Silver Creek
Silver Creek is an earth dam located in Marion County, Oregon, built in 1975. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Silver Creek
The primary purpose of Silver Creek is water supply. The dam stores water for municipal, industrial, or agricultural use, helping ensure a reliable supply for the surrounding area. The dam is owned by City Of Silverton (local government). It impounds the Silver Creek near Silverton.
The dam stands 65 feet tall and stretches 500 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 65 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 2,500 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 45 square miles. Completed in 1975, 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 09/18/2020.
At 65 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 | Marion |
| Nearest City | Silverton |
| River/Stream | Silver Creek |
| Coordinates | 44.98249, -122.74621 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 65 ft |
| Dam Height | 65 ft |
| Dam Length | 500 ft |
| Year Completed | 1975 (51 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 2,500 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 2,500 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 1,300 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 65 acres |
| Drainage Area | 45 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 16,000 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Water Supply |
| Owner | CITY OF SILVERTON |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 09/18/2020 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | OR00622 |
| Federal ID | OR00622 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |