News Release
| Release Number: | 01-088 |
| Dated: | 6/1/2001 |
| Contact: | Public Affairs Office, 503-808-4510 |
Portland, Ore. -- Lower than anticipated inflow and resulting low lake levels are changing U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' plans for water releases from Lost Creek Lake on the Rogue River in southern Oregon.
Beginning at 8 p.m. on Monday, June 4, water releases will begin dropping in increments of 200 cubic feet per second (cfs) until they reach target flows of 1,400 cfs on Wednesday, June 6. The flows will be maintained at that level until about June 20 when the Corps will begin decreasing discharges to meet the July schedule of 1,000 cfs.
The "temperature varying water release" regime that began April 29 to protect migrating spring chinook from epizootic disease (disease that spreads quickly) has to end sooner than the planned June 20 date. The disease is encouraged by warm water temperatures, and has decimated large percentages of runs in past years. Since April 29, flows have varied from 2,000 cfs to 3,200 cfs to lower water temperatures in the river.
Prior to today, more than 12,000 spring chinook have passed Gold Ray Dam on their upstream journey. The condition of observed fish indicates the temperature varying water releases have been successful in preventing disease. Now, however, stored water that was dedicated to their protection is gone. Because there have been low inflows, no water could be stored that would have allowed the higher releases to be extended for a longer period.
The lower flows will still furnish some protection for fish that are above Grants Pass, and they are expected to move further upriver to spawn in the cooler waters above Gold Ray Dam. "Unfortunately we do expect to have some losses in the lower river," said Russ Davidson, Corps hydraulic engineer, "because the cooler water won't reach that far, so protection levels will diminish. We have to balance what we need to release now with requirements to conserve enough water for the summer and fall fish runs, however, and in this low water year we don't have all the options we'd like to have."
The Corps coordinated the water release changes with the Oregon Water Resources Department and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. Both agencies agree with those changes.