Willow Creek 3 (malheur)

About Willow Creek 3 (malheur)

The primary purpose of Willow Creek 3 (malheur) is irrigation. The dam stores and diverts water for agricultural irrigation, supporting farming operations in the surrounding area. The dam is owned by Orchards Water Co (private). It impounds the Willow Creek near Brogan.

The dam stands 110 feet tall and stretches 660 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 480 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 49,000 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 275 square miles. Completed in 1944, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.

This dam carries a high hazard potential classification, which means that a failure or uncontrolled release of water would likely cause loss of human life. This classification reflects the consequences of failure, not the likelihood — it indicates that people live or work in the area downstream. Its condition is rated unsatisfactory, indicating serious safety deficiencies exist that require immediate attention or remedial action. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 10/01/2021.

At 110 feet, this dam is taller than 98% of all dams in the United States.

Living Downstream

If you live or work downstream of this dam, consider taking these steps: learn your local evacuation routes, check whether your county emergency management office has a dam failure inundation map, and sign up for local emergency alerts. The Oregon dam safety program can provide more specific information about emergency planning for this structure.

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