Winter storm recovery delays opening day-use parks at Cottage Grove Reservoir and campsites at Dorena Reservoir

*UPDATE 5/20* Status of parks in the Willamette Valley, post-storm events:
Cottage Grove Reservoir: Day-use parks (open), Pine Meadows Campground (open), Lakeside Park and Boat Ramp (open), Wilson Creek Park and Boat Ramp (open), Riverside Park (open), Shortridge Park (closed). Dorena Reservoir: Schwarz Campground (open), Harms Park and Boat Ramp (open), Bake Stewart Park (open). Lookout Point Reservoir: Signal Point Boat Ramp (open), Meridian Boat Ramp (closed), Ivan Oakes Campground (closed). 

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will delay the opening of Cottage Grove Reservoir day-use parks by about a week as workers continue to clear storm debris.

The Corps plans to open the day-use parks at Cottage Grove for weekend-only use starting May 18. However, those sites will be closed during week days as maintenance crews continue clean-up efforts.

In past years, Corps-managed day-use parks generally open the second weekend in May, but during a late-February snow storm, hundreds of trees were damaged within the parks at Cottage Grove Reservoir and Dorena Reservoir.

As each park is completely cleaned up, the weekday restrictions will be lifted for that park. Fifteen camp sites at Schwarz Campground, located at Dorena reservoir, will remain closed until June 30 to continue debris clean-up efforts.

Corps maintenance crews have been working diligently since February to clear the debris hazards in the parks and campgrounds to lessen impacts for upcoming camping reservations.

Once the campgrounds are open, the teams will shift their full attention to the day-use parks.

For more information, contact the Willamette Valley park ranger office at 541-942-5631.