News Release
| Release Number: | 00-014 |
| Dated: | 2/14/2000 |
| Contact: | Matt Rabe, 503-808-4510 |
Portland, Ore. -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will sharply increase water releases Tuesday morning from Applegate Lake due to a heavier-than-expected rainstorm in the Rogue River Basin.
Monday evening, reservoir regulators were releasing 1,300 cubic feet per second of water from the lake, but will increase that amount to about 3,000 cfs at 8 a.m. Tuesday if flows into the lake continue at their current rate of more than 3,000 cfs. That will translate into a six- to 12-inch rise in the already-rising level of the Applegate River.
Currently, more than five percent of the flood damage reduction space in Applegate Lake is being used. Although that seems like a small amount, the Applegate Basin is a flashy basin, where rainfall quickly raises lake levels. Applegate Lake is a federal flood damage reduction project southwest of Medford.
Low-water bridges in the area are covered with water when releases are between 2,000 cfs and 2,400 cfs, said Russ Davidson, Corps’ reservoir regulator.
Homeowners along the Applegate River, especially near the community of Applegate, have been notified to expect low-water bridges to remain submerged for about 48 hours beginning at noon Tuesday. Irrigation pumps left in the river also may be inundated.
Water released from Applegate Dam takes from two to four hours to reach the community of Applegate, 19 miles below the dam and 20 miles southwest of Medford, Ore. While low-water bridges are expected to remain covered for two days or so, Davidson said the Corps does not expect any other major downstream flooding from the increased releases.
The Corps is in a constant balancing act of competing needs. Regulators understand the need to keep as much water as possible out of the rivers during these periods of heavy rain. However, when flood damage reduction lakes – which are designed to store water during a storm – become too full, it decreases the Corps' ability to reduce the effects of flooding. Adequate storage space for additional rainfall and runoff is made available by releasing water from the lakes into the river.
All decisions on water releases take into account current and forecasted weather, as well as current flow conditions on the rivers downstream of the projects. Corps regulators are in constant communication with the National Weather Service, River Forecast Center.