Klamath Restoration Agreements

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Do the Klamath Agreements sacrifice Wildlife Refuges on the Klamath Project?

No, in fact, the KBRA delivers significant new benefits for both Tule Lake and Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuges.  The Refuges hold relatively junior rights to water, so in the past they had no guarantees of water deliveries.  Under the KBRA, the Refuges are made part of the purpose of the irrigation project to assure water delieveries – 60,000 acre feet in wet years, 48,000 acre feet in dry years.

The KBRA also supports expansion of an innovative program – the Walking Wetlands – that increases wildlife habitat while working with agriculture on the Refuges.  Finally, the KBRA expands waterfowl habitat by reconnecting former wetlands to Upper Klamath Lake and with the enormous river restoration program above Upper Klamath Lake.

All Tribal and conservation groups share an interest in restoring waterfowl habitat in the Upper Basin.  Most believe that the KBRA represents a significant improvement for waterfowl.  Farming on the Klamath Wildlife Refuges has been controversial for decades.  This is the most fertile ground on the Irrigation Project, highly valued by farmers, and dealt with by Congress in statutes that put farming and wildlife values on par.  For better or worse (depending where you stand), the laws related to the Wildlife Refuges on the Klamath Irrigation Project are unique in the country and create different conditions for these lands than for most other Refuges. For more details on Wildlife Refuges.

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Did You Know?

Water Shut-off Highlights Need for Klamath Agreements

Karuk Tribe

P R E S S  R E L E A S E

For Immediate Release: March 18, 2010

For more information: Craig Tucker, Klamath Coordinator, Karuk Tribe, cell 916-207-8294

 

Drought Highlights Need for Klamath Agreements

Fish and Farms would be better off today if the Klamath Restoration Agreements where already in place

 Orleans, CA – Today Secretary of Interior Salazaar addressed the current drought situation in the Klamath Basin by breaking the hard news to irrigators that water deliveries will be reduced to 30-40% of average. Before agricultural deliveries can be made, the Bureau of Reclamation must first ensure that the water level in Upper Klamath Lake and the flows in the Klamath River meet minimal requirements to allow for the survival of ESA listed suckers and coho salmon.

 “It’s a difficult year for everyone. Even though irrigation deliveries are being dramatically cut, the water fish are getting only meets the minimal amount needed to avoid extinction. It’s barely enough water to keep the fishery on life support,” according to Leaf Hillman, Director of Karuk Natural Resources Department.

 The current situation is due in large part to a lack of precipitation, but if fisheries managers had the flexibility to manage the system in the manner prescribed by the recently signed Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement, more water would be available for fish in the crucial spring months ahead and more water would be available for agriculture as well.

 The current management plan prescribes winter flows in the river without considering weather events in real time. In a dry winter like this one, the result is that flows are held steady even in the face of deteriorating hydrologic conditions. Under Real Time Management, flows would have been pared back to better reflect the weather conditions in real time. This approach would have allowed resource managers to provide more water to the river in the spring when fish need it most, left more water in Upper Klamath Lake for suckers, and more management flexibility in meeting irrigation needs.

 According to Hillman, “We basically ran up a water deficit this winter gambling that a late season storm would bail us out, but the rains never came. Implementation of the Klamath Restoration Agreement would provide a more sound approach to water management.”

 In addition, the Real Time Management Plan called for by the KBRA would restore some of the Klamath’s natural hydrograph. This means river flows would be greater during storm events and less during dry periods. Current management calls for flat line flows out of Iron Gate Dam which is bad for fish. “Flat line flows contribute to the algae and fish disease problems on the Klamath by creating a stable environment for algae and disease carrying parasites to flourish. If we mimicked the river’s natural flow pattern with normal flow variability, it would help these problems greatly,” according to Karuk Senior Fisheries Biologist Toz Soto.

 Tribes are offering to support disaster relief measures to help farm families through the season. “Hopefully, we can get the Klamath Restoration Agreements enacted by congress this year and avoid a crisis like this in the future. Until then, Tribal and fishing communities will need to support our neighbors in farming and ranching as they brace for a year of economic hardship,” said Hillman.

 

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Technical memo describing how KBRA management would have helped address this year’s drought