Just to give you an estimate of how far the water is to reach the Narrows on 205 is about 0.53 of a mile!!! At the moment the lake is being occupied by our early arrivals such as Northern Pintail as well as over 1,500 swans! We are also seeing a variety of ducks moving through, from Mallards, Northern shoveler and American Wigeon. Oh, and you can’t forget the snow geese!
In my waning days at Malheur NWR, I got to spend a few hours in an airboat on Malheur Lake. I saw an abundance of marshbirds, white-faced ibis attempting to nest on Russian thistle (tumbleweed), clear water, and, as a silver lining of the recent severe drought, new emergent plant growth. Restoration progress!
At Malheur Lake, one thing is abundantly clear: the water is anything but, and the decades-long turbid conditions are impacting ecological health of the lake, which is a crucial area for migratory birds along the Pacific Flyway.
Written by Beth Boos/ Phots by Beth Boos Although the term ‘lake’ has been attached to Malheur Lake for many years, this term lacks in depth considering the continued fluctuation
Written by Casie Smith/Photos by James Pearson and Janelle Wicks The absence of submergent vegetation and the minimal emergent vegetation existing in Malheur Lake is partially a result of the
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