Bowman Dam operators reduce winter flows

The federal Bureau of Reclamation, with coordination from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services and NOAA Fisheries, reduced fish and wildlife winter flows from Arthur R. Bowman Dam from 65 cubic feet per second (cfs) to 50 cfs last Wednesday.

“This action is based on recent information regarding total Prineville Reservoir storage, uncontracted storage, and meteorological conditions over the last several months and as forecast for the next several months.” the agency said in a news release.

A flow of 50 cfs would provide about 74 percent of Chinook juvenile habitat and about 73 percent of steelhead juvenile habitat. The proposed flow modification would reduce available Chinook and steelhead habitat by 8 percent and 7 percent, respectively.

Conserving stored water for fish and wildlife for subsequent water years can be vital for maintaining in-stream flows. the agency said.

Arthur R. Bowman Dam is located on the Crooked River about 20 miles southeast of Prineville.

For real-time Crooked River flows at Reclamation facilities in the Pacific Northwest Region, visit https://www.usbr.gov/pn/hydromet/rtindex/crooked.html.