Empire Lake dam
Empire Lake
Empire Lake, Lower is a gravity dam located in Coos, Oregon, designed for water supply purposes. Built in 1935, this dam stands at a height of 10 feet with a hydraulic and structural height of 10 and 11.5 feet respectively. It boasts a storage capacity of 192 acre-feet and covers a surface area of 17 acres, serving as a vital water resource for the local community in the city of Empire.
Managed by the local government and regulated by the Oregon Water Resources Department, Empire Lake, Lower has a low hazard potential and is inspected every 6 years to ensure its safety and functionality. While the dam's condition is currently not rated, it remains a crucial infrastructure for water supply in the region, with a maximum discharge capacity of 82 cubic feet per second. Situated along Chickness Creek, a tributary to a nearby river, this dam plays a significant role in managing water resources in the area.
Despite its age, Empire Lake, Lower continues to fulfill its primary purpose of providing water supply to the community while meeting state regulatory standards for inspection, permitting, and enforcement. With its strategic location and historical significance dating back to the 1930s, this gravity dam stands as a testament to sustainable water management practices and the importance of maintaining critical infrastructure for climate resilience in the face of changing environmental conditions.
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 Empire Lake -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Little Wolf Creek Near Tyee | 3 cfs | → |
| South Fork Coquille River At Powers | 102 cfs | → |
| Umpqua River Near Elkton | 1,710 cfs | → |
| North Umpqua River At Winchester | 1,250 cfs | → |
| South Umpqua River Near Brockway | 387 cfs | → |
| Siuslaw River Near Mapleton | 431 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Empire Lake.
Boat launches
- John Topits Upper Lake
- Holland Avenue, Coos Bay
- North Spit
- California Street 400-444, North Bend
- City Dock
- Eastside Boat Ramp
Campgrounds
- Bluebill Campground
- Bastendorff Campground
- #69 & 70
- Rooke - Higgins County Park
- Blue Ridge Trails Staging Area
- Nesika County Park
Paddle runs
- South Fork Coos River
- Eastern Siuslaw Nf Boundary To East Section Line Of Ne1/4se1/4 Of Sec 16, T21s, R10w
- East Section Line Of Ne1/4se1/4 Of Sec 16, T21s, R10w To Confluence With Smith River
- Sixes River
- Confluence With Jump Creek To East Section Line Of Sec 36, T19s, R10w
- East Section Line Of Sec 36, T19s, R10w To South Section Line Of Sec 32, T19s, R10w
Track Empire Lake 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 Empire Lake
Where does the data for Empire Lake 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 Low 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 Empire Lake.