The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says 2022 could be another challenging water year in the Willamette Valley.
The Corps says its 13 reservoirs in the valley are about one-third emptier than they should be at this time of year. It comes after a relatively dry first three months of the year.
Things turned a corner in April, which was fairly rainy, said Erik Peterson, operations manager for the Willamette Valley Project. But he said the northern part of the valley got more rain than the southern part.
“Our biggest storage reservoirs are in the south," said Peterson. "So that has bearing on the availability of water for the system.”
Peterson said the lower water levels will likely impact water quality for fish, as well as recreation opportunities, later in the summer.
He spoke during an online Q&A session Thursday.