Mirror Pond, body of water

Mirror Pond is an impoundment of the Deschutes River in downtown Bend, Oregon, held between the Bend Hydro dam and the Colorado dam. It is flanked by Drake, Harmon, Pageant, Brooks, Columbia, Miller's Landing and McKay parks, as well as buildings such as Pine Tavern. Sediment from the Upper Deschutes watershed has settled behind the dam, creating shallow mudflats along the margins.

The reservoir was created in 1910 when a local power company built a dam on the Deschutes River to generate electricity for the growing city. Over more than a century, it has remained a defining feature of Bend's landscape and community life.

The name comes from the water's mirror-like surface, which reflects the sky and the banks of Drake Park. The pond is bordered by Drake, Harmon, Pageant, Brooks, Columbia, Miller's Landing and McKay parks, and by buildings such as the Pine Tavern. It is a municipal reservoir, not a natural lake, and its level depends on the Bend Hydro dam.

The pond is located close to downtown Bend and accessible via several parks including Drake Park, which has walking trails circling the water. Visit in early morning or late afternoon when the area is quieter and the light best highlights the water's reflections.

Mirror Pond is the only impoundment on the upper Deschutes River built for electricity. The Bend Water, Light & Power Company dam has been owned by Pacific Power since 1926 and still produces power for about 200 Bend households. Sediment from a watershed of roughly 700,000 acres settles behind it, forming shallow mudflats along the margins.