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Building Strong® at Hills Creek Dam and Reservoir

Hills Creek Dam and Lake Hills Creek Dam is located at river mile 47.8 on the Middle Fork Willamette River, four miles southwest of Oakridge, Ore.

Hills Creek Dam is an earthfill structure with a gated concrete spillway and outlet works for regulating lake levels. The dam was completed in 1961 at a cost of $46 million, and has since prevented more than $3.2 billion in potential flood damages. The reservoir controls runoff of a 390-square-mile drainage area, and the dam has two hydropower generating units capable of producing a total of 30 megawatts.

Hills Creek Dam works in coordination with Lookout Point, Dexter and Fall Creek dams to provide flood risk management, water quality improvement, irrigation, fish and wildlife habitat, and recreation.

For more information

Hills Creek pamphlet

Contact us about Hills Creek:
General: 541-684-4300
Recreation: 541-942-5631

Email us about Hills Creek

Latest News Releases

Plant a tree, camp for free

9/9/2016

Avery Park (West) Limited to Day Use and Walk-In Only

4/20/2016

The Dalles Dam Visitor Center and Tours Reopen for Summer

4/20/2016

> More News Releases

Willamette Valley Project images

Caption

aerial photo of Blue River

Hills Creek hydropower

Generators / total output

two

30 mw

Hills Creek project data

Dam length	2,235 ft	681.23 m
Height	304 ft	92.66 m
Elevation (NGVD*)	1,548 ft	471.8 m
Lake length	7.6 mi	14.72 km
Area when full	2,735 ac	1,106.8 ha

*National Geodetic Vertical Datum

Hills Creek recreation

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All recreation areas on Hills Creek Lake are operated by the U.S. Forest Service.

Questions about these areas should be directed to the Middle Fork Ranger District Office in West Fir, Oregon at 541-782-2283.

Birding

At more than 5,500 acres, the Hills Creek Dam and Reservoir provides habitat for a variety of wildlife, including several rare species. The reservoir is a designated stop along the Three Sisters section of the Oregon Cascades Birding Trail, a self-guided auto tour of nearly 200 prime birding destinations in the Oregon Cascades.

Oregon Cascades Birding Trail

Bingham Boat Ramp (operated by the U.S. Forest Service)

Questions about this boat ramp should be directed to the Middle Fork Ranger District Office in West Fir, Oregon at 541-782-2283.

Cline - Clark Picnic Area (operated by the U.S. Forest Service)

Questions about this area should be directed to the Middle Fork Ranger District Office in West Fir, Oregon at 541-782-2283.

Cline - Clark Picnic Area (http://go.usa.gov/gwS)

C.T. Beach Picnic Area (operated by the U.S. Forest Service)

Questions about this area should be directed to the Middle Fork Ranger District Office in West Fir, Oregon at 541-782-2283.

C.T. Beach Picnic Area (http://go.usa.gov/gfl)

Packard Creek Campground (operated by the U.S. Forest Service)

Questions about this campground should be directed to the Middle Fork Ranger District Office in West Fir, Oregon at 541-782-2283.

Packard Creek Campground (http://go.usa.gov/gf3)

Sand Prairie Campground (operated by the U.S. Forest Service)

Questions about this campground should be directed to the Middle Fork Ranger District Office in West Fir, Oregon at 541-782-2283.

Sand Prairie Campground (http://go.usa.gov/gwJ)

Hills Creek map

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Operations: Hills Creek

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Environmental stewardship

At more than 5,500 acres, the Hills Creek Dam and Reservoir provides habitat for a variety of fish and wildlife including several rare species. Below Hills Creek Dam, the Corps developed a 130-acre wildlife and wetland area which provides breeding habitat for rare amphibians and the western pond turtle. Uplands surrounding the Hills Creek Reservoir are primarily managed through an agreement with the Willamette National Forest.

To mitigate impacts from Corps dams on Chinook salmon and the Middle Fork of the Willamette River, the Corps constructed the Willamette Fish Hatchery near Oakridge and the holding ponds downstream of Dexter Dam. These facilities are operated by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife with funds provided by the Corps. Additionally, the Corps supports ongoing efforts for the recovery of Oregon chub and bull trout within the Middle Fork Willamette River basin.

Flood risk reduction

Conservation season: April to November: None.
Flood season: November to March: Restrict pool to 1529 feet.

For more information, visit our Water page.