Detroit Lake is a popular spot for anglers and outdoorsy hippies alike; though it’s not quite the same as it was in years past. For the first time since 2020, Detroit Lake has reached “full pool,” unfortunately, though, it’s not quite back at its pre-pandemic levels. As of Monday, the lake was measured to be 1,560 feet above sea level, which is just barely over the level that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) considers full.
Following the droughts of the past several years, Detroit Lake has struggled to maintain its “full” level. Luckily, with a larger than usual snowpack and projected rain for the foreseeable future, it’s likely that the lake could actually remain full throughout the summer.
“As it stands right now, all of the boat ramps will be accessible going into Memorial Day and for most of the summer,” Corps spokesman Chris Gaylord said to the Statesman-Journal. “We should stay fairly full. We’ll face some uncertainty going into Labor Day as to whether boat ramps will all be accessible.”
While the overall water level will be reduced to prevent unneeded pressure on the Detroit Dam in the event of a large earthquake, it’s still going to be pretty close in terms of volume. The previous “full pool” level was 1,563.5 feet above sea level, with the new plan keeping it at 1,558.5 feet – a five-foot reduction.
These adjustments have been made to ensure that if, or when, a large earthquake hits Oregon, the Detroit Dam can withstand the force of the water it holds. The chance of an “uncontrolled release” of the dam’s water is estimated to be roughly 1 in 10,000.
“The chances of a breach right now is very, very low. Around 0.01 percent,” said Ross Hiner, dam safety program manager for the Corps, who said the Detroit decision followed a recently-completed safety assessment. “But we want to move it even lower.”
Gaylord later said that the USACE aims to limit the number of days where the water level is above the 1,558 level, though truly low levels could carry significant impacts on the local economy if docks are unreachable.
By Ethan Hauck
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