Members of REAL Oregon’s Class 8 learned about Klamath Basin water issues from stakeholders from throughout the watershed
On a blustery November evening, Class 8 of REAL Oregon got a firsthand look of the challenges of Klamath Basin water issues.
Following a day of touring the Klamath Basin that included stops at the former J.C. Boyle dam site and Spencer Creek with Klamath Water Users Association’s Director of Water Policy, Moss Driscoll, the bus rolled into the Merrill Civic Center for a panel discussion titled, “Dam! Now What?”
The eight-person panel was filled by representatives for economic, Tribal, agricultural, and governmental interests in the ongoing Klamath Basin water discussions. Sitting on the panel were:
Darren Rutledge, Executive Director, The Klamath Idea
Becky Hyde, Upper Klamath Basin Ag Collaborative
Ken Griggs, Acting Refuge Manager, US Fish & Wildlife Service Klamath Refuge Complex
Willie Ray, Jr., Chairman of the Klamath Tribes
Jonathan Teichert, City Manager, City of Klamath Falls
Dave Hensley, Klamath County Board of Commissioners
Frankie Myers, Vice Chairman, Yurok Tribe
Tracey Liskey, KWUA President and Klamath Drainage District board member
The REAL Oregon panel for “Dam! Now What?” featured stakeholders from up and down the Klamath River watershed.
After audience and panel introductions, discussion moderator Scott White, KDD general manager and member of REAL Oregon’s Pioneer Class, jumped into the conversations.
With the recent completion of Klamath River dam removal, White focused the discourse on the history of the Klamath dams and the panelists’ thoughts about them, what dam removal means to the stakeholders and their groups, and what they foresee with salmon returning to the Upper Klamath Basin.
KDD General Manager and REAL Oregon alumnus, Scott White, hosted the panel discussion.
As expected, the conversation was lively and passionate, though friendly.
Panelists shared their frustrations about the dam removal process, as well as their hopes for their communities now that the structures were out. One point of consensus was the fact that with the dams are out and the salmon are coming, the focus needs to shift rebuilding trust and working together on restoration efforts in the entire Klamath River watershed.
Tracey Liskey, KDD board member and KWUA president, spoke to the audience about the effect of salmon returning to the Upper Klamath Basin on agriculture.
Klamath Tribes’ Chairman, Willie Ray Jr., gave his perspective on what salmon returning to the Klamath Basin represents to the tribe.
At the end of the panelist conversation, the REAL Oregon audience had time for a brief question and answer session. Like the panel discussion, the responses to Class 8’s questions highlighted the complexity of Klamath Basin water issues as well as the need for cooperation.
REAL Oregon’s Class 8 audience asked the panel questions after the main discussion.
What is REAL Oregon?
Standing for Resource Education and Agricultural Leadership, REAL Oregon is a program operated by the Oregon Agricultural Education Foundation (OAEF) through the Oregon Farm Bureau.
With a focus on Oregon agriculture, the REAL Oregon program “is a leadership enhancement and development program designed for farming, ranching, forestry, and commercial fishing professionals, producers, affiliated industries, association staff, public agency personnel, and members of resource related boards, commissions, and associations”.
Each Class starts in November and runs through March, with class members attending a monthly session in a different part of the state. While the sessions focus on training Oregon’s future ag leaders about working with government, dealing with the media, and skills that are useful in the boardroom, the program also delves into subjects specific to Oregon agriculture, such as November’s topic, “Klamath Water Project”.
Class 1, also known as the Pioneer Class, graduated in March of 2017. Since then, REAL Oregon has educated over 130 alumni.
“Frankly, it is an honor and a privilege to be an alumnus of the pioneer class and accompanied by such prestigious leaders,” said White. “We still attract the finest talent in the state. I think that says a lot about this program”.
Big changes for irrigation efficiency and modernization – as well as for habitat restoration – are getting underway in the Klamath Basin.
With several of those projects happening in the Klamath Drainage District (KDD), the district held two meetings to gather public comments and to inform KDD landowners and neighboring interests about reconnecting the Klamath River to Lower Klamath Lake.
Public Comment Meeting
KDD recently received confirmation from the Farmers Conservation Alliance (FCA) that its Modernization Project Draft Watershed Plan has been approved by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). As part of the process, KDD needed to hold a meeting to educate the public about the projects and gather public comments.
