News Release
| Release Number: | 06-119 |
| Dated: | 8/14/2006 |
| Contact: | Jennifer A. Sowell, 503-808-4510 |
PORTLAND, Ore. – Planned water releases from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' William L. Jess Dam (Lost Creek Reservoir) in the Rogue Basin have been reduced from original estimates determined last spring.
“Observed inflows to the reservoir through June, July and into August have been significantly less than forecasted by the Natural Resource Conservation Service,” said Laurie Rice, a hydraulic engineer with the Corps. “This is largely due to a dry late spring and a dry summer.”
Releases are currently at 1,850 cfs, while they were scheduled to be at 2,400 cfs at this time. Beginning in September, releases are scheduled to gradually be reduced to 850 cfs by early October.
The Corps works closely with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Oregon Water Resources Department to develop release schedules. To avoid stranding fish downriver, the releases will decline gradually, by no more than 100 cfs per day. The gradual reductions also minimize impacts to reservoir and downstream river users.
“The new recommended releases are more traditional flows like we’ve seen over the last five or six years,” said Rice.
The reduced flows may pose some challenges for those who participate in the half-pounder run in October, but most recreation will likely be unaffected. Lost Creek Reservoir's elevation should remain at or above 1,812 feet at least through mid-September.
Corps projects in the Rogue Basin are operated to serve multiple needs: flood damage reduction, irrigation, fisheries, water supply, water quality and recreation. The Corps' goal is to effectively balance these competing needs to serve the region and its people.