News Release
| Release Number: | 08-030 |
| Dated: | 3/3/2008 |
| Contact: | Scott Clemans, 503-808-4510 |
PORTLAND, Ore. — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Portland District announced today that it will release water from Applegate and Lost Creek lakes at lower than usual rates through at least March 15.
Applegate Dam will maintain a minimum outflow of at least 100 cubic feet per second rather than the usual 170. William L. Jess Dam at Lost Creek Lake will maintain a minimum release of at least 700 cubic feet per second rather than the usual 900.
The Corps had been filling Applegate and Lost Creek lakes more slowly than usual for the past several weeks in order to provide additional water storage that would reduce the risk of flooding.
Snow pack in the Rogue Basin has declined to about 130 percent of normal, so the Corps, in conjunction with the Oregon departments of Fish and Wildlife and Water Resources, decided to increase the lakes’ fill rates so that adequate water will be available for fisheries, municipal, industrial and irrigation purposes.
Even at these increased fill rates, the two lakes will remain lower than their regular seasonal elevations for the short term, until additional expected rain arrives. Adequate flood storage capacity should be available.
“We plan to maintain these lower release rates for a couple of weeks, then see where lake elevations are in relation to normal and adjust the rates accordingly,” said Laurie Rice, a Corps hydraulic engineer who supervises reservoir regulation for the Rogue River Basin Project.
The two dams are part of the Portland District’s Rogue River Basin Project. Applegate Dam is located about 23 miles southwest of Medford, Ore. on the Applegate River. William L. Jess Dam is located 30 miles northeast of Medford on the Rogue River.
The project provides a number of benefits for the Rogue Valley, including flood risk reduction, fishery and wildlife enhancement, irrigation, improved water quality, municipal and industrial water supply, hydroelectric power production and recreation opportunities.
For more information about the Rogue River Basin Project, please visit the Portland District’s Web site at http://www.nwp.usace.army.mil/op/r/home.asp.