News Release
| Release Number: | 99-106 |
| Dated: | 12/7/1999 |
| Contact: | Heidi Y. Helwig, 503-808-4510 |
Portland, Ore.—Have you ever wondered what type of planning goes into the Army Corps of Engineers’ river operations in the Willamette Valley? If you have, you’re not alone. In response to a public request to learn more about how the Corps operates its reservoirs in the Willamette Valley, the Corps is hosting a meeting at 7 p.m. on Dec. 15 in Jefferson Middle School’s cafeteria at 1344 2nd Street in Jefferson, Ore. The cafeteria is in the back of the school.
"Though the request for us to explain our reservoir operations was prompted by the Thanksgiving Day storm, we welcome this opportunity to meet with the people of the communities we serve to discuss year-round operations," said Corps hydrologist Dick Cassidy.
This meeting is in addition to water regulation meetings that are often held in the spring. At those meetings, Corps hydrologists meet with community members to explain proposed plans for managing the lakes, including anticipated lake levels and releases for the summer and fall seasons. This information—and the information discussed at the Dec. 15 meeting--is beneficial to river users and to those who live near it.
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.
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.