Transcript Available at: www.klamathpartnership.org

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
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
Basin Overview
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
Williamson River
Klamath River Tributaries
Upper Basin
Sprague
River
Wood River
•Williamson River
•Sprague River
Salmon River
•Wood River
•Lost River
Lost River
Lower Basin
•Shasta River
•Scott River
Shasta River
Scott River
•Salmon River
•Trinity River
Trinity River
Basin Overview
Six dams on Klamath River,
including Link River Dam at
outlet of Upper Klamath Lake
Additional dams on major
tributaries.
Link River Dam
Removal of 4 of 5
dams proposed
Upper Klamath Basin
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
Upper
Klamath
Lake
Upper
Klamath
River
Sprague
River
Lost
River
Upper Klamath Basin Watershed Assessments
Assessments 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
Lake
Upper
Klamath
River
Williamson
River
Sprague
River
Lost
River
Upper Klamath Basin Watershed Assessments
Assessment 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 Assessments
Assessment 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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Fish Species of Cultural and Ecological Importance
Shortnose Sucker and Lost River Sucker (listed Endangered 1988)
Habitat and Life History
Adults reside in lakes, including Upper Klamath Lake and Lost River Reservoirs
Migrate up streams and springs to spawn in gravels, then return to lakes
Juveniles drift down to lake utilizing fringe wetlands for food and cover
Threats
Habitat loss and degradation
Predation of juveniles by introduced species
Water quality problem in lakes
Fish Species of Cultural and Ecological Importance
Redband Trout
Habitat and Life History
Adults reside in lakes, including Upper Klamath Lake
Migrate up streams to spawn in gravels, then return to lake
Juveniles utilize river margins first, then utilize deeper/faster water as they mature
Adults prefer water temps 55 to 65 deg. F , but can tolerate slightly warmer temps
Threats
Habitat loss and degradation
Competition with introduced non-native trout species
Water quality problems in lakes
Fish Species of Cultural and Ecological Importance
Bull Trout (listed threatened 1998)
Habitat and Life History
Historically, resident and migratory forms
Currently relegated to a few headwater streams in the basin
Require water temps no greater than 59 to 64do. F , 48o F or colder for spawning
Threats
Habitat loss, degradation, and severe fragmentation
Predation of juveniles by introduced non-native trout species
Water quality problems, particularly temperature
Fish Species of Cultural and Ecological Importance
Steelhead Trout and Chinook Salmon
Habitat and Life History
Anadromous
Historically present in portions of Upper Klamath Basin
Cold water required for spawning
Threats
Dams on main stem Klamath River block migration to upper basin
Recovery planning, including proposed dam removal, underway
Habitat and water quality issues similar to other species
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
Upper Basin Overview
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
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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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Water Quality –Nutrient Loading
Upper 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 sediments
Phosphorous 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
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?
Water Management by Way of Lawsuits and Political Winds
• No one benefits, all sides stand to lose
• Uncertainty reigns
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
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But Wait, There’s More…
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?
Ethan Rosenthal, David Evans and Associates, Inc: [email protected]