Bureau of Reclamation in Oregon |
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| Overview | Oregon, the primary destination for many immigrants in the 1800s,has abundant rainfall on its western side. Most Reclamation projects were built to assist in bringing irrigated agriculture to eastern Oregon. Today, most of Reclamation's efforts are focused on improving the safety of existing dams and reservoirs, enhancing stream flow and fish passage, and working with partners on watershed restoration efforts. Activities in the Snake River basin of eastern Oregon are administered through the Snake River Area Office. Activities in other areas of Oregon, excluding the Klamath Basin, is administered through the Lower Columbia Area Office. The Klamath Basin is administered by the Mid-Pacific Region. Snake River Area Office Lower Columbia Area Office |
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| History | Early Oregon settlers learned to divert rivers and streams through primitive ditches and canals in order to sustain themselves and their crops and livestock. With the continuously increasing number of new settlers to Oregon during the mid and late 1800s, rudimentary irrigation techniques could not keep pace with the demand for water. The creation of the Reclamation Service in 1902 provided Oregon with the planning, design, and construction expertise necessary to develop large scale water projects. The first of Oregon's Reclamation constructed water projects was the Klamath Project, three storage dams and four diversion dams that provided irrigation water to Oregon and California. In addition to constructing many new large and small water projects throughout Oregon which are operated and maintained by local irrigation districts, Reclamation has rehabilitated many deteriorating, privately constructed structures under the Safety of Dams program. Today, Oregon depends on Reclamation facilities to supply water not only for irrigation, but for municipal and industrial, hydropower, flood control, recreation, and fish and wildlife purposes. |
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| Related Links | Burnt River Water Temperature Study Steering Committee Final Report Deschutes Projects Biological Assessment Deschutes Resources Conservancy Henry Hagg Lake Resource Management Plan Prineville Reservoir Resource Management Plan Rogue Projects Biological Assessment Savage Rapids Dam Sediment Study Snake River Resources Review |
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Last Update: February 29, 2008 1:49 PM |
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