Detroit Lake to reach ‘full pool' in boon for summer recreation and tourism season

For the third year in a row, Detroit Lake should have a good year for summer recreation.

The popular reservoir east of Salem should reach its modified “full pool” level of 1,558.5 feet by this weekend, setting up what should be a continued year of growth in a town still rebounding from the 2020 Labor Day wildfires.

“The forecast is looking really good at Detroit,” said Kerry Solan, spokeswoman for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which manages Detroit Dam. “The current and short term forecast had quite a bit of rain helping us get to that summer (full pool level).”

Why a full reservoir is critical for summer tourism in Detroit and Santiam Canyon

A full reservoir is critical for summer tourism in Detroit and the Santiam Canyon because it means marinas full of boats and lots of anglers and campers fueling the area’s economy.

The level of the lake during summer is difficult to project this year. Mountain snowpack is above normal, which should help keep reservoir levels high, but long-term forecasts predict a dry and hot summer, which could bring it lower. Overall, most projections show the lake’s boat ramps remaining available across the majority of summer and potentially becoming unavailable by around Labor Day, Solan said.

Either way, the full pool is welcome news in a town still trying to find its footing after much of it was destroyed by the Lionshead Fire in 2020.

“It means a lot to have the lake full,” Marion County Commissioner and Detroit resident Kevin Cameron said. “Not only for businesses that have invested their money up here, but just for locals and people around the state that want to come up, have their boats and who are looking forward to enjoying the sunshine and water. To know we’re going to have the fishing derbies and the fireworks, it’s really important for Detroit and Marion County.”

Cameron said the focus in town is getting new septic systems put in so that additional businesses can move into the town’s once-bustling main street.

The town still has a grocery store, food trucks and numerous surrounding campgrounds, but it still lacks the restaurants, hotels and commerce that were available pre-2020.

“I think we’ve come back pretty solid in terms of the number of people coming up to visit or be on the lake,” Cameron said. “The marinas have said their boat slips are booked up. So from that perspective we’re doing pretty well. It’s just the matter of building back the commercial activity.”

Cameron noted that of the 422 homes and buildings lost in the fire, about half have filed permits to rebuild and many new houses have popped up around town.

Water level still 5 feet lower than in the past

One thing that does bother Cameron, and many in Detroit, is that the lake’s “full pool” water level has remained lower than in the past.

Historically, Detroit Lake refilled to 1,563.5 feet above sea level. The Corps dropped that to 1,558.5 feet in 2021 after concern that a major Cascadia earthquake could breach Detroit Dam and cause widespread chaos downstream.

Corps officials said the lower water level reduces stress on the dam’s spillway gates and reduces the likelihood of a breach by about 10% during a large earthquake.

In 2021 the Corps said it would study and possibly repair spillway gates, which would potentially allow higher water levels. But no changes have been made yet and the lower water level appears likely to stay in place for the foreseeable future.

Cameron said that drop of 5 feet does make a difference for how long the recreation season can last.

“That 5 feet is a huge amount of water and makes a big difference during the season,” he said. “This still looks like a decent year, but that is still a big issue for us.”

Zach Urness has been an outdoors reporter in Oregon for 15 years and is host of the Explore Oregon Podcast. Urness is the author of “Best Hikes with Kids: Oregon” and “Hiking Southern Oregon.” He can be reached at zurness@StatesmanJournal.com or (503) 399-6801. Find him on X at @ZachsORoutdoors.

This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Detroit Lake to reach ‘full pool' for summer recreation season