Ochoco Dam

About Ochoco Dam

The primary purpose of Ochoco Dam is fish and wildlife pond. The dam creates habitat for fish and wildlife, supporting local ecosystems and potentially serving conservation goals. The dam is owned by Ochoco Irrigation District (public utility). It impounds the Ochoco Creek near Prineville.

The dam stands 146 feet tall and stretches 1,350 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 1,358 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 65,664 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 291 square miles. Completed in 1920, the structure is over a century 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. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 06/23/2021.

At 146 feet, this dam is taller than 99% 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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