Gary Diridoni, NRCS Oregon Watershed Program Manager, going over the requirements for PL-566 projects.
The meeting was held on October 29th at Klamath Community College’s Conference Center. KDD Manager, Scott White, kicked off the meeting at 11 am, sharing details about the drainage district and why they sought PL-566 project funding from the NRCS.
“We have a lot of infrastructure things we want to do on the district,” White said. “We are limited in our financial resources, so we look for opportunities that are out there to help us pursue some of those things we want to do and not put as much of a burden on our landowners.”
Raija Bushnell, FCA Watershed Planning Program Manager, discussing part of KDD’s Draft Watershed Plan.our landowners.”
Following White’s opening comments, Gary Diridoni, NRCS Watershed Program Manager. Diridoni covered PL-566 requirements, emphasizing that all PL-566 projects must have benefits for agriculture and rural communities.
Before wrapping up the presentations, Raija Bushnell, FCA’s Watershed Planning Program Manager spoke about the planning process and dove into details about the projects, how they came about, and the benefits these projects provide. The projects she covered include:
North Canal Extension across State Line to the Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge (which includes upgrades/enlargement)
North Canal Fish Screen at the Klamath River
Straits Drain Pumping Plants E&F Upgrades and transfer of works to KDD
Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system throughout the district for improved automation and data acquisition
Overall cost of the projects is $16,878,000 with PL-566 funds covering 75% of the total. Construction for all of the projects is expected to take three years.
After the presentations, attendees talked to representatives from the NRCS, FCA, and KDD’s Manager.
KDD board member, Luther Horsley, thanking Greg Baker of the NRCS for taking time to visit the Klamath Basin and attend the meeting.
KDD landowner, Lynn Long, discussing the projects covered in the meeting with Raija Bushnell, FCA.
KDD Manager, Scott White, talking about KDD’s Infrastructure Modernization Project with meeting attendee.
The following week, on November 4th, KDD held another meeting in Dorris, CA, at the Butte Valley Community Center. Doors opened at 11 am, with guests being greeted with the aroma of lunch catered by Melissa’s Country Kitchen.
Scott White, KDD Manager, discussing the Klamath Reconnection project with meeting guests at the Butte Valley Community Center in Dorris, CA.
Though the Klamath Reconnection project has wide support from a variety of partners and stakeholders, KDD Manager, Scott White, wanted to ensure landowners and stakeholders neighboring the district were informed about reconnection details and that a key component of the project is to identify and secure sustainability for growers in the region.
Along with White, representatives from the Modoc Nation and the Klamath Basin Refuges were in attendance to answer questions about the Klamath Reconnection, its benefits, and potential challenges.
White opened the meeting with a brief history of the Klamath Drainage District and a discussion about KDD and its relationship with the Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge. He recalled an older grower once telling him, “We need that refuge just as badly as that refuge needs us.”
The district manager went on to explain that when LKNWR goes dry, it causes a variety of problems for the district ranging from birds needing fields for habitat to water security. White also emphasized that the only way the reconnection project could move forward is that growers and landowners receive protection from the Endangered Species Act with salmon and sucker fish potentially swimming in the district’s canals.
The project has received $2 million for feasibility analysis of the concept. To date, there has been update LiDAR and sonar done in the region and the alternatives planning phase is currently underway.
Following White, Ken Sandusky, Homelands Project Manager for the Modoc Nation, discussed the microclimatic implications of the reconnection project as well as how it would benefit the ecosystem on the whole.
Ken Sandusky, Modoc Nation Homelands Project Manager, sharing projects being worked on by his crew.
The Modoc Nation has a 3,200 acre ranch bordering the southern end of LKNWR. According to Sandusky, the Modoc Homelands are the hardest hit when the refuge goes dry. While there’s a lot of focus on habitat on the Upper Basin, Sandusky sees the Modoc Homelands not receiving as much attention.
“You can’t sacrifice a huge landscape within the system and expect other restoration efforts to be successful,” said Sandusky. “Everything is interconnected.”
Sandusky also pointed out the microclimate benefits of getting water back on the Lower Klamath landscape. While the wetlands would suffer evaporation during the summer months, 60% of that water goes back into the local system. He also talked about the need for more management of public lands, with juniper removal being another way to free up water to a historically wet area.
