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.

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.

Klamath Drainage District manager, Scott White, giving a presentation about solar panels being added to the district.

KDD Manager, Scott White, discussing the district’s plans for adding solar panels during lunch at Liskey Farms.

The tour group on Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge discussing the Modoc Nation's projects in Lower Klamath.

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 .

January 28, 2024

KDD and Klamath Ag To Face Ongoing Grasshopper Problems in 2024

Dead grasshoppers on Stateline Road near Lower Klamath Refuge

Hanging a new calendar on the wall is usually a time to look ahead at the promise of what a new year brings.

While we’d like to reminisce about the highlights of last year and look forward to what could be, we’re unfortunately plagued by a problem from 2023.

Grasshoppers.

For Klamath Drainage District family farmers, and pretty much all of Klamath ag, last year’s grasshopper infestation is promising to pay off in troubling dividends. What seemed to start on Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge spread throughout the Klamath Basin, initially devastating farms along Stateline Road, spread like a virus to surrounding communities and irrigation districts.

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.

Image from Oregon Department of Agriculture's 2023 Grasshopper and Mormon Cricket Report -grasshopper survey densities

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.

Image from Oregon Department of Agriculture's 2023 Grasshopper and Mormon Cricket Report -grasshopper survey estimated losses

This graphic was taken from the ODA’s 2023 Grasshopper and Mormon Cricket Report to show estimated grasshopper damages.

On December 12th, 2023, Klamath County Commissioner, Dave Henslee, held a workshop with the Board of Commissioners to discuss the 2023’s grasshopper damage and the ODA’s report. At the meeting, attendees heard report after report of the damage and losses Basin farmers suffered from the grasshoppers. Klamath Water Users Association’s director of water policy, Moss Driscoll, estimated the ripple effect of economic damage could be in the hundreds of millions of dollars in the course of following years.

Image of Tim O'Connor, KDD Rancher, from Klamath County Board of Commissioners' December 12, 2023 Work Session about the Klamath Basin grasshopper infestation. — 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.

Image of the Oregon Department of Agriculture's 2023 Public Grasshopper Survey Report Form — 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.

To help head-off future infestations, especially those starting on the Lower Klamath refuge, we need policymakers to commit to getting water to our wildlife refuges. As they found on the Klamath Marsh in 2013, drought conditions worsened grasshopper outbreaks. By supporting plans such as KDD’s restoration project, future grasshopper plagues can be minimized.

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.

January 14, 2024

Why Doesn’t Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge Doesn’t Have Water?

Geese flying into wetland in Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge. Photo by Darcy Hill.

Wednesday, January 3rd, 2024.

The morning was clear and crisp. Hoarfrost coated barbed wire and plant-life alike in the Klamath Drainage District. The sun snuck through the clouds, heating the ground just enough to create low-lying fog in areas.

Along Stateline Road, in the Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge, geese and ducks honked and chattered as they picked their way through the rushes and grass from last season. An occasional heron would make his presence known with a disgruntled clucking and squawk to let anyone around they were too close and were disrupting his peace as its giant wings would spread and he’d glide to somewhere further from the road in the refuge.

Chipping sparrow perched on a reed on Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge. Photo by Darcy Hill — A chipping sparrow perched at the edge of the water on Lower Klamath.

While the majority of the Lower Klamath refuge is dry, this unit has water and if one focused only on this small piece of sanctuary, that person could almost imagine what the Gem of the Pacific Flyway was once like.

Across Stateline, neighboring canals and drains have water and fields flooded for winter provide more habitat for the birds migrating south. Hawks, eagles, and falcons are also hunting these grounds, making a drive down Township Road a birdwatcher’s heaven. The wildlife that frequents KDD are a point of pride for the landowners in the district.

This disparity between KDD and Lower Klamath is being called out on social media, most notably in a Facebook post celebrating Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge’s anniversary of being designated a National Historic Landmark. Bird hunters are wondering if KDD has water in the canals and fields, why is Lower Klamath refuge not getting any water?

