Detroit Dam Powerhouse Fire has not Affected Oregon Fish Populations

Cleanup efforts from the fire begin while summer spill from reservoir remains steady.

The dam at Detroit Lake Photo courtesy: Army Corps of Engineers

(DETROIT LAKE, ORE.) - An extensive cleanup at the Detroit Dam powerhouse is underway, following a June 19th electrical fire. It is reported that cleanup efforts and the shutdown of power generation at the facility have not affected the release of water to support downstream fish and water quality, the U.S. announced today.

Army Corps of Engineers Spokesperson Amy Echols says the Corps halted power generation at both the Detroit and Big Cliff powerhouses on the North Santiam River as a result of the fire.

Although damage to the interior of the Detroit powerhouse is not visible to the passing public, visitors can now see water spilling over both dams. This water which is typically released through the powerhouses, maintains required river flows to help protect and support fish listed as threatened or endangered under the federal Endangered Species Act.

"When we generate power, a set amount of water flows through the powerhouse to run the turbines. Even with the turbines shut down at both Detroit and Big Cliff, we still need to release water to meet flow requirements for fish and downstream water quality standards,” stated Erik Petersen, Operations Project Manager for the Corps' Willamette Valley projects. "This may look odd during a dry year but it is one part of a balanced system managed by local, state and federal agencies to meet water demands in the Willamette Valley.”

As part of this water management planning, the Corps will maintain current flow requirements through July 15 when it will reduce spill from both reservoirs. The Corps recommends that the public visit nwp.usace.army.mil/pa/river or call 541-937-3852 for weekly updates on water levels at Willamette Valley reservoirs.

Shortly after midnight on June 19th, an electrical fire broke out on the lower level of the Detroit Powerhouse. There were no injuries and the power outages at Detroit and Big Cliff do not affect the Corps' ability to produce and distribute power from any of its other Willamette Valley facilities. Crews are now working to clean up the facility, evaluate the extent of damage and develop a recovery plan.

Detroit Dam is one of 13 multi-purpose dams operated by the Corps of Engineers in the Willamette Valley. The dam stores water from the North Santiam River, providing flood damage reduction, irrigation, power generation, recreation, navigation, and downstream water quality improvement. The powerhouse contains two generator units with the capacity to produce a total of 100,000 kilowatts. Big Cliff, about 3 miles downstream of Detroit, generates a total of 20,000 kilowatts.