News Release Archive

Water Releases from McKay Dam To Remain Unchanged at Present

Media Contact: John Redding, (208) 378-5212, 04/19/2006 19:45
Jerry Cheek, jcheek@pn.usbr.gov

For Release: April 19, 2006

The Bureau of Reclamation has re-evaluated conditions at McKay Creek and determined it is not necessary to increase flows from McKay Dam at this time. The dam is located on McKay Creek about 6 miles south of Pendleton, Ore.

Due to updated weather and streamflow forecasts, plus current flow conditions into McKay Reservoir, increased outflows from McKay Dam will be delayed. Reclamation had previously announced flows from the reservoir would be increased steadily between April 17 - 21.

The hydrologic outlook and conditions will be evaluated often to determine the need to increase releases from McKay Reservoir in the future. Reclamation officials anticipate the reservoir to reach its full pool elevation of 65,000 acre-feet in a few weeks.

McKay Dam is an earthfill structure constructed by Reclamation in 1926, it is about 1,330 feet in length at its crest.

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