Blue River Reservoir
Blue River Reservoir | |
---|---|
Location | Lane County, Oregon, about 42 miles (68 km) east of Springfield |
Coordinates | 44°10′19″N 122°19′49″W / 44.1720705°N 122.3303425°WCoordinates: 44°10′19″N 122°19′49″W / 44.1720705°N 122.3303425°W |
Type | Reservoir |
Primary inflows | Blue River |
Primary outflows | Blue River |
Catchment area | 88 sq mi (230 km2) |
Max. length | 6.4 mi (10.3 km) |
Surface area | 935 acres (378 ha), 1,420 acres (570 ha) when full |
Average depth | 91 ft (28 m) |
Max. depth | 248 ft (76 m) |
Water volume | 85,000 acre·ft (105,000,000 m3)[1] |
Residence time | 3 months[1] |
Shore length1 | 17 miles (27 km)[1] |
Surface elevation | 354 m (1,161 ft) |
Settlements | Blue River |
References | [2][3][4] |
1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. |
Blue River Reservoir is an artificial impoundment, about 6 miles (10 km) long, of the Blue River in Lane County in the U.S. state of Oregon.[2][5] The reservoir is about 1 mile (1.6 km) north of Oregon Route 126 in the Willamette National Forest about 45 miles (72 km) east of Eugene.[1]
In 1968 the United States Army Corps of Engineers built Blue Lake Dam and Saddle Dam about 2 miles (3 km) from the mouth of the river to create a reservoir for flood control and irrigation.[1][6] Despite the common presence of blue-green algae,[7][8] the lake is heavily used for recreation.[4] Trout are the principal fish, supplemented from local hatcheries.[2]
Recreation
Blue River Reservoir is used for fishing, boating, swimming, and waterskiing.[1] The United States Forest Service manages Mona Campground, on the north side of the reservoir, and Lookout Campground, on the northeast side.[4] The Forest Service also manages two launching sites for motorized and non-motorized boats, one near Lookout Campground and the other near Saddle Dam on the south shore.[4] The reservoir supports populations of native cutthroat trout and stocked rainbow trout.[2]
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Johnson, Daniel M.; Petersen, Richard R.; Lycan, D. Richard; Sweet, James W.; Neuhaus, Mark E., and Schaedel, Andrew L. (1985). Atlas of Oregon Lakes. Corvallis: Oregon State University Press. p. 157. ISBN 0-87071-343-4.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "Willamette National Forest Lake Fishing: Blue River Reservoir". U.S. Forest Service. Retrieved February 14, 2011.
- ↑ "Blue River Dam and Lake". U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Columbia Basin Water Management Division. May 31, 2002. Retrieved February 14, 2011.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 "Blue River Reservoir Area". U.S. Forest Service. Retrieved February 14, 2011.
- ↑ "Blue River Lake". Geographic Names Information System, U.S. Geological Survey. May 22, 1986. Retrieved February 14, 2011.
- ↑ "Blue River Lake and Cougar Lake, Oregon" (PDF). U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District. Retrieved October 17, 2012.
- ↑ Russell, Michael (September 10, 2010). "Blue-Green Algae Found in Blue River Reservoir in Willamette National Forest". The Oregonian. Portland, Oregon. Retrieved February 14, 2011.
- ↑ Stone, Christine (September 10, 2010). "Oregon Public Health Issues Advisory for Blue River Reservoir" (PDF). Oregon Department of Human Services, Oregon Health Authority. Retrieved February 14, 2011.
External links
- Media related to Blue River (Oregon) at Wikimedia Commons
- McKenzie Watershed Council
- Photo of the reservoir at sunset by Chris Ten Eyck