Clausen Dam dam
Clausen Dam
Clausen Dam, located in Coos, Oregon, is a privately owned earth dam constructed in 1995 for recreational purposes. The dam stands at a height of 15 feet and has a storage capacity of 64 acre-feet. Situated on an unnamed tributary of the Coquille River, Clausen Dam is regulated by the Oregon Water Resources Department and undergoes regular inspections to ensure its safety and compliance with state regulations.
Despite its low hazard potential, Clausen Dam is subject to moderate risk and has an emergency action plan in place. The dam features a slide (sluice gate) outlet gate and an uncontrolled spillway type. While the dam is not rated for its condition assessment, it meets the necessary guidelines for emergency preparedness and risk management. The surrounding area is at a moderate risk level, emphasizing the importance of ongoing monitoring and maintenance to ensure the safety of the dam and the community it serves.
Managed by a private entity, Clausen Dam offers recreational opportunities while also serving as a vital water resource for the region. With its strategic location and storage capacity, the dam plays a key role in water management and flood control efforts in the Coos County area. Enthusiasts interested in water resources and climate will find Clausen Dam to be a fascinating example of infrastructure that balances recreational use with essential functions 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 Clausen Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| South Fork Coquille River At Powers | 119 cfs | → |
| Little Wolf Creek Near Tyee | 4 cfs | → |
| West Fork Cow Creek Near Glendale | 30 cfs | → |
| Rogue River Near Agness | 2,240 cfs | → |
| North Umpqua River At Winchester | 1,340 cfs | → |
| South Umpqua River Near Brockway | 442 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Clausen Dam.
Boat launches
Campgrounds
- Sturdivant City Park
- Bullards Beach State Park Campground
- Bullards Beach State Park
- Robin's Nest Rv
- Bastendorff Campground
- #69 & 70
Paddle runs
- Sixes River
- South Fork Coos River
- South Fork Coquille River
- Coquille River Rna Boundary (Western) To Siskiyou Nf Boundary (North Section Line Sec 6, T32s, R11w
- Confluence With Sucker Creek To Confluence With South Fork Coquille River
- Headwaters To Confluence With Johnson Creek
Track Clausen 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 Clausen Dam
Where does the data for Clausen 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 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 Clausen Dam.