Sowell Dam dam
Sowell Dam
Sowell Dam, located in Josephine County, Oregon, is a privately owned structure that serves primarily for irrigation purposes. Completed in 1960, this earth-type dam stands at a height of 26 feet and has a storage capacity of 47 acre-feet. It is situated on the Loosley Clough, Kelly Creek, and Pay rivers and covers a surface area of 4.69 acres with a drainage area of 0.18 square miles.
With a significant hazard potential, Sowell Dam is regulated and inspected by the Oregon Water Resources Department, ensuring its safety and compliance with state regulations. The dam has a spillway type that is not specified, along with a slide (sluice gate) outlet gates. Despite being in operation for several decades, the dam's condition assessment remains unrated as of the last inspection conducted in December 2020.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Sowell Dam represents a vital component of the regional water management infrastructure in Oregon. Its role in supporting irrigation activities and water storage underscores the importance of maintaining and monitoring such structures to ensure their continued functionality and safety. The dam's location in Bridgeview and its impact on the surrounding waterways make it a key point of interest for those interested in the intersection of human development and natural resources.
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 Sowell Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Illinois River Near Kerby | 160 cfs | → |
| Sucker Cr Bl Lt Grayback Cr Nr Holland | 56 cfs | → |
| Applegate River Near Wilderville | 136 cfs | → |
| Indian C Nr Happy Camp Ca | 119 cfs | → |
| Rogue River At Grants Pass | 2,220 cfs | → |
| Applegate River Near Applegate | 137 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Sowell Dam.
Boat launches
Campgrounds
- Shady Acres
- Grayback Campground
- Little Falls Campground
- Greyback Campground
- Grayback
- Chinquapin Group Campground
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- Middle Of Sec 15, T40s, R4e To Siskyou Nf Boundary (East Section Line Of Sec 13, T40s, R4e)
- Confluence With Lightening Gulch To Confluence With Josephine Creek
- Middle Of Sec 15, T39s, R4e To Confluence With Canyon Creek
- Headwaters To Middle Of Sec 15, T39s, R4e
- Confluence Of North And South Forks Rough And Ready To Middle Of Sec 15, T40s, R9w
- Headwaters Including Both Unnamed Forks And Rr Lakes To Confluence With Rough And Ready Creek
Track Sowell Dam 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 Sowell Dam
Where does the data for Sowell Dam 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 Significant 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 Sowell Dam.