Bend Bulletin

Published Nov. 22, 2017

Irrigation districts on the Deschutes River Basin will be increasing flows this winter below Wickiup Reservoir.

The Deschutes Basin Board of Control, a collection of eight irrigation districts that operate in Central Oregon, announced Wednesday that it has committed to ensuring that the Deschutes River flows below Wickiup Reservoir at least 175 cubic feet per second through March 30, according to a news release from the irrigation districts.

Earlier this year, the board of control committed to maintaining flows of at least 100 cubic feet per second from mid-September through March, significantly higher than it is during dry winters. The additional increase will provide improved winter habitat for the Oregon spotted frog and fish that live in the river, according to the release.

Wickiup Reservoir was 62 percent full as of Wednesday afternoon, ahead of where it was in mid-November of 2015 and 2016, according to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.