Currant Creek

About Currant Creek

The primary purpose of Currant Creek is irrigation. The dam stores and diverts water for agricultural irrigation, supporting farming operations in the surrounding area. The dam is owned by Washington Younglife Ranch (private). It impounds the Currant Creek near Muddy Ranch.

The dam stands 82 feet tall and stretches 365 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 39 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 1,020 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 36 square miles. Completed in 1984, the structure is 42 years old.

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 poor, meaning the dam has recognized safety deficiencies that require remediation to address risks. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 10/20/2020.

At 82 feet, this dam is taller than 97% 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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