Owyhee Dam Ring Gate Spillway "The Glory Hole"

Owyhee Dam Ring Gate Spillway: A Historic Engineering Marvel in Action in 2024

Perched on the rugged Owyhee River in eastern Oregon, the Owyhee Dam stands as a monumental achievement of 20th-century engineering. Completed in 1932, this pioneering structure not only transformed the landscape, but also helped irrigate more than 100,000 acres of farmland in the Treasure Valley. One of the dam’s most remarkable features, the Ring Gate Spillway, played a crucial role in managing water levels and protecting the integrity of the dam during high-flow events.

In 2024, the Owyhee Dam Spillway once again demonstrated its reliability and importance when the region experienced higher-than-normal snowmelt and precipitation. As the winter snowpack in the surrounding mountains began to melt in the spring, water levels surged beyond typical projections. The Ring Gate Spillway, a key safety component of the dam, was activated to release excess water, preventing potential flooding downstream.

The Ring Gate Spillway is an innovative system that operates like a gate rotating within a cylinder. This design enables the spillway to handle significant water volumes efficiently, reducing pressure on the dam and ensuring that water is released in a controlled manner. In 2024, as water levels peaked, the spillway managed this increased inflow with precision, allowing water to spill safely into the Owyhee River below without compromising the structure or the communities it serves.

The spill was a vivid reminder of the dam’s critical role in managing water resources in the arid region. The event highlighted not only the foresight of the engineers who designed the dam but also the continued importance of proper maintenance and upgrades over the decades.

As we reflect on the 2024 spill event, it becomes clear that the Owyhee Dam and its Ring Gate Spillway are more than just historic landmarks—they are vital, living systems that adapt to the changing environmental conditions of our times. Their continued operation ensures that farmers, residents, and ecosystems in the Treasure Valley and beyond can rely on this crucial water resource for many years to come.

The Owyhee Dam has a unique spillway known as "The Glory Hole" located partway up the dam that utilizes a 60-foot (18 m) in diameter tunnel to send excess water to the river below. This spillway acts like a sink drain during high-water periods.

Check out the links below to watch some aerial videos of the spillway in action courtesy of The Idaho Statesman & The Bureau of Reclamation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtHvG_5RWRA

https://www.idahostatesman.com/news/northwest/idaho/article142848289.html