Malheur Reservoir
Encyclopedia
Malheur Reservoir is an irrigation lake along Willow Creek
in Malheur County
in the U.S. state
of Oregon
. Built by the Orchard Irrigation District in the 1930s, the 1282 acres (5.2 km²) lake can hold about 49000 acre.ft of water, which is used to irrigate about 2300 acres (930.8 ha) of farmland downstream. Draining a semi-arid rangeland
basin of 254 square miles (657.9 km²), the reservoir receives very high concentrations of nutrients and is naturally eutrophic.
About 80 percent of the 12.3 miles (19.8 km) shoreline is privately owned, but the lake and part of the shore is open to public use. Since the mid-1960s, the reservoir has been stocked with rainbow trout
, although fishing conditions have varied with weather cycles, and the reservoir has at times gone dry during drought. During wet cycles, it is capable of producing trout in excess of 20 inches (50.8 cm) long.
The lake is accessible by dirt road, starting either from an intersection with U.S. Route 26
, about 15 miles (24.1 km) to the southwest, near Ironside
, or from a different intersection with Route 26, about 15 miles (24.1 km) to the southeast near Brogan
. The lake has a boat ramp on the north shore, and camping is possible in a few places near the ramp. The Malheur County Parks Department maintains the boat ramp as well as gravel parking and a restroom.
Willow Creek (Malheur River)
Willow Creek is a tributary of the Malheur River in Malheur County in the U.S. state of Oregon. The creek, which forms at above sea level and ends at , flows generally southeast between Ironside and Vale. Willow Creek's watershed covers of relatively arid land.Willow Creek begins at the...
in Malheur County
Malheur County, Oregon
Malheur County is a county located in the southeast corner of the U.S. state of Oregon. It is included in the eight-county definition of Eastern Oregon. Most of the county observes the Mountain Time Zone, although the southern quarter of the county observes the Pacific Time Zone along with the...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
. Built by the Orchard Irrigation District in the 1930s, the 1282 acres (5.2 km²) lake can hold about 49000 acre.ft of water, which is used to irrigate about 2300 acres (930.8 ha) of farmland downstream. Draining a semi-arid rangeland
Rangeland
Rangelands are vast natural landscapes in the form of grasslands, shrublands, woodlands, wetlands, and deserts. Types of rangelands include tallgrass and shortgrass prairies, desert grasslands and shrublands, woodlands, savannas, chaparrals, steppes, and tundras...
basin of 254 square miles (657.9 km²), the reservoir receives very high concentrations of nutrients and is naturally eutrophic.
About 80 percent of the 12.3 miles (19.8 km) shoreline is privately owned, but the lake and part of the shore is open to public use. Since the mid-1960s, the reservoir has been stocked with rainbow trout
Rainbow trout
The rainbow trout is a species of salmonid native to tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America. The steelhead is a sea run rainbow trout usually returning to freshwater to spawn after 2 to 3 years at sea. In other words, rainbow trout and steelhead trout are the same species....
, although fishing conditions have varied with weather cycles, and the reservoir has at times gone dry during drought. During wet cycles, it is capable of producing trout in excess of 20 inches (50.8 cm) long.
The lake is accessible by dirt road, starting either from an intersection with U.S. Route 26
U.S. Route 26 in Oregon
In the U.S. state of Oregon, U.S. Route 26 is a major cross-state state highway, connecting U.S. Route 101 on the Oregon Coast near Seaside with the Idaho state line east of Nyssa. Local highway names include the Sunset Highway No. 47, Mount Hood Highway No. 26, and John Day Highway No...
, about 15 miles (24.1 km) to the southwest, near Ironside
Ironside, Oregon
Ironside is an unincorporated community in Malheur County, Oregon, United States. Ironside is located on U.S. Route 26 northwest of Vale. Ironside has a post office with ZIP code 97908....
, or from a different intersection with Route 26, about 15 miles (24.1 km) to the southeast near Brogan
Brogan, Oregon
Brogan is an unincorporated community in Malheur County, Oregon, United States, on U.S. Route 26. Brogan was founded by D. M. Brogan in 1909, and when a post office was established in the locality on April 23 of that year, it was named for him...
. The lake has a boat ramp on the north shore, and camping is possible in a few places near the ramp. The Malheur County Parks Department maintains the boat ramp as well as gravel parking and a restroom.