Galesville Reservoir facts for kids
Galesville Reservoir is a large lake in the Klamath Mountains of Douglas County, Oregon. It was created by building a dam, which was finished in October 1986. This reservoir helps store water for different uses in the area.
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About Galesville Reservoir
Galesville Reservoir is fed by the Upper Cow Creek Watershed. This watershed is a large area of land, about 47,482.5 acres (19,215.5 ha), where all the rain and snowmelt eventually flow into the reservoir. The idea for building this dam was first suggested in 1966. Its main purpose was to store water.
Fish and the Dam
The dam at Galesville Reservoir does not have a special path for fish called a fish ladder. A fish ladder is like a set of steps that helps fish swim past a dam to reach their spawning grounds upstream. Because there is no fish ladder here, the dam completely blocks fish from moving up or down the river. This means fish cannot travel past the dam.
Land Around the Reservoir
Most of the land in the watershed, about 67%, is owned by the United States Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management. These government groups manage forests and public lands. About 7% of the land is owned by the state and county. The rest is owned by private individuals or companies. Almost all of this land, about 98.7%, is used for growing trees and forestry.
Water Quality Concerns
The water in Galesville Reservoir has higher levels of mercury than allowed by the Clean Water Act. This act sets rules to keep our water clean. The mercury likely comes from old mining sites above the reservoir. For example, the Red Cloud Mine was a historic mine that dug for mercury from a mineral called cinnabar.
Fun and History
You can visit the Chief Miwaleta RV Park and Campground, which is a county park located right on the shores of Galesville Reservoir. The upper part of the reservoir is also a special area set aside for wildlife.
How Galesville Got its Name
The name "Galesville" comes from a small town that used to be in the Cow Creek Valley. This town had a post office that opened in 1854. George F. Hall was the first postmaster. The post office closed down in 1916. A local story says that the first two people to settle there were named Gale and Goshen, and they named the town Galesville.
Galesville in Movies
The dam at Galesville Reservoir was even used as a filming location! It appeared in the 2013 movie called Night Moves.
