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0161 Detroit Lake Swart ODFW (7461955882).jpg

Oregon Department of Fish &amp · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Lakes → Oregon → Detroit Lake

Detroit Lake

Oregon · Reservoir impounded 1953 · near Detroit

3,580 acres 400 ft deep 20 ft clarity Water C

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5.5SCORE

Survey summary · Oregon

3,580

Surface acres

400 ft

Max depth

32 mi

Shoreline

20 ft

Typical clarity

1,569 ft

Elevation

DETROIT LAKE AT SHOWN AT AN ALLTIME LOW IN THE FALL OF 1973 DUE TO INFREQUENT SNOWFALL AND RAIN THE YEAR BEFORE. LACK... - NARA - 555387.jpg

Photographs of Detroit Lake via Wikimedia Commons. Credit and licence on each image — hover to view, click through to the source.

Detroit Lake covers 3,580 acres in Oregon and drops to 400 feet at its deepest point. It is a reservoir impounded in 1953 and managed by USACE. Water level is the thing to understand here: the pool can move roughly 100 feet, typically drawn down in autumn. That changes dock function, boat access, and what the shoreline looks like in listing photos versus in person. Short-term rental posture: Marion County. Confirm at the municipal level before underwriting rental income.

What stands out

Deep water — 400 ft max
Boating
Fishing

Watch outs

Seasonal drawdown near 100 ft — verify dock reach at low pool
Multi-year level volatility; review historical pool elevation before buying
USACE shoreline permitting — private dock approval is not guaranteed

Score breakdown

Water 6.3

Recreation 5.5

Value 4.4

Access 6.1

Investment 5.0

Each axis is computed by published formula from this lake's own attributes. How we score.

Water quality grade

Water A

ExcellentClear, low-nutrient water. Typically oligotrophic with high clarity and little seasonal algae.

Water B

GoodHealthy water with moderate clarity. Some seasonal variation, no persistent problems.

Water C

FairProductive water — good fishing, reduced clarity. Algae possible in late summer.

Water D

PoorNutrient-rich or heavily drawn down. Swimmable conditions vary; check before you rely on them.

Computed from measured clarity, trophic state, and drawdown magnitude — not an opinion. See the formula.

Overall score, 1–10

8.0+

ExceptionalStrong on every axis we measure.

7.0–7.9

StrongClearly above average, usually with one standout axis.

6.0–6.9

SolidA good lake with a trade-off worth understanding.

5.0–5.9

MixedReal strengths and real compromises.

Under 5

CompromisedSomething material — volatility, water quality, or access.

Weighted: water 26% · recreation 22% · investment 20% · value 18% · access 14%.

Fishery

Rainbow troutKokaneeChinook salmon

On the water

BoatingFishingCamping

No USGS gauge on this lake. We only publish a station when its own name matches this water body. Nearby gauges on other lakes would look like data and mislead you, so we show nothing instead. Why we do that.

9.00 deg C

Temperature

2026-08-04

2.90 ft

Gage height

2026-08-04

4.80 FNU

Turbidity

2016-04-27 · 3751 days old

Gauge history

Daily values from USGS. Loading up to one year.

What the drawdown looks like

Full pool vs autumn low · Detroit Lake

The dock sits at full-pool elevation. At low pool the waterline retreats and the reach to navigable water changes. Scale is illustrative; the 100 ft figure is from published operations for this lake.

Where it is

True shoreline from USGS NHD 15 km²

The outline is this lake's actual boundary from the USGS National Hydrography Dataset, not an approximation — 349 boundary points. Basemap is USGS topographic with contours and hydrography. Switch layers at the top right.

Depth profile

Idealized cross-section. Max depth 400 ft, average 128 ft. Depth at a specific dock depends on local bathymetry — verify at the property.

Level behaviour

Level stabilityVolatile Typical drawdown100 ft Drawdown seasonAutumn Trophic stateOligotrophic Typical clarity20 ft Water quality gradeC Elevation1,569 ft Managing authorityUSACE

This lake moves. A drawdown near 100 feet changes dock reach, boat access, and the look of the shoreline. Tour in the low season, or at minimum look at the gauge history above before you offer.

Dock & shoreline

Permitting authorityUSACE Portland District Wake / speed rulesOpen water

A dock is never guaranteed. Confirm in writing with USACE Portland District that the specific parcel is eligible before you remove contingencies.

Short-term rental posture

Marion County

Generally permitted, but rules change. Confirm the specific municipality and any HOA covenant.

Model rental income →

Modeled estimates. Market figures are derived from lake attributes and regional patterns, not from MLS data. Treat them as a starting point, not a comp.

$625,000

Median waterfront

$3,237

Per shoreline foot

+2.3%

Year over year

332

Est. inventory

Avg days on market

$765

Est. nightly rate

Rental snapshot

Modeled occupancy70% Booked nights / yr184 Gross revenue$151,365 Net operating income$77,541 Yield on median price12.41%

Open the full model →

What a median-priced home on Detroit Lake actually costs to carry, with waterfront-specific line items most calculators omit.

$5,339

All-in per month

$143,250

Cash to close + setup

$15,365

Beyond P&I, tax, insurance

Where the annual cost goes

Principal & interest $39,516 (63%) Maintenance reserve (1.1%) $6,875 (11%) Property taxes $6,562 (10%) Utilities $2,700 (4%) Hazard insurance $2,625 (4%) Flood insurance $2,400 (4%) Shoreline / seawall reserve $960 (2%) Dock maintenance $900 (1%)

Annual carry

Principal & interest	$39,516
Property taxes	$6,562
Hazard insurance	$2,625
Flood insurance	$2,400
Utilities	$2,700
Maintenance reserve (1.1%)	$6,875
Septic service	$520
Well & water testing	$260
Dock maintenance	$900
Winterization / seasonal close	$750
Shoreline / seawall reserve	$960
Total	$64,069