Early Season Recreation Looks Promising on Willamette Reservoirs

Heavy spring rain could secure the summer.

Oregon's Detroit Lake Photo courtesy: rocklobster.com

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - Most of the reservoirs managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the Willamette Valley will be in good shape to host recreational boaters well into the summer season agency officials announced today.

Using the latest weather forecasts, however, the Corps is alerting boaters that some may not fill enough to sustain summer-long boating.

With a drier-than-average spring, it is unlikely that reservoirs will be full by Memorial Day weekend. However, most of the reservoirs levels should be above the elevation of higher-level boat ramps. These reservoirs include Detroit, Lookout Point, Hills Creek, Fall Creek, Cottage Grove, Dorena, Cougar, Blue River and Green Peter. Foster Reservoir will fill by the end of May.

Fern Ridge Reservoir outside of Eugene is expected to be within one foot of full by late May. "A good, steady spring rain could improve this situation,” said Matt Rea, the Corps' Willamette Basin coordinator.

In early April, the Corps released water from several projects to ensure adequate flow for young salmon and steelhead to the main stem of the Willamette River. "Until the rains come the Corps will make continual lake elevation adjustments to manage the needs of fish, water quality and irrigation,” Rea added. "There is limited water with many demands on it.”

An example of this balance is the Green Peter Reservoir: Since the Corps will limit the release of water from the downstream Foster Reservoir to help manage water levels for spawning winter steelhead, the Corps can keep more water in the upstream Green Peter Reservoir. This provides a promising recreation season with a nearly reservoir for Memorial Day weekend and into June.

Representatives from involved agencies closely coordinate many of the regional decisions to best balance the area's water supply and minimize impacts to the environment, the recreational community, water quality and irrigators. "Our goal is to make decisions now to manage water for a favorable dry season throughout the Willamette Basin,” explained Rea. The Corps, NOAA Fisheries, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Oregon Water Resources Department continue discussions regarding operation of the Willamette Valley Projects to comply with the Endangered Species Act.