Acting Klamath Basin Refuge Complex manager, Ken Griggs, spoke after Sandusky. Griggs opened his discussion by commenting that 50,000 acres of refuge habitat are “offline” with the exception of only a few units.
Ken Griggs, Acting Klamath Basin Refuge Complex Manager, told attendees how the Klamath Reconnection project will impact Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge.
“In our current state of affairs, we are not meeting our purpose or mission as America’s first waterfowl refuge,” stated the manager.
Griggs says now, the refuge is working with anyone they can to get water back on the landscape, reversing the management of previous refuge managers. They’re also looking at a more holistic approach to benefit the ecosystem and the greater good, versus the previous philosophy of single-species focused.
The last presentation was from John Vradenbug, supervisory biologist for the Klamath Basin Refuge Complex.
Vradenburg said the wetlands are telling us something has changed dramatically. Birds that once stopped in the Klamath Basin are now passing the region by, and the Klamath Reconnection project will get the landscape inline with how it’s been historically.
Though Vradenburg is optimistic about the benefits of the project, he discussed some of the unintended consequences, such as its effects on infrastructure, the need to ensure the water budget isn’t compromised, and asserted that KDD growers are protected.
John Vradenbug, Supervisory Biologist for the Klamath Basin Refuge Complex, talking with KDD landowner, Sam Henzel, about the Klamath Reconnection project.
“We tried to be really thoughtful in making sure we didn’t compromise the water budget – because that’s a stress. We wanted to make sure that we were always meeting this larger flow-through desire of nutrients and filtration,” said Vradenburg. “And we always wanted to keep with what Scott’s been hammering on – we cannot do any of this without protections on KDD because we are inviting endangered species onto our landscape.”
When Vradenburg’s discussion about the intricacies and effects of the Klamath Reconnection project finished, the panel took questions from the audience. Conversations following the presentation and Q&A were positive.
After the presentations, meeting attendees took advantage of being able to ask questions and have discussions about LKNWR and the Klamath Reconnection project.
The project has garnered support from Oregon and California as well as federal agencies, conservation groups such as Ducks Unlimited, California Waterfowl Association, and Trout Unlimited; agricultural groups such as Family Water Alliance and Klamath Water Users Association; the Klamath Watershed Partnership, and Klamath Basin Tribes.
Other projects in the Klamath Project and around the Klamath Basin
Though these two meetings were about projects happening in KDD, there are several other habitat restoration projects happening in the Klamath Basin and on the Klamath Reclamation Project:
Agency-Barnes Wetlands Project – In a collaboration between the Klamath Tribes, Ducks Unlimited, and the United States Fish & Wildlife Service, over 14,000 acres of wetland for waterfowl and C’waam and Koptu habitat.
Sprague River Collaborative Restoration Project – Running through 2025, this Upper Basin Collaborative project’s goals are to restore 26 miles of tributary streams and rivers in the Upper Sprague River watershed; develop plans for instream and floodplain restoration on the mainstem Sprague River to improve the shallow groundwater table, enhance water quality and habitat for future watershed restoration; and lastly, create and implement an Agricultural Resiliency Toolbox (ART) that directly benefits participating landowners to emphasize a commitment to voluntary, incentive-based approaches to advance agricultural and environmental resiliency.
Tule Lake Flow Through Infrastructure Improvement – The flow-through project is aimed at increasing water availability for Klamath ag and also cleaning water before it goes to the Klamath River by pushing it through wetlands.
Lake Ewauna Restoration for the Benefit of People, Fish and Wildlife – On the shoreline of Lake Ewauna in downtown Klamath Falls, this project will restore and develop the wetlands in the area along with instream improvements to the Link River to benefit native fish populations as well as waterfowl.
Upper Williamson River Restoration – This is the second phase of a project to improve fish passage to over 26 miles of the upper Williamson River and reconnect wetlands and riparian areas in the Klamath Marsh National Wildlife Refuge.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
Ducks swimming in Unit 2 of the Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge.
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.
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.
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.
If you’ve driven Stateline Road with the windows down lately, you’ve heard the trilling of blackbirds, honking of Canada geese, and the squawking of herons coming from the Lower Klamath refuge.
It’s as if they’re celebrating the return of the wetlands to the refuge.
Since mid-April, the Klamath Drainage District has been sending water to Unit 2 of the Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge (LKNWR).
KDD has been sending recycled water from the district to Unit 2 of the Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge.
Using recycled water from within the district, KDD has been able to send almost 120 acre-feet of water a day to Lower Klamath via the Ady Canal. At the time of this writing (approximately three weeks), that amounts to almost 2,500 acre-feet.
By employing KDD’s recirculation pumping stations, the district is able to recycle up to 35,000 acre-feet of water a year. This enables the district to reuse or recycle more than 75% of the water used by its patrons.
This benefits KDD family farmers and ranchers by ensuring they have water during the growing season. It also creates ecological opportunities, such as providing water to LKNWR.
KDD landowners have long been ardent supporters of the Lower Klamath refuge. Over the last four years, the district has sent water across the border to LKNWR to help allay the water allocation shortcomings. One instance, between December of 2021 and August, 2022, KDD sent approximately 3,100 acre-feet of much needed water to the Lower Klamath wetlands.
After the historic droughting of Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge by the Bureau of Reclamation, the storied wetlands are having a banner year after going dry for several years.
On March 7th, KDD along with Modoc Nation, South Suburban Sanitary District, Ducks Unlimited, Friends of Klamath Basin Birding, the Klamath Audubon Society, and the Klamath Water Users Association hosted the Lower Klamath Renaissance Tour to bring attention to the Lower Klamath refuge and discuss projects that could bring long-term water to its wetlands.
Not long after the Lower Klamath Renaissance Tour, on March 25th, with much fanfare and press coverage, Tulelake Irrigation District fired up its historic D-Plant station to pump water from Sump 1A in Tule Lake through Sheepy Ridge to the desiccated beds of Lower Klamath Lake. However, due to the Bureau of Reclamation’s restricted water allocation for the Klamath Project 2024 irrigation season, pumping ceased on April 15th.
In the three weeks that TID pumped water to Lower Klamath, water flowed throughout the refuge, bringing much needed moisture to units that haven’t received water in over three years. And with the water, the wetlands returned.
The combination of the districts’ efforts has been a boon to the birds of the Pacific Flyway as well as for Klamath Basin wildlife. An abandoned rookery along the canal between Unit 2 and Unit 3 is showing signs of life again as herons and egrets reclaim the trees for nesting. Ducks and geese are taking advantage of the rejuvenated wetlands while raptors once again patrol the skies over LKNWR.
Even coyotes, deer, and antelope appear to be more abundant in Lower Klamath now than they have been in the past four years.
The water TID sent through D Plant to the Lower Lake Refuge from Tule Lake revitalized the wetlands.
This year has started off with a strong showing of support for LKNWR, but there’s still a lot of work to be done to ensure its water security.
While KDD and its patrons will continue to find ways to provide water for Lower Klamath, the collaboration and support shown on March 7th will need to come to fruition if we’re going to prevent the nation’s first waterfowl refuge from going dry again.
Hopefully, with the refuge’s recovery on full display, the public and Klamath Basin stakeholders see the value of keeping the basin’s wetlands wet.
(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.)
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.
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.
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 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.”
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 .
In KDD, grain crops lost tonnage, as did hay crops. Healthy pastures were stripped of foliage, requiring beef ranchers and other livestock producers to find ground outside the district or use acres they’d hoped to use later in the season. KDD farmers and ranchers also paid for more grasshopper treatment than usual to fight the pests.
In short, the grasshopper infestation was not only an ecological disaster, but also an economic disaster for Klamath Basin farmers.
At the end of November, the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) released its 2023 Grasshopper and Mormon Cricket Report. The report covered the damage done to Oregon agricultural producers due to infestations of Mormon crickets and grasshoppers all through the state, and that report would instruct the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) of economic losses and potential programs to help mitigate the insect damage.
Much to the dismay and chagrin of Klamath ag, the ODA’s report indicated there was very little damage caused by grasshoppers to area producers, and furthermore, no economic damages.
This graphic was taken from the ODA’s 2023 Grasshopper and Mormon Cricket Report to show grasshopper survey densities. The red outline added to emphasize the Klamath County area.
This graphic was taken from the ODA’s 2023 Grasshopper and Mormon Cricket Report to show estimated grasshopper damages.
KDD Rancher, Tim O’Connor, giving testimony at the Klamath County Board of Commissioners’ December 12, 2023 Work Session about the Klamath Basin grasshopper infestation.
Towards the end of the meeting, ODA’s director, Lauren Henderson, joined the discussion via Zoom and indicated that the report had been merely taken out of context; ODA’s pest monitoring sites didn’t capture the same number of bugs that the rest of the Klamath Basin was seeing, and only affected Federal lands, 6,000 acres of which are in KDD.
Eventually, he did concede that Klamath ag did indeed suffer losses. And thanks to Cody Holthouse from the ODA, who joined Mr. Henderson on the phone, the department is still taking grasshopper damage reports.
Unfortunately, there will be more for KDD patrons and the Klamath ag community to report.
In the December board meeting, we heard reports of hay bales being opened up and the centers of them being emptied out, due to grasshoppers that were baled in the forage eating their fill. At auction, average calf weight was down. And if that isn’t enough of a financial brunt for farmers and ranchers to carry, banks are backing away from financing operating lines and loans.
There’s also the worry of grasshopper eggs being spread in the district through feeding livestock the infested hay. Unless there’s a vicious, hard freeze, the eggs will likely hatch in 2024, exacerbating the 2023 grasshopper problems.
Getting In Front of the Klamath Basin 2024 Grasshopper Infestation
Fortunately, Klamath Basin ag’s voice has been heard and work is being done to try and head off another potentially disastrous grasshopper infestation.
The week of January 29th, KDD is hosting a session with ODA director Lauren Henderson to talk about what happened in 2023, and hopefully out of the discussions a plan for 2024 will evolve. When a date and time are confirmed, we will share it on the KDD Facebook page.
To fill out this form, please visit https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/9fb3cf8db4b64d93812eff265128a2b7
Regardless of whether or not members of the ag community are able to make it to the meeting, we strongly recommend taking time to fill out the Oregon Department of Agriculture’s 2023 Public Grasshopper Survey Report Form (you can click on the image on the right to access the reporting form). At this time, the ODA is committed to receiving these reports, and they will help the department ascertain the level of damage 2023’s infestation caused.
With all of the other challenges Klamath Basin family farmers and ranchers face, it’s unfortunate that grasshoppers appear to be another ongoing blow being dealt to our communities. Hopefully another infestation won’t materialize in 2024. If one does, we will be prepared so we can minimize the damage to our local economy and ecosystem.
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.
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.
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.
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!
Scott White, General Manager Reagan Desmond, General Counsel
scott@klamathdrainagedistrict.org rlbd@clydesnow.com
(541) 510-6311 (541) 797-0011
FEDERAL JUDGE RULES AGAINST DISTRICT’S RIGHT TO DIVERT WATER
District concerned of species restoration implications and prepares for appeal
Klamath Falls, OR – On September 11th, a federal judge in Medford’s United States District Court ruled against the Klamath Drainage District (KDD), and entered an injunction against KDD, stating that KDD can no longer divert water from the Klamath River that has not been authorized by the United States, citing the Endangered Species Act (ESA) as its primary basis. On the same day, the same judge issued Findings and Recommendations in two other lawsuits brought by Klamath Tribes against Reclamation for ESA violations under 2021 and 2022 Klamath Project operations plans. In one case, the court found Reclamation violated the ESA in 2022 by providing farmers even a diminished supply when not all species goals could be met; in the other case, the court found Reclamation had not erred by prioritizing the needs of threatened salmon in Klamath River over endangered C’waam and Koptu in Upper Klamath Lake.
Last year, the United States brought the breach of contract case against KDD, alleging that KDD breached its Reclamation Act contract with the United States by irrigating in 2022 after the United States had informed KDD there was no Project supply available for the district. Notably, the United States provided no evidence of harm to any species as a result of KDD’s diversions in 2022. KDD irrigated under its separate state water right permit in 2022, as it has done since 1977 when it was issued. The ruling issued a permanent injunction that requires the United States’ “authorization” to divert water from the Klamath River, including for any diversions under the district’s separate state permit through the district’s private facilities.
