Category: Pacific Flyway

The lands in the Klamath Drainage District are essential to the birds of the Pacific Flyway as well as to Klamath Basin Wildlife.

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KDD Responds: Klamath Ag Supports Klamath Basin Refuges

Waterfowl taking advantage of water in Unit 2 of the Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge along Stateline Road.

Recently, the Oregonian published a letter from Mary Hayden of Oregon City about the conditions of the Tule Lake Wildlife Refuge and the potential avian botulism outbreak on the scale of 2020. In her letter, Ms. Hayden offered her thoughts on a solution – “cash out the farmers” and “give the water to the birds.”

Unfortunately, when it comes to Klamath Basin water issues, this is a popular, short-sighted reaction by those whose communities are not dependent upon Klamath ag. 

Water flowing from Ady Canal in the Klamath Drainage District to Unit 2 in the Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge
Water flowing from KDD patrons to Unit 2 in the Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge in May, 2024.

This way of thinking also doesn’t take into account the work and advocacy Klamath Basin family farmers and ranchers do on behalf of the birds of the Pacific Flyway or area wildlife. Nor does it appreciate the tangled political web of the power of the Federal government, the Endangered Species Act, or water rights that put these refuges last in line and create “paper droughts” affecting farmers and waterfowl alike.

The notion that Klamath ag is “watering the desert” while advocating for sending water to area refuges shows there’s a misunderstanding about the hydrology of the Klamath Basin. Before settlers came to the area, water flowed throughout the Klamath Basin and settled in low-lying areas creating a vast network of shallow lakes and marshlands between Tule Lake and Lower Klamath Lake. The first people of this area, the Modocs, hunted, fished, and gathered food in these marshlands and lakes.

When the Klamath Project was created, many of those areas were converted to rich farmland. 

In our district, the Klamath Drainage District (KDD), 27,000 acres of marshland was converted to farmland, leaving over 80,000 acres of the original Lower Klamath Lake as the nation’s first waterfowl refuge. During spring and fall migration, our district provides habitat and food for birds traveling the Pacific Flyway.

Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge, Unit 3, teeming with pelicans, egrets, and ducks.
The water sent to Unit 2 and Unit 3 on the Lower Klamath Wildlife Refuge encouraged species variation not seen in decades.

KDD has also been a partner with Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge, sending much-needed water from the district to the refuge when other stakeholders and the Bureau of Reclamation refused to send water to these wetlands. KDD has worked with conservation groups such as Ducks Unlimited and California Waterfowl on habitat restoration efforts as well as getting water to Lower Klamath.

KDD and the Klamath Water Users Association (KWUA) have been vocal supporters of the Klamath Basin Refuges, with KWUA sending a letter to the Bureau of Reclamation urging the Bureau to send water to the refuges to head off the impending avian botulism outbreak. 

Even today, Tulelake Irrigation District and the Klamath Drainage District are working on plans that not only provide water to these historic refuges, but also send cleaner, cooler water down the Klamath River for salmon.

A field of potatoes being harvest in the Klamath Drainage District.
Potato harvest in Klamath Drainage District. Every dollar generated by Klamath Basin Ag is passed through the community nine times.

Regardless if Klamath Basin ag were cashed out at a fair price, this one-time payout would devastate our communities and the very people working diligently to preserve the refuges that includes a sustainable supply of water. Every dollar created by Klamath ag is passed through the community nine times, more than any other industry in our region. Thousands of workers would be unemployed, and businesses tangentially connected to agriculture would fold. 

We haven’t even touched on the nation’s challenges surrounding the loss of farmland and farmers and its effects on national food security.

KDD and Klamath Basin family farmers and ranchers are allies to our refuges, not enemies. While it’s easier to demonize Klamath ag than to appreciate it, we recognize our future is directly tied to the Klamath Basin ecosystem. If Ms. Hayden is interested, we’d love for her to pay a visit to our district to learn more about the incredible work we and our partners are doing on behalf of the Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge.

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Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge Needs More Water Despite Improved Conditions

Ruddy Ducks in Unit 2 of the Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge.
Waterfowl taking advantage of water in Unit 2 of the Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge along Stateline Road.
Though Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge still has some water, the hot, dry summer is quickly drying it out.

Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge looks different this summer than it has for the last several years.

Thanks to the efforts from the Klamath Drainage District (KDD) and Tulelake Irrigation District (TID), reeds and tules are growing throughout the refuge. And with the greenery, wildlife and waterfowl have returned to the wetlands. 

 

 

But for how long remains in question.

On July 12th, 2024, the Klamath Water Users Association (KWUA) sent a letter to the Commissioner of the US Bureau of Reclamation, Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton, urging Reclamation to not cut off water to Klamath Basin refuges and farmers late in the season.

