Hills Creek Reservoir

Hills Creek Reservoir, also known as Hills Creek Lake, is an artificial impoundment behind Hills Creek Dam on the Middle Fork Willamette River in the U.S. state of Oregon. The lake is near Oakridge in Lane County about 40 miles (64 km) southeast of Eugene, at the confluence of Hills Creek with the Middle Fork. The reservoir and its watershed lie within the Willamette National Forest.^[1]

LocationLane County, Oregon

Coordinates43°40′16″N 122°25′33″W

TypeReservoir, mesotrophic

Primary inflows

Middle Fork Willamette River

Quick facts Location, Coordinates ...

Hills Creek Reservoir
Aerial view
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Location	Lane County, Oregon
Coordinates	43°40′16″N 122°25′33″W
Type	Reservoir, mesotrophic
Primary inflows	Middle Fork Willamette River
Primary outflows	Middle Fork Willamette River
Catchment area	389 square miles (1,010 km2)
Basin countries	United States
Surface area	2,735 acres (1,107 ha)
Average depth	130 feet (40 m)
Max. depth	299 feet (91 m)
Water volume	356,000 acre-feet (439,000,000 m3)
Residence time	1.4 months
Shore length1	32 miles (51 km)
Surface elevation	1,545 feet (471 m)
Settlements	Oakridge
References	[1][2][3]
1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure.

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The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers created the lake in 1961 when it built the dam, primarily to control floods and generate hydroelectricity. Since then, the lake has become a popular recreation site with parks, boat launches, and a fishery.^[1]

Hills Creek was named for John J. Hill, who settled near the mouth of the creek in 1870. The dam and lake take their names from the creek.^[4]