Thief Valley Dam is a buttress dam located in Union County, Oregon, built in 1932. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 73 ft73 ft tall and 390 ft long, taller than 96% of U.S. dams with a recorded height. Height is drawn to scale against a ten-story building, about 100 ft; the profile is a generic concrete gravity section and the water level is illustrative.
About Thief Valley Dam
The primary purpose of Thief Valley Dam is irrigation. The dam stores and diverts water for agricultural irrigation, supporting farming operations in the surrounding area. The dam is owned by Bureau of Reclamation (federal). It impounds the Powder River near Keating.
The dam stands 73 feet tall and stretches 390 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 807 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 13,307 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 914 square miles. Completed in 1932, 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. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 08/29/2023.
At 73 feet, this dam is taller than 96% 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 | Union |
| Nearest City | Keating |
| River/Stream | Powder River |
| Coordinates | 45.01270, -117.78100 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Buttress |
| NID Height | 73 ft |
| Dam Height | 66 ft |
| Dam Length | 390 ft |
| Year Completed | 1932 (94 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 13,307 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 13,307 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 807 acres |
| Drainage Area | 914 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 32,200 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Irrigation |
| Owner | Bureau of Reclamation |
| Owner Type | Federal |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 08/29/2023 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | OR00592 |
| Federal ID | OR00592 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |