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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Mail Tribune 100, Jan. 22, 1916 ... Tiger trout to battle chubs in Diamond Lake ... Leader of armed group at wildlife refuge speaks to FBI ... Mail Tribune 100, Jan. 22, 1916 ... Tiger trout to battle chubs in Diamond Lake ... Leader of armed group at wildlife refuge speaks to FBI ... SINCE YOU ASKED Since You Asked: Lost Creek outflows are as low as they can go Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted May. 1, 2015 at 12:01 AM Posted May. 1, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Social News I'm continuing to wonder why the guys at Lost Creek Lake don't cut back on the water they are releasing at the dam, knowing that we're headed into another drought and that they should save as much water as they can now when it's not needed. Why not cut back on the tap a little more to make sure that lake fills this year? — Tom, via email Well, Tom, we at Since You Asked Central are longtime students of the ins and outs of water management at Lost Creek Lake because, well, we have to be so we can answer questions like this. First, Lost Creek Lake is actually about three-quarters of a foot higher than expected for this time of year, based on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' schedule for filling Jackson County's largest reservoir by May 1. But that could change soon. Jim Buck, the Corps' Rogue Basin project manager, says the agency stays on its filling schedule in February when the average inflow is 1,440 cubic feet per second of water higher than the outflow. That wasn't happening last Friday afternoon, when the inflows were at 1,839 cfs and the outflows were at 1,050 cfs, water records show. The Corps did drop the outflows last Friday from 1,100 cfs to 1,050 cfs to help offset some of that low inflow. But they won't go any lower. The current outflow is the minimum winter outflow from Lost Creek Lake. That's the lowest release to ensure spring chinook salmon eggs and the infant fry now hatching in the upper Rogue River have enough water flowing over them to survive. Going any lower risks drying up the egg nests, called redds, from wild spring chinook that spawned last fall on the edges of the upper Rogue's main channel. Send questions to “Since You Asked,” Mail Tribune Newsroom, P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501; by fax to 541-776-4376; or by email to [email protected]. We’re sorry, but the volume of questions received prevents us from answering all of them. MailTribune.com Writer Posted May. 1, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501