Klamath Basin family farmers and ranchers are depending on late season irrigation to finish growing row crops and to get another cutting of hay to sustain their herds through the winter and to sell to other farms throughout the region.

The birds, on the other hand, need water in the refuges to stave off an epidemic of botulism. 

Several varieties of ducks swimming in Unit 2 of the Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge, along Stateline Road.
Ducks swimming in Unit 2 of the Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge.

As migration along the Pacific Flyway is already underway for some bird species, birdwatchers, hunters, and waterfowl enthusiasts (including Klamath ag) hope to see Klamath Basin refuges start to return to their former glory.

Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge, Unit 3, teeming with pelicans, egrets, and ducks.
With the return of water to Unit 3 of the Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge, so have a variety of birds. Pictured here are pelicans, egrets, and ducks.

However, as this hot, dry summer continues to drag on, the fear is that the diminishing wetlands will become a breeding ground for disease instead of waterfowl. In 2020, Lower Klamath saw 40,000 birds killed by avian botulism, and while steps have been taken to prevent another massive infection that will impact waterfowl and other Klamath Basin wildlife, at this time there’s still more work to be done.

With the 2020 avian botulism outbreak, Unit 3 of LKNWR was hit especially hard. Refuge managers were left with two options – flush it with cool water to stop the bacteria from multiplying or drain it. The unit was drained, and a field hospital operated by Bird Ally X was set up to treat the birds pulled from the drying, fetid water.

While the much celebrated flow from TID to Unit 3 via D Plant is starting to recede, there’s still a lot of water and waterfowl out on Lower Klamath. In this unit of LKNWR, massive pelicans to the much smaller and more delicate avocet, the wetland is finally looking like the “Gem of the Pacific Flyway” again.  In Unit 2, the wetland fed by KDD’s flows, egrets and herons stand guard in the tall reeds while ducks, herons, coots, and grebes swim and feed in the water.

A lot has been gained this year on behalf of the Lower Klamath refuge. However, there’s also that much more at risk if the refuge is allowed to go dry again.

A family of ruddy ducks swimming in Unit 2 of the Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge.
With waters in the Lower Klamath refuge receding, the risk of avian botulism puts migrating birds and waterfowl broods at risk.

In a recent press release from Ducks Unlimited, they’re reporting a 25% decline in duck breeding numbers in the Pacific Flyway. Add a drying refuge to the equation, this could be devastating to West Coast duck populations.

KDD, its patrons, and its partners have been working to find ways to improve conditions on the Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge and to keep those wetlands wet. Many of the conversations during the Lower Klamath Renaissance Tour focused on how a variety of stakeholders can work together on restoration efforts and securing water for the refuge.

However, while the projects that KDD and its partners talked about are going through the process of becoming a reality, Lower Klamath still needs water to ensure there’s not another avian botulism outbreak on the scale of 2020. There are already reports of botulism coming from Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge.

At this time, KDD’s board is working with the Bureau of Reclamation and the US Fish & Wildlife Service to find a way to get much needed water to Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge.

There are also a few things the public can do to help LKNWR.

KDD has a page about how the public can support the Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge. Writing to leaders expressing concern for the refuge and waterfowl populations can help them understand the importance of Lower Klamath to the region and the Klamath Basin ecosystem. This understanding can lead to influencing Reclamation to providing much needed water to LKNWR.

We also recommend visiting KDD lands and LKNWR. The district and the refuge have an abundance of waterfowl and wildlife that make this an extraordinary place in the Klamath Basin. Then share those experiences either in-person or on social media to help others understand the importance of Lower Klamath to the Pacific Flyway and the Klamath River ecosystem.

Finally, if you, the public, have ideas on how we can get more water to Lower Klamath, we’d love to hear from you. Drop us a line and let us know your thoughts.

Klamath ag, and especially KDD patrons, have a distinct connection with the Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge. With community support, we hope the Bureau of Reclamation will provide the water the refuge needs to make it through fall migration and beyond.

Unit 3 of the Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge at sunset.
Unit 3, Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge
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Lower Klamath Renaissance Tour Focuses On Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge and Collaboration

Amelia Raquel, Regional Biologist for Ducks Unlimited, introducing DU's Lower Klamath projects and members from the US Fish & Wildlife Service.

(Note: This article was written by the Klamath Drainage District’s PR administrator on behalf of the Lower Klamath Renaissance Tour. This article also appears on Basin Ag News and on the Klamath Water Users Association’s website.)

News of the 2024 Winter Wings Festival cancellation spread through the Klamath Basin like the wind over the barren lakebed of the Lower Klamath National National Wildlife Refuge. 

Image of Sandhill crane in water created by Mary Williams Hyde.

