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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 SOU will pay most of the costs of $2.5 million settlement ... Since You Asked: Reader feedback — diesel self-serve and driver licenses ... Rancher killed in standoff vowed to die before going to jail ... SOU will pay most of the costs of $2.5 million settlement ... Since You Asked: Reader feedback — diesel self-serve and driver licenses ... Rancher killed in standoff vowed to die before going to jail ... SINCE YOU ASKED Since You Asked: Applegate Lake filling season starts later than at Lost Creek Comment By Mark Freeman Mail Tribune Follow @@MTwriterFreeman MailTribune.com By Mark Freeman Mail Tribune Follow @@MTwriterFreeman Posted Jan. 27, 2016 at 12:01 AM By Mark Freeman Mail Tribune Follow @@MTwriterFreeman Posted Jan. 27, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Social News With all our rains so far this year, why is the Applegate Lake reservoir EMPTY? Any news you know of? — Duane B, email submission We at Since You Asked Central are all about keeping our eyes on the water gauges at the various reservoirs and rivers just for people like you, Duane — those who know water levels mean everything to anglers, boaters, irrigators and wild salmon. Yes, Applegate Lake has been extremely low so far this year, and that's actually on purpose. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' water manual doesn't call for Applegate Lake to start filling until Feb. 1, a month later than it starts filling Lost Creek Lake along the upper Rogue River. "That would be our nomal operationg schedule," says David Tucker, the Corps operations section chief in the Rogue Basin. Technically, Applegate Lake remains in flood-control mode through this weekend. That's because the Applegate Basin is a flashier system than what's upstream of Lost Creek Lake, and Applegate is also smaller than its sister reservoir. During the flood-control months, the lake is typically drawn down to its normal minimum-pool level of 1,889 feet above sea level. During runoff events, flows are captured, and the lake level rises, then the excess water is released after natural flows drop to get the lake back to its so-called winter "normal." This year's regular rains have kept Applegate Lake's level actually above that minimum pool level more days than not in January. Tucker says the highest winter level so far this year was 1,910.4 feet above sea level, reached Jan. 19. Since then, the Corps has been actively trying to cut it down to at or near the 1,889-foot level by Monday, Tucker says. On Tuesday, the lake's surface elevation was 1,898.4 feet above sea level, with an in-flow of about 1,280 cubic feet per second and an outflow of 2,000 cfs, Corps data show. While Applegate Lake is getting closer to that minimum pool, "we might not even get there at the first of February," Tucker says. 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] . To see a collection of columns, go to mailtribune.com/youasked . We’re sorry, but the volume of questions received prevents us from answering all of them. By Mark Freeman Mail Tribune Follow @@MTwriterFreeman MailTribune.com By Mark Freeman Mail Tribune Follow @@MTwriterFreeman Posted Jan. 27, 2016 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