Transcript Precarious Balance: Surface Water Budgets for the Upper Klamath Basin Prepared By: Rachel Pirot ES 473 Environmental Geology Abstract: Upper Klamath Lake: Upper Klamath Lake.

Precarious Balance: Surface Water Budgets for the Upper Klamath Basin
Prepared By: Rachel Pirot
ES 473 Environmental Geology
Abstract:
Upper Klamath Lake:
Upper Klamath Lake is the primary source of surface water for the Klamath Basin.
Lake inflow is supplied by the Williamson and Wood Rivers as well as
groundwater input via springs and seeps. Outflow consists of high evaporation
rates and divergence of water either over Link River Dam or through “A” canal.
Surface water uses include; stream flow maintenance, irrigation, hydro-electric
power, flood control releases, reservoir storage, and wildlife refuges. Climactic
variations have a major impact on flows. The Klamath Basin has a high demand
for water, but not a sufficiently stable supply.
Results of Water Management Failure:
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 Low flows in 2002 resulted in the biggest fish kill in U.S. history.
 Pelican nesting areas at Clear Lake National Wildlife Refuge are frequently
dewatered by Klamath Project irrigation diversions, exposing birds to
predators and destroying habitat
 Alteration of habitat by humans has led to several species of sucker fish
being placed on the endangered species list
Largest natural body of fresh water in the Pacific Northwest
Surface area approximately 140 square miles
Mean summer depth of about 8 feet
Maximum depth of about 58 feet
Drainage area 3,800 square miles
Lake Inflow:
• Williamson and Sprague Rivers supply about one-half
• Wood River
• Spring flow and groundwater seepage
 Lake Outflow:
• Drained at the southern end by the Link River
• Link River Dam regulates flow from Upper Klamath Lake.
Figure 6 - Effects of Dewatering at Clear
Lake National Wildlife Refuge
Figure 2 - Link River Dam
Figure 4Map of
Upper
Klamath
Basin
http://klamathwaterlib.oit.edu/WaterLibContent/image/475.pdf
www.krisweb.com/.../ html/krisweb/whats_new.htm
Figure 1 - Klamath Basin Agriculture
Figure 7 - Aftermath of the
2002 Fish Kill
www.klamathbasin.info/ refuges.htm
www.klamathwaterquality.com/ project.htm
Conclusions:
Introduction:
There is no easy solution to the water issues in the Klamath Basin. A centaury of
promises has been made that simply cannot be kept. Despite a seemingly bleak
outlook, The Klamath Basin water problem does not have to be a win-loose
situation where some groups come out on top at the expense of the others. A
road map of suggestions to resolving the conflict could include the following:
Nestled between the foothills of the Cascade Range and the Great
Basin Desert of eastern Oregon, the Upper Klamath Basin includes the upper
Klamath River, the Butte Valley, the Lost, Williamson, and Sprague rivers and their
tributaries. Land in the basin falls under a wide range of ownership including
federal, state, tribal, and private landholders. The Upper Klamath Basin
encompasses approximately 7.5 million acres.
www.nrdc.org/onearth/ 02win/klamath1.asp
Surface Water Uses:
Figure 3 - Sketch of the
current conditions and types
of changes that are taking
place in the Upper Klamath
Basin
Natural Flow of the Upper Klamath River
Hydrology Overview:
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High snowfall levels result in substantial release of melt-water in the spring.
Water flows down into the basin, either in streams or as ground water.
Soils are highly porous and encourage groundwater seepage.
Soils are prone to erosion and compaction once disturbed.
Flatlands and marshes allow spring flood waters to spread out and dissipate.
Streams of the Upper Klamath Basin join together into several major rivers
• Williamson and Sprague Rivers in the north
• Lost River system in the South.
Upper Klamath Lake serves as the primary reservoir
Draining of natural wetlands as well as draining and diversion of rivers has
seriously impacted the Basin’s ecology and wildlife.
More than 75% of the basins wetlands have been drained and converted to
agricultural use.
Water demand in the basin exceeds supply
Stream flow maintenance:
 In the early 1900's, Reclamation instituted the Klamath Project, an extensive
system of dikes, canals, and dams constructed throughout the basin to
drain the marshes and provide irrigation water to previously dry fields.
Irrigation:
 502,000 acres of private irrigated land in the basin.
 188,000 of which belong to the Klamath Project
 314,000 acres of irrigated lands are outside the Project area
Tribal Use:
 Native American tribes have rights to Klamath River water in order to
maintain their traditional way of life
Hydro-electric power:
 The Link River Dam is one of many sources of hydroelectric power on the
Klamath River
Flood control releases:
 High snowfall results in substantial release of melt-water in the spring
 Dams help reroute spring floods to protect reclaimed farmland
Reservoir storage:
 Springtime flows can raise Upper Klamath Lake elevations as much as 3 feet
above normal summertime lake operating levels
 Average retention time for Upper Klamath Lake is about 0.35 years
Wildlife refuges:
 Includes national wildlife refuges, parks, and forests.
 Lakes, marshes, and wetlands host an abundance of plants and animals
 Home to sucker fish, bull trout and redband trout
Figure 5 - chart shows two sample tests for
differences in Williamson and Sprague River
annual runoff for two periods (1922-1950
and 1951-1996) Historical flow data from the
Williamson River and Sprague River
drainages suggest that runoff patterns have
changed as a result of human impacts on
land use patterns
Risley and Laenen, 1998
 More cooperation and greater flexibility in water allocation
 Prior agreement on how to share water during years of scarcity
 Completion of the Oregon Water Rights Adjudication Process to provide clarity
on water rights including quantity of water
 Further Scientific Research to provide decision makers with firm scientific
standing upon which to base environmental decisions
 Consideration of legitimate needs of all parties involved including Native
Americans, Farmers, Fishermen, and Endangered Species
Figure 8 Agricultural
Land Use Plays
a Major Role in
the Klamath
Basin
www.coastalconservancy.ca.gov/.../ one_photos.htm
References Cited
Overview of the Upper Klamath Lake and Agency Lake TMDL, State of Oregon Department of
Environmental Quality,
http://www.deq.state.or.us/WQ/TMDLs/KlamathBasin/UKLDrainage/AssessmentLake.pdf. May
20,2006
Programmatic Environmental Assessment for Klamath Basin. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
http://www.fws.gov/klamathfallsfwo/ero/eroea/ero_ea.pdf. May 20, 2006
The Klamath National Wildlife Refuges. The Klamath Basin Coalition
http://www.klamathbasin.info/refuges.htm. May 20, 2006
Upper Klamath Lake Drainage total maximum daily load (TMDL) and Water Quality Management Plan
(WQMP), State of Oregon Department of Environmental Quality,
http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/frewin/projects/waterqual/UprKlamathTMDL.pdf May 20,2006
U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation, Natural Flow of the Upper Klamath River,
Reclamation: Managing Water in the West, November 2005
U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey, Upper Klamath Lake Basin Nutrient-Loading Study Assessment of Historic Flows in the Williamson and Sprague Rivers, Water-Resources
Investigations Report 98–4198, Portland OR 1999
Water Allocation in the Klamath Reclamation Project, 2001: An Assessment of Natural Resource, Economic,
Social, and Institutional Issues With a Focus on the Upper Klamath Basin, Braunworth et al. Oregon
State University,
http://www.krisweb.com/biblio/klamath_osu_braunworthetal_2002_h20allocation.pdf. May 20,2006