 

Known as  in the Klamath Basin winter for decades. The workshops brought birders and tourists to our community, while the chance to see a variety of raptors and birds migrating on the Pacific Flyway drew in photographers from all over the world. In recent years, Winter Wings also gave Klamath ag a chance to share how farms provide much needed habitat for area wildlife and the Pacific Flyway, especially with the historic dewatering of two national wildlife refuges.

 

the nation’s oldest birding festival, Winter Wings provided a bright spot

When word passed through the birdwatching, conservation, and agricultural circles the Winter Wings Festival was canceled, phones started ringing. A conversation regarding the impacts of canceling the Winter Wings Festival between Klamath Drainage District manager, Scott White, and Board Chair of the South Suburban Sanitary District (SSSD), Joe Spendolini, ended the call with the two agreeing for the organizations to arrange a tour similar to one White had organized for the festival in previous years.

In a matter of weeks, White pulled together a team that included the Modoc Nation, South Suburban Sanitary District, Ducks Unlimited, Friends of Klamath Basin Birding, the Klamath Basin Audubon Society, and the Klamath Water Users Association to create what would become the Lower Klamath Renaissance Tour.

The Lower Klamath Renaissance Tour team’s goal was to highlight the importance of the Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge (LKNWR) to the Basin and the collaboration needed to create water security for the nation’s first waterfowl refuge. Invitations were sent to guests at federal agencies, conservation organizations, local leaders, and Klamath Basin Tribes. On March 7th, the week’s expeditiously organized tour left the Running Y Resort to see and discuss what could happen.

Lakeside Farms' Dr. Karl Wenner discussing the importance of the Tule Smoke Club and Lower Klamath Wetlands.
Dr. Karl Wenner, owner of Lakeside Farms, discussing the importance of the Tule Smoke Hunting Club and Lower Klamath region to the first people of the Klamath Basin and the ecosystem.

From the Klamath Drainage District’s F/FF pumping station through the district, down to where the Ady Canal meets Stateline and on to Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge, the tour centered on projects and plans that KDD, Ducks Unlimited, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Modoc Nation were working on to help improve conditions on the refuge and increase its access to water.

The discussions about the history of Lower Klamath Lake, the people who lived there from time immemorial, the formation of the Klamath Irrigation Project, the creation of KDD and LKNWR, and the projects provided context for the conversations that would take place throughout the day.

A lot of those conversations, both between individuals and in the larger groups, focused on collaboration. There was a quiet acknowledgement that everyone was tied together, and regardless if the guests were there on behalf of farmers, fish, waterfowl, or clean water, no one would be able to succeed in their goal without the other partners succeeding in theirs. 

Ken Sundusky, Chief Robert Burkeybile, Council Member Braxton Graham, and Homelands Manager Brian Herbert of the Modoc Nation.
Ken Sandusky, Resource and Development Director, talked about the Shapa’sh Landscape Restoration Project with Modoc Nation Chief Robert Burkeybile, Council Member Braxton Graham , and Homelands Manager Brian Herbert.

“Today provided lines of communication to open up once again. It was a safe space for interested parties to speak, share ideas and share our struggles,” wrote Normajean Cummings, enrolled member of the Klamath Tribes. “It was also an opportunity to see some changes Agriculture is doing to make a difference. Learning more about the difference wetlands can make is eye awakening.”

Ms. Cummings added, “I’m afraid that drought is the new normal, and I think all our communities need to be able to come together to collaborate and find new practices. We have seen what hasn’t worked in the past, but there are some new models out there that bring me hope. I hope to remain involved in seeking solutions and community building. I also hope for more opportunities like today where we can all gather, talk, offer thoughts and ideas and find a path forward that will benefit us all. Opportunities to learn from one another.” 

Karuk Tribe Council Member Troy Hockaday’s takeaway of the discussions, “Today was amazing to hear from the farmers and the government and the fisheries people about the problems in the basin. I came out of the day that we all have the same mindset to make the Basin better for everybody and a quality of water for the fish and habitat, I hope some of discussions that we talked about will help with further future programs and projects in the basin, to help water control for the Klamath river base.”

Lower Klamath Renaissance Tour group at the Ady Canal.
At the Ady Canal, the Lower Klamath Renaissance Tour guests listened to representatives Greg Austin and John Vradenburg discuss getting more water to LKNWR.

“Five to six years ago, we couldn’t get a meeting with anyone from the Tribes, and today we had folks from the Modoc Nation, Karuk, and the Klamath Tribes come to this meeting,” said Bill Walker, board president of the Klamath Drainage District. “I feel strongly that we can fix the problems we’re all facing because we’re all working together. I can’t thank everyone enough for coming and getting the doors open. We need to get together again and keep this momentum moving.” 

