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Lookout Point Dam
An aerial view of Lookout Point Dam
Location	Lowell,Oregon, Lane County, Oregon, USA
Coordinates	43°54′53″N 122°45′9″W
Opening date	1953
Construction cost	$88.2 million
Dam and spillways
Type of dam	earth and gravel-filled
Impounds	Middle Fork Willamette River
Height	276 feet (84 m)
Length	3,175 feet (968 m)
Spillway type	concrete gate
Reservoir
Creates	Lookout Point Lake
Total capacity	477,700 acre-feet (0.589 km3)
Catchment area	991 square miles (2,570 km2)
Surface area	4,360 acres (17.6 km2)
Power Station
Installed capacity	120 MW

Lookout Point Dam is an earth and gravel-filled dam located on the Middle Fork Willamette River, approximately 22 miles southeast of Eugene, Oregon. It was completed in 1953 at a cost of $88.2 million. To this date, it has prevented more than $5.3 million in flood damages and has produced over 120 megawatts per year. Together with Hills Creek Dam and Fall Creek Dam, Lookout Point Dam manages flood risk, creates hydropower, aids in navigation and provides water for irrigation. The dam's reservoir, Lookout Point Lake, and its shoreline is also home to many rare native species.

Operations

Construction

Since its construction by the United States Army Corps of Engineers Portland District in 1953, the Lookout Point Dam has prevented more than $5.3 million in flood damages. The dam also has three power generating units which are capable of producing 50,000 megawatts each. Dexter Dam and Dexter Reservoir, which are located three miles west of Lookout Point Dam, are used to regulate power-generating water releases from Lookout Point Dam.

AgriMet Station

AgriMet is the Pacific Northwest Cooperative Agricultural Weather Network. They are a part of the United States Department of the Interior's Bureau of Reclamation and manage several weather stations around the Pacific Northwest. Lookout Point Dam was the location of the Oregon AgriMet station from September 2002 to December 2005. The station was discontinued in December of 2005.

File:Oregon AgriMet Station.jpg

Recreation

There are several campsites located near the dam. Ivan Oakes campground is available on a first-come, first-serve basis. The fees to camp are: $12.00 per night per site and $6.00 per day per extra vehicle. Additional amenities of the campgrounds include the Signal Point boat ramp and Meridian Park. The reservoir may be fished in, and the Lookout Point Lake is home to many rare native fish species such as Chinook salmon.

Environment

Lookout Point Dam and Lake are located on 7,800 acres of land that make up the dam and surrounding areas. All of this area is managed in conjunction by the United States Army Corps of Engineers and the Willamette National Forest. The Lookout Point Lake and its shores are home to many native species, such as the northern spotted owl, western pond turtle, Chinook salmon and Oregon chub. The famous bald eagle has also been known to nest at Lookout Point.

Environmental Problems

In 1985, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife completed a wildlife and wildlife habitat loss assessment at Lookout Point Dam and Reservoir. They determined that 6,700 acres of land were inundated, extensively altered or affected by the Lookout Point Reservoir project. 1,118 acres of riparian zone habitat were lost during the construction of the dam and reservoir and 724 acres of old-growth forest were lost. 17 native species were studied to determine how the project affected their populations and habitats. These species include the Roosevelt elk, Black-tailed deer, Red fox, mink, beaver, Western Gray squirrel, Ruffed grouse, Ring-Necked pheasant, California quail, Wood duck, Common merganser, Yellow warbler,American dipper, Pileated woodpecker, Spotted owl, Bald eagle and Osprey. Each species was determined to have lost nesting habitat area.

Willamette Valley Environmental Stewardship Program

In order to adequately preserve the ecology of the Lookout Point area, the Willamette Valley Environmental Stewardship Program was created to reduce the amount of invasive species in the area and to preserve the native species. Recent efforts to increase the quality of wetlands in the area include replacement of exotic plants with native trees and shrubs. Additionally, with funds provided by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife has created the Willamette Fish Hatchery to preserve the declining Chinook salmon and Bull trout populations.