News Release
| Release Number: | 00-037 |
| Dated: | 3/15/2000 |
| Contact: | Public Affairs Office, 503-808-4510 |
Portland, Ore. — In response to public requests, and because of production delays, the comment period on the John Day Drawdown Phase I Study Draft Report has been extended 30 days, until May 1, 2000.
The Portland District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, also gathered public comments during a series of public meetings held in February and March. Study team members participated in those meetings, which were held to share information with the public about the John Day Study and other fish recovery topics.
Comments should be sent to: Portland District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Attn: John Day Drawdown Study, P.O. Box 2946, Portland, OR 97208-2946; or e-mailed to: cenwpjddstudy@nwp01.usace.army.mil; or Faxed to: (503) 808-4515.
John Day Dam, which spans the Columbia River from Washington to Oregon 215 miles upstream from the Pacific Ocean, creates a 76-mile-long reservoir (Lake Umatilla). Reservoirs slow river current and create slack water, thus slowing juvenile fish migration through the river system, and Lake Umatilla is the longest reservoir on the lower Columbia River.
In October 1998, Congress directed the Corps to study John Day drawdown and appropriated $3.7 million for the first phase of that Study. Congressional direction limited the first phase to two options for lowering, or drawing down, the reservoir: "spillway crest" and "natural river level."