
OREGON 
Weather and Water Conditions 
The snow pack in the mountains last winter was the lightest 
recorded in a number of years. The light run-off in the spring, along 
with very little rainfall, has resulted in the drying up of many of the 
potholes of southeastern Oregon and the lowering of water levels in the 
major marshes. Only one-half of the habitat in Malheur Refuge was 
avallable to nesters. Water conditions there are the poorest they have 
been in 25 years. 
Except in Malheur and Harney Counties, the drouth has not had 
a noticeable effect on reproduction. Although water levels are dropping 
in Warner Valley, the Klamath Basin and at Summer Lake, they have not 
reached the critical stage. 
Production Indices 
Duck broods were very late in showing, with a high percentage 
of Class I broods being observed in late July. 
Production on the areas not affected by the drouth show an. 
increase of 102 percent in ducks and a 15 percent decrease in goose 
production. 
No comparable records are available for the Malheur Refuge, 
which is rapidly going dry, but, according to the refuge biologist, 
brood counts indicate the production of ducks will be only about 
8 percent of last year's, coots 4 percent, and geese 30 percent of 
last year's production. 
Conclusions 
For the entire State, waterfowl production can be summed up 
as follows: goose production slightly down and duck production about 
the same as last year. It is felt many of the birds from Malheur 
failed to breed or sought breeding sites elsewhere. ‘This possible 
movement to new nesting areas may account for some of the large 
increase recorded in several of the samples. 
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