The day was successful from the point of view of bringing together partners from a variety of backgrounds, interests, and needs, and to get them talking. However, the Lower Klamath Renaissance Tour serves as a starting point for bringing water security to the Lower Klamath refuge and other initiatives for the Klamath Basin. Whether it’s KDD’s Replumbing the Klamath plan, SSSD’s wastewater treatment facility to provide water to the refuge, Ducks Unlimited’s highline canal and pumping station for LKNWR, or the Modoc Nation and Modoc National Forest’s Shapa’sh Landscape Restoration Project, more hard conversations and collaboration will be needed.

And hopefully, the spirit of collaboration we saw on March 7th will continue to push the momentum forward on these projects and more for the future of all creatures that are dependent on the Klamath watershed.

KDD Manager, Scott White, discussing the district’s plans for adding solar panels during lunch at Liskey Farms.
The Lower Klamath Renaissance Tour stopped at KDD’s F/FF Pumping Station along Hwy 97 to talk about the importance of this station to get water to LKNWR .
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The Impact of KDD to the Pacific Flyway for 2022 Fall Migration

Ducks taking flight in canal in the Klamath Drainage District

Fall migration is upon us! Visiting the Klamath Drainage District, you’ll see the tell-tale “V”s of birds migrating along the Pacific Flyway and hear the calls of geese as they light in the district’s fields to rest on their long trip south. Depending on the time of day, flocks come in wave-after-wave, providing a visual feast for bird watchers and hunters alike.

With that in mind, it seems like a good time to take a look at the 2022 migratory bird numbers for KDD. 

At the end of May, the numbers from the Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge Complex, 2022 bird survey of the Klamath Basin were released. 

Klamath Drainage District landowners are proud that their fields and pastures provide important habitat for birds migrating on the Pacific Flyway. Between the droughts that have hit the Klamath Basin for the last several years, mismanagement of the Klamath Project, and then the historic shut-down of the Project and subsequent historic drying-up of Tule Lake and Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuges by the Bureau of Reclamation, KDD patrons have seen their lands as a safe haven for migratory birds looking for a pitstop on along the Pacific Flyway.

Snow geese in flight in Klamath Drainage District
A total of 8,404 were attributed to Lower Klamath Lake, almost of which were on KDD lands.

Though anecdotal evidence supports our belief that KDD plays a vital role for Klamath Basin wildlife and migratory birds. Thanks to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), we are able to share actual numbers of what we’re seeing in the field, and whether or not our claims of KDD’s importance to the Pacific Flyway are supported. 

With the numbers provided by USFWS, we’re able to look at a snapshot that shows just how vital KDD is to birds. Looking at November 3rd, the peak of migration through the Klamath Basin, the Klamath Drainage District had over 180,000 birds on its lands. That’s significant because at that time Lower Klamath and Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuges had no water in them, meaning that the number of birds counted for Tule Lake and Lower Klamath were counted in KDD. And while we’re proud that KDD could help with facilitating the waterfowl migration, if you look at past migration numbers, there’s still quite a bit of work to be done in the Klamath Basin in regards to the Pacific Flyway. 

2022 Klamath Basin Pacific Flyway Waterfowl Migration Numbers
The Pacific Flyway waterfowl migration numbers for the Klamath Basin on November 3, 2022

Pouring through the bird count numbers on November 3, 2022, a few interesting facts pop up:

    • Sandhill cranes – 1,948 were counted. Last fall we saw large flocks of these giant birds in the fields, casually counting hundreds of them at a time. 
    •  170,032 ducks were found in KDD. In comparison, that day 93,540 were counted on Upper Klamath Lake. 
    • Looking at geese, a total of 8,404 were attributed to Lower Klamath. If we compare that to Upper Klamath again, 1,798 were counted there.
    • Of the 170,032 ducks counted in KDD, which breed was represented the most? The Northern Pintail, with 137,262 birds counted. Next was our favorite green-headed friend the Mallard, with 8,852 counted.

Evaluating the overall numbers shared by the USFWS and the Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge Complex, the number of migratory birds passing through the Klamath Basin seems incredible. However, this represents only 5% of what the Klamath Basin could support. The region is hugely important for the Pacific Flyway, and when actions by the Federal government leave Klamath Basin refuges dry, agricultural lands such as KDD become increasingly vital. Now imagine if our refuges hadn’t been allowed to go completely dry by the Bureau of Reclamation and the Klamath Project had been operated as designed.

Sandhill Cranes in Klamath Drainage District
1,948 Sandhill cranes were counted in Klamath Drainage District fields.

KDD landowners should be proud of the work they and the board do on behalf of Klamath Basin wildlife and the Pacific Flyway. The numbers show how important agricultural lands are to the ducks and geese migrating through the Klamath Basin, especially during these times. Add the partnerships and conservation projects the district is working on, such as KDD’s restoration plan, there’s a lot of remarkable things happening in the Klamath Drainage District.

Before wrapping this up, we’d like to extend a big thank you to John Vrandenburg for taking the time to share this information and walking us through the data. Thank you very much, John!