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Building Strong® at Cottage Grove Dam and Reservoir

Cottage Grove Dam and Reservoir is located at river mile 29 of the Coast Fork of the Willamette River, about five miles south of Cottage Grove, Ore. 

 

Cottage Grove Lake is an earthfill dam with concrete spillway and was completed in 1942 at a cost of $3.3 million. Since then, it has helped prevent almost $1.2 billion in potential flood damages and controls runoff drained by the Coast Fork Willamette River, an area of 104 square miles.

 

The authorized primary project purpose of the Cottage Grove Dam is flood damage reduction, but other approved uses include irrigation, recreation, and improved navigation downstream.

 

Update: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers implemented an alcohol ban at Dorena and Cottage Grove lakes. 

Link to PDF version of Cottage Grove map
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For more information

Cottage Grove pamphlet

Contact us about Cottage Grove:
General: 541-684-4300
Recreation: 541-942-5631

Email us about Cottage Grove

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Willamette Valley Project images

Foster Dam aerial photo
Caption
Foster Dam aerial photo
  • Foster Dam aerial photo
  • Green Peter aerial photograph
  • Hills Creek aerial phoot
  • aerial photo of Blue River
  • aerial photo of Cottage Grove Dam
  • Blue River Dam
  • aerial photo of Fern Ridge
  • Lookout Point aerial photo
  • aerial photo of Cottage Grove Dam
  • aerial photo of Fall Creek Dam
  • aerial photo of Dorena Dam
  • aerial photo of Dexter Dam
  • aerial photo of Detroit Dam
  • aerial photo of Cougar Dam
  • aerial photo of Big Cliff Dam

Cottage Grove project data

Dam length 1,750 ft 533.4 m
Height 95 ft 29 m
Elevation (NGVD*) 808 ft 246.3 m
Lake length 3 mi 4.8 km
Area when full 1,156 ac 486.6 ha
*National Geodetic Vertical Datum

Cottage Grove recreation

Collapse All Expand All
Click here to expand contentClick here to collapse content  Alcohol ban
Update: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers implemented an alcohol ban at Cottage Grove and Dorena lakes to improve recreation quality, public and employee safety, and resource allocation and protection.
Click here to expand contentClick here to collapse content  Camping

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers operates all parks at Cottage Grove Lake.

To make reservations, call the National Reservation Service at 1-877-444-6777 or go to www.recreation.gov.

Click here for the Pine Meadows Campground website or here for the Primitive Campground website on www.Recreation.gov.

Click here to expand contentClick here to collapse content  Birding

The reservoir is a designated stop along the Big River Loop of the Willamette Valley Birding Trail.  This trail is a self-guided driving tour that includes 138 birding hotspots. Visitors can see rare birds like the purple martin, the willow flycatcher and the yellow-breasted chat near Cottage Grove Lake. Osprey and purple martins nest in structures maintained by the Corps.

external linkOregon Cascades Birding Trail

Click here to expand contentClick here to collapse content  Pine Meadows Campground

Open: May 15 - Sept. 14, 2015

Developed, with 85 campsites, paved roads, flush toilets, showers, dump station, campfire rings, picnic tables, gate attendants, children's play area and a marked but unsupervised swim area. (No hookups.)

Fees:

  • $20 per night per site
  • $6 per day, per extra vehicle

Click here for the Pine Meadows Campground web page on www.Recreation.gov.

Click here to expand contentClick here to collapse content  Primitive Campground

Open: May 22 - Sept. 7, 2015

Minimally-developed campground with 15 individual campsites, vault toilets, drinking water, gravel roads, picnic tables, fire rings, no hookups and no showers.

Fees:

  • $12 per night, per site
  • $6 per day, per extra vehicle

Click here for the Primitive Campground website on www.Recreation.gov  (Primitive sites are reserved as Pine Meadows Campground sites A-O.)

Click here to expand contentClick here to collapse content  Day-Use Parks

Cottage Grove Lake has four day-use only parks, three on the lakeshore and one on the river immediately below the dam. All are open May 8-Sept. 13, 2015, and are closed daily from dusk until 8:00 a.m. There is no fee for day-use areas, except for the boat ramps, and there are no reservable group picnic areas or shelters.

A $30 annual pass may be purchased at Pine Meadows Campground to cover boat ramp fees at Lakeside Park or Wilson Creek Park.

For more information, call the Willamette Valley Project Park Ranger Office at (541) 942-5631.

Click here to expand contentClick here to collapse content  Lakeside Park

Open from May 8-Sept. 13, 2015, and closed daily from dusk until 8:00 a.m. There is no fee for day-use areas, and there are no reservable group picnic areas or shelters.

Located on London Road just past the dam, Lakeside Park has paved roads and parking lots, flush toilets, picnic tables and fire rings. There is a boat launch ramp with a courtesy dock located near the entrance to the park. The boat ramp is open year-round, and there is a $3.00 fee to use the boat ramp from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend.

A $30 annual pass may be purchased at Pine Meadows Campground to cover boat ramp fees at Lakeside Park or Wilson Creek Park.

For more information, call the Willamette Valley Project Park Ranger Office at (541) 942-5631.

Click here to expand contentClick here to collapse content  Riverside Park

On the east bank of the river, downstream from the dam, Riverside Park is a minimally developed area with a gravel road and parking area, two picnic tables and a vault toilet. A paved path with pull-outs suitable for wheelchairs is close enough to the river for fishing. No drinking water is available.

For more information, call the Willamette Valley Project Park Ranger Office at (541) 942-5631.

Click here to expand contentClick here to collapse content  Wilson Creek Park

On Reservoir Road at the southwest end of the lake, Wilson Creek Park has paved roads and parking lots, flush toilets, picnic tables, fire rings, a children's play area and an unsupervised swim area. A boat launch ramp with a courtesy dock is near the park's entrance, and there is a $3.00 fee to use the boat ramp from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend.

A $30 annual pass may be purchased at Pine Meadows Campground to cover boat ramp fees at Lakeside Park or Wilson Creek Park.

For more information, call the Willamette Valley Project Park Ranger Office at (541) 942-5631.

Cottage Grove map

Operations: Cottage Grove

Collapse All Expand All
Click here to expand contentClick here to collapse content  Environmental stewardship

Restoration of degraded uplands, wetlands and streams on Corps lands is a central focus of the Willamette Valley Environmental Stewardship program. Recent efforts include replacing exotic and invasive plants with native trees and shrubs, and restoring hydrology and topography to support native plant communities and wildlife habitat.

The reservoir is a designated stop along the Big River Loop of the Willamette Valley Birding Trail.  This trail is a self-guided driving tour that includes 138 birding hotspots. Visitors can see rare birds like the purple martin, the willow flycatcher and the yellow-breasted chat near Cottage Grove Lake. Osprey and purple martins nest in structures maintained by the Corps.

The Corps works with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife to support resident game and nongame fisheries within the waters of the Coast Fork Willamette River.

 

 external linkOregon Cascades Birding Trail

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