8 Feb 2022

Delayed refill at Corps reservoirs to impact boating, recreation

Army water managers will delay refilling Cougar and Fall Creek reservoirs and conduct spill operations at Foster Dam as required by the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon’s Willamette Valley injunction because of recent litigation. The delay at Cougar and Fall Creek will impact the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (Corps) ability to refill the reservoirs to their normal summer levels, which will impact boating and recreation activities.

13 Oct 2020

Corps, utilities restore power to McKenzie River area after Holiday Farm Fire

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and several utilities successfully bring reliable power to the McKenzie River, Oregon area using Cougar Dam, Oct. 6. Lane Electric, Petersen Cat, Bonneville Power Administration and the Corps worked to “island” Blue River with the nearby dam.

14 Sep 2017

Fall Creek Dam fish fancy future facility

PORTLAND, Ore. — Construction crews are rebuilding Fall Creek Dam’s Adult Fish Collection Facility southeast of Eugene, Oregon. When complete, the facility will support Portland District’s efforts to meet requirements of the 2008 Willamette Project biological opinions, issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service.

23 Jun 2017

Living with dams: deluge an ever-present possibility

If Cougar were to completely fail, that water would rush 60 miles down the McKenzie River, washing away everything in its path, until it reached the Eugene and Springfield area. The deluge could make Eugene and Springfield look like Corvallis, Oregon City and Portland after the Flood of 1996; although no dams failed during that event. That image, and the desire to do everything possible to keep it from becoming reality, was the backdrop for a recent inspection at Cougar Dam, May 24.