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Hills Creek Dam, also known as Hills Creek Lake, is a federal dam located in Oakridge, Oregon, on the Middle Fork Willamette River. Completed in 1962, the dam stands at a height of 341 feet and has a storage capacity of 356,000 acre-feet. The primary purpose of the dam is flood risk reduction, with additional functions including hydroelectric power generation, irrigation, navigation, and recreation.
Despite being well-built and maintained by the US Army Corps of Engineers, Hills Creek Dam poses a high hazard potential due to its location upstream of densely populated areas. An Issue Evaluation Study conducted in 2019 identified the risk associated with the dam as high, particularly in the event of an extreme earthquake causing the dam to settle and potentially overtop. To reduce risk to acceptable levels, interim risk reduction measures have been implemented, including lowering the maximum conservation pool of the reservoir and ongoing evaluation of the dam's seismic performance.
USACE continues to monitor and evaluate the dam's safety, conduct routine inspections, and update the Emergency Action Plan to ensure preparedness in case of an emergency. Community outreach efforts are also being increased to raise awareness of flood risks associated with the dam. Despite the potential for flooding during extreme weather events, Hills Creek Dam plays a crucial role in mitigating flood risks in the region.
Lake Or Reservoir Water Surface Elevation Above Ngvd 1929, Ft 24hr Change | -0.01% |
Percent of Normal | 100% |
Minimum |
1,425.11 ft
2023-03-13 |
Maximum |
1,541.26 ft
2014-05-12 |
Average | 1,451 ft |
Dam_Height | 328 |
Hydraulic_Height | 317 |
Drainage_Area | 389 |
Year_Completed | 1962 |
Nid_Storage | 356000 |
Structural_Height | 341 |
Primary_Dam_Type | Earth |
Foundations | Rock, Soil |
Surface_Area | 2735 |
Outlet_Gates | Slide (sluice gate) - 3, Tainter (radial) - 2 |
River_Or_Stream | MIDDLE FORK WILLAMETTE RIVER |
Dam_Length | 2235 |
Hazard_Potential | High |
Nid_Height | 341 |
Discharge | Stage | Elevation | |
MCKENZIE RIVER NEAR WALTERVILLE
2024-12-19T01:45:00.000-08:00 |
8900cfs | 6.25ft | 596ft |
MIDDLE FORK WILLAMETTE RIVER AT JASPER
2024-12-21T00:20:00.000-08:00 |
2940cfs | 3.55ft | 525ft |
CAMP CRK AT CAMP CRK RD BRIDGE
2024-12-18T01:30:00.000-08:00 |
261cfs | 10.11ft | 527ft |
CEDAR CREEK AT SPRINGFIELD
2024-12-19T01:30:00.000-08:00 |
74cfs | 2.56ft | 501ft |
COW CREEK ABV GALESVILLE RES
2024-12-19T01:45:00.000-08:00 |
193cfs | 2.1ft | 1902ft |
SO FK MCKENZIE RIVER ABV COUGAR LAKE NR RAINBOW OR
2024-12-21T00:00:00.000-08:00 |
889cfs | 5.36ft | 1753ft |
MCKENZIE RIVER ABV HAYDEN BR
2024-12-21T00:15:00.000-08:00 |
5920cfs | 54.68ft | 467ft |