| Cold Springs Reservoir and Reservoir are features of the Umatilla Project. The dam was completed in 1908. The reservoir covers 1,600 acres with 12 miles of shoreline and is a national wildlife refuge heavily used by migrating waterfowl. Some 275 acres of the reservoir area have been designed as public hunting grounds. Mallard and Canada Geese are the dominant species, but good numbers of American Wigeon and Northern Pintail can often be found. For example during an aerial survey on December 18, 2002, the USFWS counted 10,740 Mallards, 3,010 Canada Geese, and 2,000 Northern Pintails. Green-winged Teal, Gadwall, Northern Shoveler, Redhead, Canvasback, Lesser Scaup, Common Merganser, Common Goldeneye, and Ring-necked Ducks are also common, though in smaller numbers. Small flocks of White-fronted Geese stop at Cold Springs during the fall and spring migrations. Tundra Swans can also been seen at Cold Springs. Hundreds of shorebirds can be seen during the fall migration when the upper reservoir is exposed. Smaller numbers of shorebirds frequent Memorial Marsh during the spring migration. Many other species occur as well. One to several Bald eagles can be found during winter. Two Great Blue Heron colonies can be found include (in no particular order) Orange-crowned Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Wilson's Warbler, Warbling Vireo, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Hermit Thrush, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Oregon Junco, and White-crowned Sparrow. Abundant resident species include Black-capped Chickadee and Song Sparrow. Bank fishing for crappie, smallmouth bass, and brown bullhead permitted from the Inlet Canal and along Cold Springs Dam. |
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