Ferry Creek dam
Ferry Creek
Ferry Creek, located in Curry County, Oregon, is a vital water supply dam completed in 1966. The dam stands at a height of 65 feet and has a hydraulic height of 43 feet, providing a normal storage capacity of 167 acre-feet. Serving the primary purpose of water supply, Ferry Creek Dam plays a crucial role in ensuring water availability for the local government in Brookings.
Despite its importance, Ferry Creek Dam has been deemed to have a high hazard potential and an unsatisfactory condition assessment. The last inspection in September 2021 revealed the need for improvements to meet safety standards. With a spillway type unspecified and limited flood discharge capacity of 90 cubic feet per second, the dam's structural integrity and emergency preparedness are under scrutiny.
As water resources and climate enthusiasts, attention must be given to Ferry Creek Dam's maintenance and potential risk management measures. With its critical role in water supply and the high hazard potential identified, stakeholders and regulatory agencies must work together to ensure the dam's safety and reliability 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 Ferry Creek -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Chetco River Near Brookings | 384 cfs | → |
| Smith R Nr Crescent City Ca | 776 cfs | → |
| Rogue River At Hwy 101 Bridge | 3,580 cfs | → |
| Illinois River Near Kerby | 208 cfs | → |
| Rogue River Near Agness | 2,240 cfs | → |
| Sucker Cr Bl Lt Grayback Cr Nr Holland | 65 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Ferry Creek.
Boat launches
- Social Security Bar
- Alfred A. Loeb State Park
- Miller Bar Boating Site
- Nook Bar Boating Site
- Smith River Fishing Access Del Norte County
- Lakeview Road 1199, Del Norte County
Campgrounds
- Riverside Rv Resort
- Harris Beach State Park
- Hiker/Biker Campgrounds
- Brookings Harbor Beachfront Rv Park
- Alfred A Loeb State Park
- Alfred A. Loeb
Paddle runs
- West Section Line Of Sec 31, T40s, R10w To Confluence With North Fork Smith River
- Headwaters And Perennial Tributaries To West Section Line Of Sec 31, T40s, R10w
- West Fork Illinois River
- Headwaters Including Both Unnamed Forks And Rr Lakes To Confluence With Rough And Ready Creek
- Confluence Of North And South Forks Rough And Ready To Middle Of Sec 15, T40s, R9w
- Headwaters To Middle Of Sec 15, T39s, R4e
Track Ferry Creek 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 Ferry Creek
Where does the data for Ferry Creek 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 Ferry Creek.