The short answer is the Bureau of Reclamation isn’t authorizing Klamath Drainage District to divert water to Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge.

The reality is more nuanced than that.

For over 20 years, the Endangered Species Act (ESA) has prioritized the fish in the Klamath River and Upper Klamath Lake over agriculture and the Klamath Basin refuge system. Considered “single-species management” by many affected by this water management style, the refuges are the last priority when it comes to water diversions in the Klamath Basin.

As a result, Reclamation’s water management of the Klamath Project has not only hurt Klamath Basin family farmers and ranchers, another unintended consequence has been the devastation wreaked on Tule Lake and Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuges. Two years ago, the refuges were given an allocation of zero water. The result was the historic drying of Tule Lake and Lower Klamath refuges.

Birds, mammals, and even fish that depended on the refuges bore the brunt of that zero water allocation. Since then, KDD has worked with the US Fish and Wildlife Service as well as other stakeholders like the California Waterfowl Association and Ducks Unlimited to bring water back to Lower Klamath.

This brings us to what we’re seeing with the Lower Klamath wildlife refuge today.

In a letter dated December 15th, 2022, Scott White, Manger of KDD, and Greg Austin, Manager of Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge, were told by the Bureau of Reclamation to suspend water diversions due to hydrological conditions:

“Effective December 16, 2023, Reclamation is directing the suspension of diversion from Upper Klamath Lake (UKL) and Lake Ewauna/Keno Impoundment. This suspension of authorization to divert is necessary to ensure that Reclamation can meet requirements of the 2019 National Marine Fisheries Service and 2023 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biological opinions to reach a minimum UKL elevation of 4,142.0 feet (BOR datum) by April 1 to protect spawning ESA-listed suckers and to mitigate disease risks for threatened coho salmon.

“Continued diversion of water by Project contractors from UKL or the Lake Ewauna/Keno Impoundment would further reduce Klamath River flows and increase risk to ESA-listed species. Accordingly, Reclamation has determined that no water is available for diversion from UKL or the Lake Ewauna/Keno Impoundment until hydrologic conditions improve. You are directed to immediately cease diversion until you either receive additional written notice from Reclamation that irrigation diversions can resume or until April 1, whichever is sooner. This determination does not affect water previously diverted under existing water rights, and water remaining within the irrigation system.”

As you can see, despite the stakeholders and KDD’s best efforts to provide water to Lower Klamath, Reclamation isn’t allowing it.

Canada geese landing in a wetland along Stateline Road in the Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge. Photo by Darcy Hill

Canada geese coming in for a landing.

Ducks and geese in wetland on Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge. Photo by Darcy Hill

A peaceful morning on Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge.

Open water and reeds on Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge. Photo by Darcy Hill

One can imagine how Lower Klamath looked when it was nicknamed ‘Gem of the Pacific Flyway’

What You Can Do to Help Get Water to Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge

As frustrating as this is, we don’t have to idly sit by and allow this devastation to continue.

The first step is to learn what is happening in the Klamath Basin refuges. You can do that by following KDD, California Waterfowl, and Ducks Unlimited on Facebook, Instagram, and X. You can also visit our websites to see what we’re working on to improve conditions on Lower Klamath, such as the KDD Restoration Plan – Replumbing the Klamath.

KDD’s Manager, Scott White, is also a great resource to get in touch with to learn more about what’s happening on Lower Klamath and what the district is doing to help.

Next, share what you’ve learned. This can be as simple as sharing posts from KDD and the stakeholders we work with, or taking it a step further and engaging fellow birdwatchers, hunters, and anyone else who cares about Klamath Basin wildlife and ecology. Tell them about your experience in the Klamath Basin refuges. Share with them the plans in place to help rehydrate these valuable wetlands. Write letters to the editor for your local newspaper and to publications with a greater reach outside of your area.

