Posted on November 10, 2025
PORTLAND, Ore. —
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will host a virtual public information session Thursday, Nov. 13, 5:30-6:30 p.m. to discuss plans to lower reservoir levels this fall at Cougar, Green Peter, Lookout Point, and Fall Creek reservoirs.
The session will provide an overview of the reservoir drawdowns, the anticipated drawdown schedule, and how this year’s operations differ from previous years. USACE experts will be on hand to answer questions and address community concerns.
The lower reservoir levels, or “drawdowns,” are a critical and required element of the 2024 National Marine Fisheries Service’s Biological Opinion (BiOp).
The BiOp is a formal document that details whether a federal action – in this case, the continued operation of Cougar, Green Peter Lookout Point and Fall Creek reservoirs – is likely to jeopardize the continued existence of an endangered species or result in the destruction of its critical habitat. The findings in the BiOp ensure federal agencies comply with the law as outlined in the Endangered Species Act.
The 2024 NMFS BiOp includes measures, such as reservoir drawdowns, that aim to help endangered salmon exit the reservoirs through the dams to migrate downriver.
“Spring Chinook salmon are surface-oriented, so lowering reservoir levels closer to the dam outlets improves their ability to move out of the reservoir and downstream,” said Kathryn Tackley, a program manager at the Portland District who is working to implement the BiOp.
The drawdowns are conducted to mimic natural river conditions and help juvenile salmon and steelhead migrate safely downstream.
“These drawdowns should be considered the new normal for these reservoirs until USACE constructs physical fish-passage structures to replace the need for the drawdowns,” said Tackley.
USACE encourages all interested community members to attend the session and learn more about the fall reservoir drawdowns. The session will include time for questions from the public.
📅 Date: Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025
⏰ Time: 5:30-6:30 p.m.
🔗 Microsoft Teams
Meeting ID: 993 480 682 325
Passcode: me6Nk25g
☎️ Dial in by phone
+1 601-262-2433
Conference ID: 935 611 193#
USACE employees will record the session and make it available on the USACE Portland District YouTube channel.
USACE is holding this public information session despite the ongoing lapse in appropriations because the reservoir drawdowns are directly related to life, health, and safety; and the Cougar, Green Peter, Lookout Point and Fall Creek dams’ primary function is flood risk management to protect life and property.
For more information on the fall 2025 reservoir drawdowns, visit https://www.nwp.usace.army.mil/Media/News-Releases/Article/4313957/reservoir-drawdowns-coming-to-willamette-valley-this-fall-detroit-drawdown-plan/.
Information about boat ramp availability: https://www.nwp.usace.army.mil/Media/News-Releases/Article/4317855/limited-boat-ramp-availability-at-willamette-valley-reservoirs-this-fall-and-wi/.
