Oregon Projects

Aerial View of Thief valley Dam

While Oregon has abundant rainfall to its west, most Reclamation projects were built to bring irrigated agriculture to the much drier, eastern Oregon where many pioneers settled in the 1800s. Today, most Reclamation efforts are focused on improving the safety of existing dams and reservoirs, enhancing stream flow and fish passage, and working with partners on watershed restoration efforts.

Activities in the Snake River basin of eastern Oregon are administered through the Snake River Area Office. Activities in other areas of Oregon, excluding the Klamath Basin, are administered through the Columbia-Cascades Area Office. Klamath Basin is administered by the Mid-Pacific Region.

History

Warm Springs Dam

Early Oregon settlers learned to divert rivers and streams through primitive ditches and canals in order to sustain their crops and livestock. With the continuously increasing number of new settlers to Oregon during the mid and late 1800s, rudimentary irrigation techniques could not keep pace with the demand for water.

The creation of the Reclamation Service in 1902 provided Oregon with the planning, design, and construction expertise necessary to develop large scale water projects. The first Reclamation project in Oregon was the Klamath Project, consisting of three storage dams and four diversion dams that provided irrigation water to southwest Oregon and northern California.

In addition to constructing many large and small water projects which are operated and maintained by local irrigation districts, Reclamation has rehabilitated many deteriorating, privately constructed structures under the Safety of Dams program.

Today, Oregon depends on Reclamation facilities to supply water not only for irrigation, but for municipal and industrial use, hydropower, flood control, recreation, and fish and wildlife purposes

Project Dam Powerplant
Arnold Project
Baker Project Mason Dam
Thief Valley Dam
Burnt River Project Unity Dam
Crooked River Project Arthur R. Bowman Dam
Ochoco Dam
Deschutes Project Crane Prairie Dam
Haystack Dam
Wickiup Dam
Owyhee Project Owyhee Dam
Rogue River Basin Project Agate Dam
Emigrant Dam
Howard Prairie Dam
Hyatt Dam
Keene Creek Dam Green Springs Powerplant
Tualatin Project Scoggins Dam
Umatilla Basin Project Cold Springs Dam
McKay Dam
Vale Project Agency Valley Dam
Bully Creek Dam
Warm Springs Dam
Wapinitia Project Wasco Dam
Contacts    
Columbia-Cascades Area    
Chris Duke
Area Manager
(509) 575-5848 ext. 200
wduke@usbr.gov

Columbia-Cascades Area Office
1917 Marsh Road
Yakima, Washington 98901-2058
Gregg Garnett
Field Office Manager
(541) 389-6541 ext. 226
ggarnett@usbr.gov

Bend Field Office
1375 SE Wilson Ave, Suite 100
Bend, OR 97702-1435
Chet Sater
Field Office Manager
(541) 571-2345


Umatilla Field Office
32871 Diagonal Road
Hermiston, OR 97838-6307
Projects in Eastern Oregon are managed by the Snake River Area Office
Lanie Paquin
Area Manager
(208) 383-2248


Snake River Area Office
230 Collins Road
Boise, ID 83702-4520
Bryan Horsburgh
Deputy Area Manager
(208) 383-2248
bhorsburgh@usbr.gov

Middle Snake Field Office
230 Collins Road
Boise, ID 83702-4520
 
Klamath Basin Area Office
Jeffrey Nettleton
Area Manager
(541) 8802561
jnettleton@usbr.gov

Klamath Basin Area Office
6600 Washburn Way
Klamath Falls, OR 97603

Related Links
Oregon Projects and Facilities
Southeastern Oregon Boat Ramps
Southeastern Oregon Water Operations
Oregon Recreation
Klamath Basin Area Office
Burnt River Water Temperature Study Steering Committee Final Report
Deschutes Resources Conservancy
Henry Hagg Lake Resource Management Plan
Prineville Reservoir Resource Management Plan
Snake River Resources Review

Last Updated: 11/1/23