“To say we’re disappointed is an understatement. I’m in disbelief,” said Bill Walker, President of the district. “We are still evaluating the effects of this ruling, but on the surface, it appears to reach far beyond where any court has ever gone.”
The District Board met on the 12th to discuss its options and voted unanimously to appeal the decision. The District Board believes there are several appealable errors in the decision, including what appears to be an unprecedented interpretation of the Reclamation Act and court endorsement of federal control over private state water rights. “Frankly,” as Walker stated with respect to appealing the decision, “we have no choice, our livelihoods and our families are at stake.”
KDD owns and operates its own infrastructure and also pays over double the percentage of any other district of Reclamation Project Operation and Maintenance costs, regardless of whether or not Reclamation supplies water. KDD is still in the process of evaluating the costs and impacts of this ruling on the operations and rights of both the district and its landowners. However, it is immediately apparent that it will lead to a significant loss in revenue to its landowners if not overturned on appeal, particularly in light of the court’s separate ruling in the Klamath Tribes case which will almost certainly lead to a reduced amount of Project Supply for farmers under project irrigation contracts going forward.
The district is also assessing how this ruling could play a role in large-scale restoration planning. On the eve of the largest dam removal project in history, the district has been working with agencies, tribes and interested stakeholders to utilize existing district infrastructure for a massive restoration project. The district is concerned there are negative impacts to that effort as a result of this ruling.
“How can we afford to operate and maintain the facilities we are offering up for restoration when our landowners may not be able to pay their assessments,” questioned Scott White, General Manager of the district. “The financial impacts of this decision are so much larger than just harvesting a crop or not. We’re talking about the recovery of species here, and this ruling appears to have the opposite effect of what the court cited as their reason for the decision.”
For the last decade, Tracey Liskey, a lifelong landowner in KDD, a board member of the district, and the President of the Klamath Water Users Association, has committed his time, money, and energy to helping build a facility that grows endangered sucker specifically targeted at recovering the fish. “The United States and their courts are taking the tools right out of the hands wanting to do the hard work it takes for recovery,” Liskey lamented in frustration. “All we want is for these fish to recover and thrive so we can go back to what we love and here we have another ruling that hamstrings our ability to utilize our resources in that effort.”
Liskey was not alone in his concern about the species. “All the restoration experts we work with are focused on ecosystem recovery as the major ingredient to species recovery,” noted Walker. “It is our duty and responsibility to seek a favorable ruling that will not limit anyone’s ability to help in the recovery of our environment. We owe it to the water users, and we owe it to the species to appeal this ruling.”
KDD has a long history in aiding species recovery. In 1978, Bald Eagles were listed as endangered, and the district’s lands became key to the birds’ recovery. In 1983, KDD’s lands were classified as the “Oregon Feeding Grounds” for our nation’s bird due to the district’s historical practice of winter diversions making it prime hunting habitat for the raptors and critical to the bird’s survival. The spirit of recovering species and providing wildlife habitat has been a mainstay for KDD ever since.
More recently, when the Bureau of Reclamation denies water to Tule Lake and Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuges, KDD’s fields provide the much-needed winter habitat for the migrating waterfowl of the Pacific Flyway including Bald Eagles. Last year, KDD’s lands were the only habitat in the Upper Klamath Basin where migrating water birds could find refuge due to the wildlife refuges being dry.
The district plans to begin communicating with its restoration partners immediately to discuss what this means for the projects and to identify if there are some opportunities remaining.
Klamath Drainage District (KDD) is a 27,000-acre district located in southern Oregon bordering the Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge in California. KDD proactively works to improve distribution and delivery of its scarce water resources including recycling over 35,000 acre-feet annually through its recently installed recirculation pumping plants. Of this recycled water, most is reused to grow crops, but a percentage is used for growers outside of the district and used for habitat improvement and other refuge purposes. KDD is home to one of the largest concentrations of bald eagles in the lower 48 states and prides itself on its restoration activities and the tremendous wildlife viewing opportunities it provides.
The land that makes up the Klamath Drainage District didn’t become the food production powerhouse we know it as today until the California Northeastern Railway Company with the Southern Pacific Railway built a dyke and railroad in 1907, creating a division between Lower Klamath Lake and the Klamath River.
