News Release
| Release Number: | 00-156 |
| Dated: | 9/5/2000 |
| Contact: | Matt Rabe, 503-808-4510 |
Portland, Ore. - Water releases from 13 Willamette Valley reservoirs will increase during the next several weeks as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers prepares for winter operations.
The Corps will begin increasing water releases at Fern Ridge, Cottage Grove, Cougar, Fall Creek, Dorena, Blue River, Big Cliff and Detroit dams between Sept. 9 and Oct. 1. Operators will maintain current operations at Lookout Point and Dexter dams. The amount of water released from Foster, Green Peter and Hills Creek dams was increased [please see below for amounts] during the past four days.
Each year, the Corps must have the reservoirs lowered by early December, except for Green Peter, which is lowered by the end of December, to be ready for fall and winter rain and runoff. The reservoirs are lowered slowly to minimize impacts on reservoir and downstream river users. Since their construction, Corps flood damage reduction projects in Oregon have prevented more than $20 billion in flood damages.
"We delay lowering the reservoirs until after Labor Day because we know many people use them during the holiday weekend," said Chan Modini, reservoir regulator.
Recreational opportunities still will be available at each location even though the reservoirs will be slowly lowered. "Most Corps parks and campgrounds will remain open through mid-September with some closing at the end of the month," said Dick Lamster, park manager. "Also, low-water boat ramps, which allow some boaters to use the facilities throughout the fall, winter and spring, are available at all of the reservoirs."
Boaters using the reservoirs should use extra caution during the fall and winter months. Because of lower water levels, stumps and other hazards that may be submerged during the summer are exposed during the winter.
River conditions downstream of the dams can be expected to change, too, said Modini. As water releases from the dams are increased, river velocities will increase and river levels will rise slightly.
- 30 -
|
Reservoir |
Releases as of 9/1/00 |
Increased Releases ** |
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|
Blue River |
50 |
250 (9/17); 500 (9/19); 570 (9/23) |
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|
Cottage Grove |
50 |
200 (9/16); 250 (9/22) |
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|
Cougar |
700 |
900 (10/1) |
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|
Detroit/Big Cliff |
1,000 |
1,600 (9/11); 2,000 (9/16); 2,500 (9/22) |
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|
Dorena |
100 |
400 (9/14); 580 (9/19) |
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|
Fall Creek |
65 |
400 (9/9); 800 (9/14) |
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|
Fern Ridge |
60 |
400 (10/1); 900 (10/6) |
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|
Foster |
650 |
800 (9/5); 1,400 (10/1) |
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|
Green Peter |
570 |
740 (9/5); 1,160 (10/1) |
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|
Hills Creek |
400 |
800 (9/2); 1,000 (9/5); 1,200 (9/6) |
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|
Lookout Point/Dexter |
2,500 |
2,500 |
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|
|
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** Release amounts are in cubic feet per second (cfs) and are estimations based on current forecast data and models. These release amounts may be adjusted as conditions dictate.
Bolded numbers refer to those changes that have already taken effect. The bolded number is the current release amount (in cfs) from that dam.