Blue River Reservoir

Image source: Gary Halvorson, Oregon State Archives

General data

Name: Blue River Reservoir
Water system: Columbia River
Water type: Artificial lake
Progression: Blue River (Oregon) -> McKenzie River (Oregon) -> Willamette River -> Columbia River -> Columbia River Estuary -> Pacific Ocean -> Planet Earth
Climates: Temperate
Continents: North America
Countries: United States of America

Blue River Reservoir is an artificial impoundment, about 6 miles (10 km) long, of the Blue River in Lane County in the U.S. state of Oregon.

The reservoir is about 1 mile (1.6 km) north of Oregon Route 126 in the Willamette National Forest about 45 miles (72 km) east of Eugene.

In 1968 the United States Army Corps of Engineers built Blue Lake Dam and Saddle Dam about 2 miles (3.2 km) from the mouth of the Blue River on the McKenzie River to create a reservoir for flood control and irrigation.

Despite frequent blooms of blue-green algae, the lake is heavily used for recreation. Trout are the principal fish, supplemented from local hatcheries.

Blue River Reservoir is used for fishing, boating, swimming, and waterskiing. The United States Forest Service manages Mona Campground, on the north side of the reservoir, and Lookout Campground, on the northeast side. The Forest Service also manages two launching sites for motorized and non-motorized boats, one near Lookout Campground and the other near Saddle Dam on the south shore.

The reservoir supports populations of native coastal cutthroat trout and stocked rainbow trout.

Blue River Reservoir

General data

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