PORTLAND, Ore. — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) invites the public to a hybrid information session to discuss the water management mission, current strategies and conservation season forecasts for the Rogue River Basin, focusing on Applegate and Lost Creek reservoirs.
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife—a partner agency that advises the Corps on fisheries needs—will join USACE for the information session.
The conservation release season in the Rogue River Basin typically spans from May through October. During this period, USACE manages water releases from reservoirs to support various needs, including fish and wildlife habitat, irrigation, municipal and industrial water supply, recreation, and water quality.
DATE & LOCATION:
📍 Applegate Fire Station
1095 Upper Applegate Rd,
Jacksonville, OR 97530.
🕛 Thursday, June 12 | 2 p.m.
💻 Virtual:
🔗 Join Online
Meeting ID: 993 474 447 298
Meeting password: Am9Gv2JY
Dial in by phone:
+1 503-207-9433
Phone conference ID: 665 060 724#
The information sessions will conclude with audience members invited to engage directly with USACE experts. This is the public’s opportunity to ask questions, share insights, and contribute to discussions on topics that impact their community.
· During the Session: Questions may be posed live, as part of the real-time dialogue.
· Ahead of Time: People may send questions or comments to the Portland District Public Affairs Office at Portland District Public Affairs Office.
· After the Session: A recording of the live event will be available on the Portland District YouTube page afterward.
CURRENT OUTLOOK
According to Kevin Mcallister, Portland District civil engineer, “To date, most of our snowpack has melted. The river basin is currently 131% of average.
“While the exact numbers change daily, the Applegate water supply forecast is 130% of average, and the Lost Creek Project is at 108% of average.”
As the weather becomes hotter and drier during the year, the Corps adjusts water releases from reservoirs to help manage downstream river temperatures. This process, known as flow augmentation, involves releasing water from reservoirs to lower river temperatures, which is crucial for maintaining healthy aquatic ecosystems and supporting fish populations. This additional water also allows the fish to spread out and prevents disease breakout.
By carefully managing these water releases, USACE aims to mitigate the effects of rising temperatures on river environments.
The Corps manages reservoir inflows based on a “rule curve,” or the authorized maximum elevation on a given day to balance flood risk and storage for authorized purposes. The Rogue Basin’s reservoirs are kept lower in the winter to reduce downstream flooding and refilled in the spring to prepare for recreation and provide adequate flows for fish.
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
Before hitting the water this summer, the Corps recommends checking real-time reservoir levels and boat ramp accessibility online with the Rogue Basin teacup diagram.
BACKGROUND
Rogue River Basin Project operates a water resource management system that provides flood risk management, fish and wildlife management, irrigation, municipal and industrial water supply, hydropower, recreation and water quality on the Rogue and Applegate rivers and Elk Creek.
During the rainy season, USACE reduces the risk of flooding by storing water in the reservoirs behind the dams. During the summer, water levels in the reservoirs are maintained as high as possible to provide water-related recreation opportunities. In the drier summer and fall months, when rivers are at low levels, stored water is released from the dams to improve water quality and conditions for fish.
The reservoirs provide releases year-round in support of the different life cycles of the spring and fall Chinook salmon. While the water released creates a cooler environment for fish, it’s done so as related to the amount of water in the river, not the temperature of reservoir water.
The projects also support downstream irrigation and municipal water supply, as well as recreation upstream and downstream of the projects. Although the projects do not release water for downstream recreation, there are several recreational industries that rely on the projects releases each year to stay in business.
Federal, state and local agencies, and many Rogue River Basin stakeholders are united in their commitment to protect native fish populations and their habitat. They have been working together on improvements essential for the successful protection and recovery of these Northwest treasures.
Stay Connected:
· Website
· Facebook
· X
· Instagram
· YouTube