In the summer months, this 3,500-acre, 9-mile long lake located just 46 miles south of Salem in Oregon's Willamette Valley is a popular recreation area for fishing, boating, tow sports, swimming, camping, and picnicking.

The U.S. Forest Service and Oregon Department of Parks and Recreation operate numerous boat ramps, campgrounds, and day-use areas around the lake. Two privately owned marinas are located near the town of Detroit.

Detroit Lake is part of a system of thirteen multi-purpose dams and reservoirs that make up the Willamette Valley Project. These dams and reservoirs work together to reduce flood damage, generate hydropower, and create outdoor recreational opportunities.

Detroit Lake anglers love fishing year-round for rainbow trout and salmon, which are stocked annually. Catfish, largemouth bass, and landlocked chinook are other great catches.

The lake can get as deep as 440 feet in some places, with water levels fluctuating as much as 25 feet per day. In late summer, early fall through spring, the water levels often drawdown to the point where boat launches are no longer available.

To learn more, visit detroitlakeoregon.org.