"Drought is coming"

[rogerdodger]

winter is over; drought is coming; difficult conditions for fish are coming.

 

[hobster]

Yeah, this is gonna suck. I'm blown away at how low the local rivers are so early in the year. The little bit of rain we're getting helps for a day or 2 and then is washed away, and there is no snowpack to help out. I remember seeing a clip on the news last year about the steelhead dying off in the McKenzie due to the water being so low and warm, i imagine this year will be a lot worse.
I've always been told they will make it up to the spawning grounds even in really low water, but this year is different. Will the fish just spawn where they are if the river is too low to advance? I imagine so. There will be less downrunners and more dead steelies, although the (steelhead) counts are so low maybe they sense it and are waiting for next year.

 

[troutdude]

Not good. Period. Maybe we should call Avian, and them ship some our way?

 

[GaryP1958]

Fall on The Deschutes Arm of Wickiiup will be epic like shooting huge browns in a barrel! Get lemons make lemonade!

 

[Socaaron]

I've been saying it all winter as people I talk to comment how nice and mellow this winter has been! The thing that I'm really concerned about is that we've been having some really good returns on salmon and steelhead these last couple years and now right when we need it most water levels are going to become dangerously low for the smolts and fry that are rearing from those great runs. It all just makes me sad...

 

[Billamicasr]

Another link to highlight the levels; this one for the Willamette watershed. Many of the dots and squares are active mouse over links to show current numbers.
http://www.nwp.usace.army.mil/Missions/Water.aspx