The Forest Service says it has closed the Laurance Lake Reservoir and Kinnikinnick Campground for the 2018 season.  That’s because of upcoming maintenance and construction activities at Clear Branch Dam this summer.  Middle Fork Irrigation District, which manages the dam and reservoir, needs to complete monitoring, maintenance and upgrades to ensure delivery of irrigation water to their patrons and meet dam safety requirements.  The planned construction work has necessitated lower reservoir levels in Laurance Lake than have been witnessed in recent years, dramatically reducing the size of the lake and exposing a steep and rocky shoreline, which would pose a safety risk for lake users.  Reed canary grass, an invasive species present at the west end of the lake, could spread to the newly exposed shoreline.  The draw down will also result in a much smaller pool of water for fish, so the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife will not be stocking the reservoir, and there will there be no open fishery in Laurance Lake this year.