Prineville Reservoir water level images

00Swede
00Swede
I saw some interest lately in Prineville Reservoir and figured I would post a few images of a day trip I made over there today and a few from August 2022. No fishing today but have been making a few trips over there per year, the last few years.
The last couple years the boat ramps have been unusable, but I am always with my inflatable Hobie anyway. Even getting it in the water the last few times has been a major struggle with the deep mud around the edges. Once I was in though, it was like having my own private reservoir. So much mud today I would not have attempted it even if I had been planning to fish. There was thin ice covering most everything up there also.
My trips have all been from Social Security Beach, State Park, and County Boat ramp.
While fishing in the kayak, my GPS was showing submerged road beds and submerged bridges by Social Security Beach and below the State Park. Usually found Crappie in those areas also. The dam project for the reservoir was completed around 1961, so these were roads that were used before then.
On my trip in August the Bridge Piers on the upper end were totally visible. Couldn't launch or fish up there at all but I found it fascinating to see what I had been seeing only on the graph.
I made the trip today because the water has gone from 21% capacity on my August trip, to 10% today and I was hoping to see some structures below the State Park, which I did. The ones there were more of a "stacked stone" abutment and impressive to me that it was still there.
The river has gotten a little flow now, since my August trip. Then it had none. It's gonna be a real difficult time for some farmers over there this year I'm afraid but hopefully I can get my yak in there.
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  • Wow
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fromthelogo
fromthelogo
Thanks for the photos. Sad to see the reservoir that low. It used to be one of my favorite places to fish in Oregon.
 
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Vintageflyguy
Vintageflyguy
Really shocking photos - I think I see a crappie on the far side .hope it comes back this year
 
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D
DonF
I was over there a few weeks ago and that's about it. Have never been to the county boat ramp. Looks like there's water out there! ThnkI'll leave it alone though. Fish populationhas to have taken a beating this year. Also about my favorite fishing spot in Oregon too!
 
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00Swede
00Swede
DonF said:
I was over there a few weeks ago and that's about it. Have never been to the county boat ramp. Looks like there's water out there! ThnkI'll leave it alone though. Fish populationhas to have taken a beating this year. Also about my favorite fishing spot in Oregon too!
The County Ramp was the only place I could get my kayak launched last August, and it was not pretty then. Deep mud made it difficult.
This week I couldn't even drive down into it far enough to see the water very well. I'll be trying it in the spring though.
 
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mattsavage
Do they drop it every winter for flood control or is that just the new normal? How much weight will water rights have against stream flows when it comes to filling it back up in time for farmers to irrigate?
 
D
DonF
mattsavage said:
Do they drop it every winter for flood control or is that just the new normal? How much weight will water rights have against stream flows when it comes to filling it back up in time for farmers to irrigate?
My understanding is the resivor was made for Irrigonation water so I suspect whatever works best for irragators is the way it's gonna go. From what i've read this year it sounds like filling it again is gonna take severaal years of really good snow fall in the mountains! Hope it doesn't take that long but who knows!
 

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