Big Cliff Dam

{{Use American English|date=July 2025}}

{{Infobox dam

| name = Big Cliff Dam

| name_official =

| image = USACE Big Cliff Dam Oregon.jpg

| image_size =

| image_caption = Big Cliff Dam on the North Santiam River

| image_alt =

| location_map = Oregon

| location_map_size =

| location_map_caption =

| location_map_alt =

| coordinates = {{coord|44|45|3.6|N|122|16|59.16|W|type:landmark|display=inline,title}}

| country = United States

| location = Linn County–Marion County, Oregon

| purpose = Power

| status = O

| construction_began = 1949

| opening = {{Start date and age|1953}}

| demolished =

| cost =

| owner = U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

| dam_type = Concrete gravity

| dam_crosses = North Santiam River

| dam_length = {{Convert|280|ft|m|abbr=on}}

| dam_height = {{Convert|191|ft|m|abbr=on}}

| dam_height_foundation=

| dam_height_thalweg =

| dam_elevation_crest = {{Convert|1212|ft|m|abbr=on}}

| dam_width_crest =

| dam_width_base =

| dam_volume =

| spillway_count =

| spillway_type =

| spillway_capacity =

| res_name = Big Cliff Lake

| res_capacity_total = {{Convert|6450|acre.ft|m3|abbr=on}}

| res_capacity_active =

| res_capacity_inactive=

| res_catchment =

| res_surface = {{Convert|128|acre|km2|abbr=on}}{{cite web|title=Detroit Lake Temperature and Suspended Sediment Model|url=http://or.water.usgs.gov/santiam/detroit_lake/detroit_lake.html|publisher=U.S. Geological Survey|accessdate=10 January 2015}}

| res_max_length = {{Convert|2.8|mi|km|abbr=on}}

| res_max_width =

| res_max_depth =

| res_elevation =

| res_tidal_range =

| plant_name =

| plant_coordinates =

| plant_operator =

| plant_commission = 1953

| plant_decommission =

| plant_type =

| plant_turbines = 1 x 18 MW Kaplan-type{{cite web|title=Appendix A - Portland District - U.S. Army |url=http://nwpapps.usace.army.mil/environment/docs/willamette/basinwide/WillametteCOP-Oct09_Appendices.pdf |publisher=U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - Portland District |accessdate=10 January 2015 |page=A-6 }}{{dead link|date=April 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}

| plant_hydraulic_head =

| plant_capacity = 18 MW

| plant_annual_gen =

| website =

| extra =

}}

Big Cliff Dam is a concrete gravity dam on the North Santiam River in the western part of the U.S. state of Oregon.{{cite web

| url = https://www.nwp.usace.army.mil/Locations/Willamette-Valley/Big-Cliff/

| title = Big Cliff

| publisher = U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

| access-date = 2013-08-27

}} The dam spans the Linn County–Marion County border in the Oregon Cascades.

The dam's primary functions are flood control, power generation, irrigation, fish habitat, water quality improvement, and recreation. It is one of 13 dams created by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers under the Willamette Valley Project which was authorized by the Flood Control Act of 1938.{{cite web

| url = http://www.salmonrecovery.gov/BiologicalOpinions/WillametteBiOp.aspx

| title = Willamette BiOp

| publisher = Federal Caucus

| accessdate = 2013-08-27

}}

It was constructed between March 1949 and May 1953{{cite web

| url = http://northsantiam.org/the-detroit-and-big-cliff-dams/

| title = The Detroit and Big Cliff dams

| author = Jamie Wyant

| date = 2012-06-12

| publisher = North Santiam Watershed Council

| accessdate = 2013-08-27

}} at the same time as Detroit Dam. Big Cliff is {{convert|2.7|mi|km}} river distance below Detroit Dam at river mile 47 of the North Santiam River.

Big Cliff smooths river flow resulting from power generation fluctuations of Detroit Dam, a practice known as river re-regulation. Big Cliff Reservoir, primarily known as Big Cliff Lake, has daily depth variations of up to {{convert|24|ft|m}}.

Big Cliff can generate up to 18 megawatts of power.

The dams' operators try to keep the water temperature in the {{convert|50|to|59|°F|°C}} range for ideal fish habitat by mixing water from the top of Detroit Lake with water from the bottom.{{cite web

| url = http://democratherald.com/news/local/corps-of-engineers-making-repairs-on-big-cliff-dam-gates/article_4e21ffcb-763f-55e6-a724-1485db8da775.html

| title = Corps of Engineers making repairs on Big Cliff Dam gates

| author = Alex Paul

| work = Albany Democrat-Herald

| date = 2009-08-04

| quote = Echols said, "For a while, the water temperature got to about 68 degrees and we would like it to be in the 50s. We were able to mitigate that by running water from the power house, which is very cold, and mixing it in Big Cliff reservoir. That helped balance the temperature."

| accessdate = 2013-08-27

}}