The Bureau of Reclamation hosts a monthly discussion for various stakeholders and agencies on the operation of Bowman Dam. The most recent meeting was on December 6 and I finally had the opportunity to read the notes. The bottom line is that anglers should be on the lookout for increased flows into the Crooked River, perhaps before the end of the month. Keep reading to understand why. The graph above is from the BoR and shows water measured in acre feet in Prineville Reservoir as of today.

The design of Bowman Dam was initiated by the Army Corps of Engineers to protect the City of Prineville from flooding. During that design phase the dam height was raised to provide water for irrigation, but flood control remains a primary operating principle. Releases from the dam are increased if the “rule curve” indicates a heightened probability of flooding.

Simply put, there must be enough capacity in the dam to absorb projected inflows from anticipated rain, snowmelt, or extreme rain on snow events. To this end, the amount of water in Prineville Reservoir, the amount of snow in the Ochocos, and weather forecasts are constantly monitored. Currently, the reservoir is above average at 59% full, a warm winter is causing precipitation in the form of rain rather than snow, and the rule curve is already being approached.