gates consist of a slide (sluice gate) design, and the dam is regulated by the Oregon Water Resources Department, with permitting, inspection, and enforcement processes in place to ensure its safety and compliance with regulations.
Located in Brownsboro, Oregon, Osborne Creek's dam serves as a critical infrastructure for water management in the region. As climate change continues to impact water resources, the maintenance and improvement of structures like Osborne Creek are crucial for sustainable water use and resilience to changing environmental conditions. Efforts to address the dam's maintenance needs and mitigate potential risks are essential to safeguarding this important water resource for the community and the environment.
Dam data reference
Condition Assessment
- Satisfactory
- No existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. Acceptable performance is expected under all loading conditions (static, hydrologic, seismic) in accordance with the minimum applicable state or federal regulatory criteria or tolerable risk guidelines.
- Fair
- No existing dam safety deficiencies are recognized for normal operating conditions. Rare or extreme hydrologic and/or seismic events may result in a dam safety deficiency. Risk may be in the range to take further action.
- Poor
- A dam safety deficiency is recognized for normal operating conditions which may realistically occur. Remedial action is necessary. POOR may also be used when uncertainties exist as to critical analysis parameters which identify a potential dam safety deficiency.
- Unsatisfactory
- A dam safety deficiency is recognized that requires immediate or emergency remedial action for problem resolution.
- Not Rated
- The dam has not been inspected, is not under state or federal jurisdiction, or has been inspected but, for whatever reason, has not been rated.
Hazard Potential Classification
- High
- Dams assigned the high hazard potential classification are those where failure or mis-operation will probably cause loss of human life.
- Significant
- Dams assigned the significant hazard potential classification are those dams where failure or mis-operation results in no probable loss of human life but can cause economic loss, environmental damage, disruption of lifeline facilities, or impact other concerns. Significant hazard potential classification dams are often located in predominantly rural or agricultural areas but could be in areas with population and significant infrastructure.
- Low
- Dams assigned the low hazard potential classification are those where failure or mis-operation results in no probable loss of human life and low economic and/or environmental losses. Losses are principally limited to the owner's property.
- Undetermined
- Dams for which a downstream hazard potential has not been designated or is not provided.
Plan around the weather
Same NOAA / yr.no feed Snoflo's iOS app uses. Watch the precipitation column on the meteogram -- rain on the basin upstream typically lifts inflow 24-72 hours later.
Next 5 days, hour by hour
Temperature line with weather symbols on top, snow + rain accumulation as columns, humidity as a dotted line.
5-day forecast table
Every 3 hours, broken out across temperature, snow, rain, humidity, and wind. Each cell is colour-coded relative to the column min/max.
| Time | Condition | Temp (°F) | Snow (in) | Rain (in) | Humidity (%) | Wind (mps) | Wind dir |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loading detailed forecast… | |||||||
15-day temperature & precipitation
Daily temperatures, snow, and rain projected over the next two weeks.
Nearby streamflow gauges
USGS streamgauges around Osborne Creek -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Rogue River At Dodge Bridge | 2,010 cfs | → |
| Bear Creek At Medford | 52 cfs | → |
| Bear Creek Blw Ashland Creek At Ashland | 49 cfs | → |
| Big Butte Creek Near Mcleod | 36 cfs | → |
| Rogue River Near Mcleod | 1,940 cfs | → |
| Rogue River At Raygold Near Central Point | 2,010 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Osborne Creek.
Boat launches
Campgrounds
- Willow-Witt Ranch
- Whiskey Springs Campground
- Willow Prairie Cabin
- Whiskey Springs
- Fourbit Ford Campground
- Fourbit Ford
Paddle runs
- Antelope Creek
- Big Butte Creek (Incl South Fork Big Butte Creek)
- Lost Creek Lake To Gold Ray Dam
- Gold Ray Dam To Grants Pass
- Rogue River
- South Fork Little Butte Creek
More reservoirs
Track Osborne Creek in the Snoflo app
Save this dam as a favorite and get the local NOAA / yr.no forecast plus regional flow context wherever you are.
About Osborne Creek
Where does the data for Osborne Creek come from?
Structural and regulatory data come from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' National Inventory of Dams (NID). Weather forecast comes from NOAA / yr.no -- the same feed Snoflo's iOS app uses.
How often is the report updated?
NID structural data refreshes annually as the Corps publishes updated assessments. The weather forecast refreshes throughout the day.
What does the High hazard rating mean?
The Corps of Engineers' hazard potential classification grades probable consequences if the dam fails: High = probable loss of human life; Significant = no probable loss of human life but possible economic loss / environmental damage; Low = no probable loss of human life, only minor economic / environmental losses. See the Dam Data Reference card above for the full definitions.
What's "% of normal"?
The current storage value compared to the historical average storage on this calendar day. 100% = right on average; values above 100% mean above-normal storage (wet year); values below mean below-normal (dry year or drought).
Can I get alerts when storage crosses a threshold?
Yes -- alerts are managed in the Snoflo iOS app. Favorite this dam, set a threshold, and you'll get a push the moment conditions cross.
Other water bodies near here
Snoflo-tracked reservoirs and dams within driving distance of Osborne Creek.