With the construction of the railroad, the water that made up the marshlands of Lower Klamath Lake ceased to naturally flow down the Klamath River during times when water levels were high, with While a portion of the original lake now makes up the Lower Klamath Lake National Wildlife Refuge, the 27,000 acres of land on the Oregon side of the border provide rich farmland where family farmers and ranchers grow cereal grains, a variety of row crops, hay, and run cattle for beef and for dairy. KDD landowners’ ground also provides habitat for the waterfowl traveling the Pacific Flyway and Klamath Basin wildlife that make their homes in the district year-round.
KDD and its landowners have employed sustainable agricultural practices for decades that help keep the rich soils productive, decrease demands on water from Upper Klamath Lake during the growing season, and benefit area wildlife, including sending much-needed water to the Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge after the Federal government’s historic dewatering of two Klamath Basin refuges.
Now, KDD is looking at other resilient agriculture projects to complement the district’s sustainable ag practices, improve wetland resilience, and provide benefits to the Klamath Basin ecosystem as a whole.
Klamath Drainage District resources remain vitally important for the birds of the Pacific Flyway
The Klamath Drainage District has joined with several stakeholders and governmental agencies in a restoration plan that will accomplish many of these goals. Officially called “Replumbing the Klamath for People, Fish, and Wildlife: A Nature-Based Solution for Drought and Desertification in Lower Klamath Lake” and more colloquially as the “KDD Plan”, the restoration effort will reconnect Lower Klamath Lake with the Klamath River, provide access for fish to the Lower Klamath refuge, and provide incentives and protections for KDD landowners.
While the KDD Plan is going through a phase to check its feasibility, many are optimistic about its acceptance and its outcomes.
“As manager of KDD, I’m excited to see how this will benefit not only landowners but the Klamath Basin on the whole,” said Scott White, manager of the Klamath Drainage District. “The farmers in the district have always had an eye on sustainable ag and a genuine interest in taking care of wildlife. I feel the Replumbing the Klamath project accomplishes this and more.”
About the KDD Plan
The Replumbing the Klamath project has several goals aimed at agricultural resilience and sustainability, restoring the health of wetlands of Lower Klamath Lake, and creating habitat for C’waam and Koptu as well as reintroduced salmon.
Items in the plan include reestablishing oxbows around Miller Island, connecting the Lower Klamath Refuge to the Klamath River, creating fish passage from Upper Klamath Lake to the Lower Klamath Refuge, ensuring a reliable source of water for Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge, and creating protections for farmers and ranchers in KDD.
Water flowing from KDD canal across the California border to Lower Klamath Lake National Wildlife Refuge.
The KDD Plan has two tracks. Track One will run from October 1, 2024 through September 30, 2025 and work on the feasibility aspects of Replumbing the Klamath. Track Two will kick off on October 1, 2025 and go through September 30, 2027. In Track Two we will see work begin to create fish passage and water deliveries to Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge, the creation of perennial wetlands and connecting Lower Klamath Lake to the Klamath River.
As the restoration plan moves forwards, all of the components will compliment one another. Reestablishing the oxbows through the Miller Island slough and creating fish passage to Lower Klamath Lake will help provide water for the refuge and perhaps aid in creating habitat for returning salmon and Klamath Basin waterfowl. Connecting the Lower Klamath Refuge to the river could help provide cleaner, cooler water to be sent downriver. KDD and its landowners working with various stakeholders on the Lower Klamath Restoration Plan helps build relationships with these groups while ensuring the sustainability of farming within the district.
“This is a great opportunity for KDD to work with a variety of stakeholders to help the Klamath Basin’s ecosystem and to ensure my grandkids and their kids have a chance to farm down here,” said KDD board president, Bill Walker. “This is a win-win for everybody – farmers, fish and fowl.”
The stakeholders include tribal interests such as the Modoc Nation, The Klamath Tribes, and the Yurok Tribe as well as conservation groups like Ducks Unlimited, the Klamath Watershed Partnership, the Willamette Partnership, and several state and federal agencies.
Beyond Replumbing the Klamath, KDD is looking at another project which will add renewable energy to our portfolio while cooling water, preventing evaporation, controlling algae growth in the canals and drains, and ridding the ditches of invasive species, such as yellow-flag irises. As more information for that project comes available, we will provide announcements and updates for it as well.
