Moderators:

Stacy Vynne, Climate Leadership Initiative

Ethan Rosenthal, David Evans and Associates, Inc.

Panel Members:

Greg Addington, Director, Klamath Water Users Association

Ken Bierly, Deputy Director, Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board

Nathan Jackson, Executive Director, Klamath Watershed Partnership

Terry Fisk, Hydrologist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Klamath Falls Office

Integrating Climate Adaptation Planning and Watershed Assessments to Improve Community Engaged Watershed Management: A Case Study from the Klamath Basin, Oregon

Oregon Water Conference, May 25, 2011

Straddles border of Oregon and California

15,571 Sq. Mile Drainage Basin

Klamath River, 273 miles long

Cuts through Cascade and Coastal Mountain Ranges

Basin Overview

Klamath River Tributaries

Upper Basin

•Williamson River

•Sprague River

•Wood River

•Lost River

Basin OverviewWilliamson River

Sprague River

Lost River

Wood River

Shasta River

Scott River

Salmon River

Trinity River

Lower Basin

•Shasta River

•Scott River

•Salmon River

•Trinity River

Six dams on Klamath River, including Link River Dam at outlet of Upper Klamath Lake

Additional dams on major tributaries.

Basin Overview

Removal of 4 of 5 dams proposed

Link River Dam

Upper Klamath Basin

Williamson

River

LostRive

r

Sprague

River

Upper Klamat

hRiver

Upper Klamath Lake

Upper Klamath Basin Watershed Assessments

Process Started around 2004

Funded by:

Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB)

USFWS Klamath Basin Ecosystem Restoration Office (KBERO)

Managed by:

Klamath Watershed Partnership

(formerly Klamath Basin Ecosystem Foundation and Klamath Watershed Council)

Williamson

River

LostRiver

SpragueRiver

Upper Klamath

River

Upper Klamath

Lake

Upper Klamath Basin Watershed AssessmentsAssessments Completed to Date:

Upper Williamson (2005)

Upper Sprague (2009)

Lower Sprague/Lower Williamson (2009)

Upper Klamath Lake (2010)

Available at: www.klamathpartnership.org

Upper Klamath Basin Watershed AssessmentsAssessment Purpose 1:

1.Develop a technical document, with community input, documenting:

Historic watershed conditions

Current watershed conditions

•Channel habitat typing

•Hydrology and water use

•Wetland and riparian conditions

•Sediment sources

•Water quality

•Fish and fish habitat

Restoration opportunities and data gaps

Upper Klamath Basin Watershed AssessmentsAssessment Purpose:

2.Involve stakeholders in voluntary community engaged watershed management

Bring together private land owners, resource agency staff, NGO’s, and others

Stakeholder meetings to identify important issues

Field trips (public and private properties)

Landowner interviews

Stakeholder review of draft assessment report

Presentation of final assessment report findings to stakeholders

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Shortnose Sucker and Lost River Sucker (listed Endangered 1988)

Fish Species of Cultural and Ecological Importance

Habitat and Life History

Adults reside in lakes, including Upper Klamath Lake and Lost River ReservoirsMigrate up streams and springs to spawn in gravels, then return to lakesJuveniles drift down to lake utilizing fringe wetlands for food and cover

Threats

Habitat loss and degradationPredation of juveniles by introduced speciesWater quality problem in lakes

Redband Trout

Fish Species of Cultural and Ecological Importance

Habitat and Life History

Adults reside in lakes, including Upper Klamath LakeMigrate up streams to spawn in gravels, then return to lakeJuveniles utilize river margins first, then utilize deeper/faster water as they matureAdults prefer water temps 55 to 65 deg. F , but can tolerate slightly warmer temps

Threats

Habitat loss and degradationCompetition with introduced non-native trout speciesWater quality problems in lakes

Fish Species of Cultural and Ecological Importance

Habitat and Life History

Historically, resident and migratory formsCurrently relegated to a few headwater streams in the basinRequire water temps no greater than 59 to 64do. F , 48o F or colder for spawning

Threats

Habitat loss, degradation, and severe fragmentationPredation of juveniles by introduced non-native trout speciesWater quality problems, particularly temperature

Bull Trout (listed threatened 1998)

Fish Species of Cultural and Ecological Importance

Habitat and Life History

AnadromousHistorically present in portions of Upper Klamath BasinCold water required for spawning

Threats

Dams on main stem Klamath River block migration to upper basinRecovery planning, including proposed dam removal, underwayHabitat and water quality issues similar to other species

Steelhead Trout and Chinook Salmon

Sample of Assessment Findings

•Extensive logging and overgrazing during early settlement

•Loss of channel habitat complexity and connectivity

•Degraded riparian habitats

•Altered geomorphic processes

•Water quality concerns

•nutrient loading of UKL

•elevated stream temperatures

•Unscreened water diversions (fish entrapment)

•Considerable past and current restoration efforts being carried out

•Improved restoration monitoring would be helpful

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Climate

High precipitation west side

(50 to 90 in, forms deep snowpack)

Elsewhere predominantly arid

(9 to 25 in.)

Hot dry summers

Wet winters w/moderate to low temperatures

Upper Basin Overview

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“[The marsh is in] a sad state. Ranchers and livestock men were compelled to put down wells and otherwise provide water. Grasshoppers and rodents plagued the then dry marsh. It was possible to travel by saddle horse and automobile over much of the present marsh area.” -Description of Upper Klamath Marsh circa 1930

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22

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Water Quality –Nutrient LoadingUpper Klamath Lake is hypereutrophic

Large algal blooms lead to large swings in pH and very low D.O.

~60% of nutrient loading comes from lake sedimentsPhosphorous loading from draining perimeter wetlands

Additional loading from tributaries (erosion, irrigation returns)UKL provides large source of irrigation water to Klamath Project

Lost and Klamath River systems also experience algal blooms

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Conflict in the Basin

Water Management by Way of Lawsuits and Political Winds

• No one benefits, all sides stand to lose

• Uncertainty reigns

Farmers vs Fisherman vs Refuges vs Fish vs Tribal Rights

• 2001 Water shut off to project irrigators, est. $79 million economic losses

• 2002 Water flows to river atypically low, massive fish die off (>33,000 adult salmonids)

• Oregon water rights adjudication in progress (Klamath Tribe vs other water users), who will be left with what?

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Resolution and Restoration

Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement (KBRA) and

Klamath Hydroelectric Settlement Agreement (KHSA)

• Draft agreements signed February 2010

• Stakeholders (45 Organizations, Fed, States, Counties, Tribes,

Irrigators, and Fishing and Conservation Groups) come together to

shape the basins future

• Benefits for all during times of plenty

• Share the pain during times of difficulty

• Provide a greater sense of certainty

Planning and preparing for the uncertainty of climate change

While major strides have been made to improve management and reduce competition over water resources, climate change will bring even greater stress with increased temperatures, loss of snowpack, and reduced and altered stream flows.

•How will natural systems evolve?•How will communities adapt?•What about funding availability and prioritization?•How do we engage stakeholders?

But Wait, There’s More…

Ethan Rosenthal, David Evans and Associates, Inc: ejro@deainc.com