Corps: Willamette Valley Reservoirs in Good Shape

The Corps relies primarily on rainfall during the months of April, May and early June to fill its system of 13 dams and reservoirs in the Willamette River basin.

Detroit Lake Photo courtesy: sos.state.or.us

(PORTLAND, Ore. ) - To maintain the balance between recreation demands and requirements to protect fish during this low water year, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will not make mid-season changes to its Willamette Valley operations as it would in a typical water year, the Corps announced today.

"Late in the summer, we often reduce the flows from reservoirs to help sustain the recreational environment,” said Colonel Thomas O'Donovan, Portland District Engineer. "While we understand the economic issues at play in the Willamette Valley, in this drier-than-average year we must balance the demands for water with our commitments to the needs of threatened fish.”

Earlier this summer, the Corps released water from upriver reservoirs to improve water quality and maintain required passage conditions in the mainstem Willamette for fish protected under the Endangered Species Act.

These releases from Lookout Point, Hills Creek, Green Peter, Blue River, Fall Creek, Cottage Grove, Dorena and Cougar reservoirs also helped sustain water levels at the Valley's more recreational reservoirs, such as Detroit and Fern Ridge.

Representatives from federal and state 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.

These agencies include the Corps, NOAA Fisheries, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Oregon Water Resources Department.

"We remain in close communication to manage and balance river levels necessary to protect steelhead and spring Chinook populations while maintaining reservoir elevations that meet recreation needs through the Labor Day Weekend,” said Steven Marx, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. "It becomes extremely difficult to meet the competing demands on a finite resource and balance the environmental and recreation missions of the area's agencies in a low water year such as this.”

Detroit Reservoir remains about 90 percent full and the Corps currently estimates all boat ramps will be available during the Labor Day weekend.

As the holiday weekend approaches, boating opportunities also look good for Foster, Dexter and Fern Ridge reservoirs.

This drier year has left only the lower boat ramps at Lookout Point, Fall Creek, Blue River, Dorena, Hills Creek, Cottage Grove and Green Peter reservoirs accessible.

Cougar Reservoir ramps are no longer usable.

The Corps will continue to coordinate with local agencies to provide the latest reservoir conditions to the recreation community.

The Corps relies primarily on rainfall during the months of April, May and early June to fill its system of 13 dams and reservoirs in the Willamette River basin.

By June 2007, rainfall was about 64 percent of normal.

Snow pack provides about 10 percent of the reservoirs' total water storage; in May 2007, snow pack was about 57 percent of normal.

"Our primary mission is to operate this highly modified river system to help reduce flooding downstream,” said O'Donovan. "This is most obvious during the wettest time of the year, from mid-November through January. Starting in February, we gradually store water to prepare for the recreation season.”

The Corps' operation of each dam or reservoir contributes to an overall water resource plan providing flood damage reduction, power generation, irrigation, navigation and water-related recreational activities on the Willamette River and several of its tributaries.

The public is encouraged check current water levels and boat ramp elevations in Willamette Valley reservoirs by calling (541) 937-2131 or visiting . www.nwp.usace.army.mil/pa/river.asp