Kay Lake is an earth dam located in Washington County, Oregon, built in 1963. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 38 ft38 ft tall and 225 ft long, taller than 84% of U.S. dams with a recorded height. Height is drawn to scale against a two-story house, about 25 ft; the profile is a generic embankment section and the water level is illustrative.
About Kay Lake
The primary purpose of Kay Lake is irrigation. The dam stores and diverts water for agricultural irrigation, supporting farming operations in the surrounding area. The dam is owned by Laura Graham (private). It impounds the Mckay Creek, Trib to near North Plains.
The dam stands 38 feet tall and stretches 225 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 3 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 50 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1963, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 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 satisfactory, indicating no existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 12/02/2020.
At 38 feet, this dam is taller than 84% of dams nationwide.
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.
Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.
Location
| State | Oregon |
| County | Washington |
| Nearest City | North Plains |
| River/Stream | Mckay Creek, Trib to |
| Coordinates | 45.66615, -122.98791 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 38 ft |
| Dam Height | 33 ft |
| Dam Length | 225 ft |
| Year Completed | 1963 (63 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 50 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 50 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 41 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 3 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 145 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Irrigation |
| Owner | Laura Graham |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 12/02/2020 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | OR00394 |
| Federal ID | OR00394 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |