News Release
| Release Number: | 04-227 |
| Dated: | 12/17/2004 |
| Contact: | Mike McAleer, 503-808-4510 |
Fern Ridge reservoir pool restrictions announced
PORTLAND, Ore. -The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will place pool restrictions on Fern Ridge reservoir effective immediately. These restrictions will continue until repairs are completed on the aging dam.
The restricted maximum conservation pool elevation at Fern Ridge Dam will be no higher than 360 feet. The normal maximum conservation pool elevation is 373.5 feet. The Corps normally begins filling to the maximum conservation level in early February and that level is maintained until September.
This week the Corps convened a Senior Review Board of nationally recognized experts in dam seepage and piping failures to assess the condition of the dam and to recommend future actions. They concluded that Fern Ridge Dam is in an active state of failure by piping and/or internal erosion and that the reservoir elevation should be restricted to no higher than 360 feet until the dam is repaired or until short-term mitigation measures can be implemented.
The dam is no longer safe to operate normally. "A year-round restriction on operating levels must be adopted to ensure the public's safety," said Mark Dasso, project manager for the Fern Ridge investigation project. "We will continue to prevent flood damage to the extent possible with these new restrictions, but our storage capacity will be drastically reduced, and during a storm event downstream flooding is a real possibility."
"I know many people depend on the lake and this will have serious impact on them but we now have concrete evidence and expert analysis that the dam is accelerating toward failure," Dasso said. "We ask for everyone's patience as we work through these difficult times."
Public meetings will be held in January to present the latest information, repair alternatives and timelines (a date will be announced as soon as time and locations can be confirmed).
"We want people in the greater Eugene area to be informed about our plans to operate, maintain and repair the structure," Dasso said. "We understand the dam and reservoir are important assets to the local community."
Completed in 1941, Fern Ridge Dam has served the people of the region well. It has prevented more than $401 million in cumulative flood damages and an estimated $8.5 million in tourism benefit to the community each year.
Information about the Fern Ridge Dam situation has been posted on the Corps' "Top Issues" web site at www.nwp.usace.army.mil. - 30 -