Sams Valley
Sams Valley is an earth dam located in Jackson County, Oregon, built in 1956. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Sams Valley
The primary purpose of Sams Valley is irrigation. The dam stores and diverts water for agricultural irrigation, supporting farming operations in the surrounding area. The dam is owned by Sams Valley Irrigation Assoc. (local government). It impounds the East Fork Sams, West Fork Sams, & Minera near Gold Hill.
The dam stands 61 feet tall and stretches 330 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 50 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 1,200 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1 square miles. Completed in 1956, 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 fair — the dam has minor deficiencies that are being addressed or do not pose an immediate safety threat. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 10/15/2020.
At 61 feet, this dam is taller than 95% 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.
Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.
Location
| State | Oregon |
| County | Jackson |
| Nearest City | Gold Hill |
| River/Stream | East Fork Sams, West Fork Sams, & Minera |
| Coordinates | 42.52774, -122.98959 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 61 ft |
| Dam Height | 60 ft |
| Dam Length | 330 ft |
| Year Completed | 1956 (70 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 1,200 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 1,200 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 890 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 50 acres |
| Drainage Area | 1 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 500 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Irrigation |
| Owner | SAMS VALLEY IRRIGATION ASSOC. |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 10/15/2020 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | OR00400 |
| Federal ID | OR00400 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |