Kay Lake dam
Kay Lake
Kay Lake is a privately-owned reservoir located in North Plains, Oregon, with a primary purpose of irrigation. Built in 1963, this earth dam stands at a height of 33 feet and has a storage capacity of 50 acre-feet, serving as a critical water source for the surrounding agricultural community. The dam's maximum discharge capacity is 145 cubic feet per second, making it a vital component of the local water resource infrastructure.
Managed by the Oregon Water Resources Department, Kay Lake is subject to state regulation, inspection, and enforcement to ensure its structural integrity and operational safety. The dam has a high hazard potential, but its condition assessment as of December 2020 was deemed satisfactory. Equipped with needle outlet gates, the reservoir covers a surface area of 3.7 acres and drains a 0.4 square mile watershed, contributing to the conservation and distribution of water resources in the region. With its strategic location along McKay Creek, Kay Lake plays a crucial role in sustaining agricultural activities and mitigating the impacts of climate variability on water availability.
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 Kay Lake -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| East Fork Dairy Creek Near Meacham Corner | 21 cfs | → |
| Columbia Slough At Portland | 580 cfs | → |
| Tualatin River Near Dilley | 96 cfs | → |
| Burnt Bridge Creek Near Mouth At Vancouver | 37 cfs | → |
| Nehalem River Near Vernonia | 52 cfs | → |
| Fanno Creek At 56th Ave | 0 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Kay Lake.
Boat launches
- Happy Rock Moorage Inc.
- Big Oak Marina
- Sauvie Island Boat Ramp
- Sauvie Island Wildlife Area
- Haldman Pond Hand Launch
- Northwest Oak Island Road 25499, Portland
Campgrounds
- Brooke Creek Hike-In Camp
- L. L. Stub Stewart State Park
- Scaponia County Park
- Vernonia Lake Primative Campground
- Camp R&R
- Anderson City Park
Track Kay 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 Kay Lake
Where does the data for Kay 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 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 Kay Lake.