“Dorena Dam Now Stops Flow of Row River” Cottage Grove Sentinel July 14, 1949
A story of the progress of the Dorena reservoir from its inception to the present time was related by W.A. Swartz, resident engineer of the Dorena project before the members of the Cottage Grove Chamber of Commerce Tuesday noon. Charts showing the flood area of the Willamette Basin together with charts showing materials of which the reservoir is made were displayed by Mr. Swartz, who told the story of the construction of the dam for the past two years.
Tuesday night the height of the earthen dam reached a total of 455 feet (Measure from sea level). The dam is now 86% completed. Work on a concrete spillway is completed with the exception of one concrete block (or commonly referred to as block 11 by the engineers), which will be built up as the earthen dam is finished. Two thirds of the earth work is now completed and the proposed finished date of the dam has been set at November 1949. Mr. Schwartz stated that the dam could be used now, should the necessity arise. The remaining block left low will be finished within 65 days or approximately October 15. Progress on the remaining concrete is slow on account of the heat generated by the concrete. No dam has ever been built that did not leak a little at the start, but the leaks will eventually be sealed off.
Among the unusual features connected with construction of the Dorena reservoir is the fact that instruments to measure the internal pressure of the dam have been constructed at 14 different locations. When you drive out to watch work on the dam, movements of the earth moving equipment look as though the drivers are trying to weave a crazy quilt pattern, the speaker said, but the driver gets his load at a certain spot and receives a signal as to what zone or particular spot of the dam the dirt must be left.
Mr. Schwartz said that the river channel was diverted on June 7th. In the past 21 days 67 feet of fill has been placed in the dirt dam. When completed the dam will have the maximum storage of 79,000 acre feet of water, or have a floor control storage of 70,000 acre feet, the total drainage area involved is 265.5 miles, the area of the normal pool is 2,314 acres; length of lake will be 5.3 miles, depth of spillway will be 115 feet, maximum depth of the earth fill will be 140 feet. Cost of the dam was originally estimated at $3,500,000. At current estimates the dam will cost $14,900,000. Of general interest and particularly to sportsmen is the fact that a fish hatchery is probable on the site at the contractors shop and office. To assist the state or federal game and fish commission, the thermometers will be located on dam every ten feet to tell the temperature of the lake water at the various depths. While Mr. Schwartz admitted that he was no fish expert, he said that the arrangement was designed to aid the experts in determining what kind of fish was best suited.