Lastly, get in touch with your public officials. Let your member of congress, senator, state representatives, and the Bureau of Reclamation know how you feel about what is happening to Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge. These people need to hear from the public and to know that we the people are unhappy with what is happening to our refuges.

If you need information, KDD is happy to help. Get in touch with us and we can share with you our restoration plan for Lower Klamath as well as any data or anything else you need.

The droughting of Lower Klamath and Tule Lake refuges is another one of the troubling aspects of how the Bureau of Reclamation is managing the Klamath Project. Unfortunately, due to ESA demands, it appears Klamath Basin refuges will continue to bear the brunt of this style of management that harms farms, waterfowl, and other wildlife while we wait to see how it affects the fish these mandates aim to protect. However, we can use our voices to bring an end to this man-made disaster and start restoring Lower Klamath to its former glory.

Canada geese silhouetted against clouds over Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge. Photo by Darcy Hill — Geese silhouetted against the clouds illustrate how beautiful Lower Klamath is – especially when it has water.

November 30, 2023November 30, 2023

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!

September 14, 2023

Press Release: Federal Judge Rules Against KDD Klamath River Diversions

Klamath Drainage District headgate being used to send water to Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge

September 14, 2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:

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.

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Download PDF version of FEDERAL JUDGE RULES AGAINST DISTRICT’S RIGHT TO DIVERT WATER

August 30, 2023August 30, 2023

KDD To Work With Stakeholders for Wetland Resiliency, Ag Sustainability

Lower Klamath Lake National Wildlife Refuge. Photo by Darcy Hill.

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.

Ducks swimming in a canal in the Klamath Project on Klamath Drainage District lands — 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.

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.

July 20, 2023July 25, 2023

2023 Grasshopper Infestation Hits Lower Klamath

Clearwing grasshopper near Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge clinging to car window

Grasshopper Infestation Attacks Lower Klamath Wildlife Refuge, KDD and Klamath Project

Driving the thin line of pavement that divides Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge and the fields and farms that make up the Klamath Drainage District is getting messier.

Instead of enjoying the the birds and other wildlife that live in the area or marveling at the variety of crops and the people working in the fields in KDD, the ping-ping-pinging of grasshoppers splattering across windshields and sticking to the hoods and grills of cars and pickups are requiring drivers to pay more attention to the road. In their rearview mirrors the desiccated carcasses of the grasshoppers dance in the breeze like the leaves from trees in the fall.

While Upper Klamath Lake might be known for the tiny midges that leave the front-ends of cars looking fuzzy and green, unfortunately for the last two years, Lower Klamath is getting known for grasshoppers. LIke the midges, they cover windshields with bug-guts and goop that seems nearly impossible to clean.

However, unlike midges, the roads can at times become slick with the remains of grasshoppers crushed on the road. Even worse, the grasshoppers damage crops, impacting not just the production of pasture and hay crops but also lettuce, potatoes, and wheat along with the much-needed grasses and other plants that provide food for the wildlife in KDD.

Even worse yet, the grasshoppers aren’t confined to just KDD. People first started seeing the hoards of hoppers in early June, mostly along Stateline Road, reporting the carnage that covered their cars in Facebook posts. As their numbers and hunger has increased, they’ve spread to Merrill, Malin, Tulelake, and even Poe Valley. There’s also reports of heavy grasshopper numbers in Langell Valley.

How did this happen?

Recall the Bureau of Reclamation’s infamous, historic dewatering of the Tule Lake and Lower Klamath Lake National Wildlife Refuges. The droughting of those refuges left thousands of acres open to ravages of the wind, sun and pests. Pests such as grasshoppers.

Without water in Lower Klamath refuge, the eggs and then nymphs have been able to mature and reproduce. Water in the spring helps drown out the young grasshoppers and eggs, which helps keep their populations under control. If you also add the delayed irrigation season by the Bureau on top of the dried refuges, the Klamath Basin becomes the ideal breeding ground for the voracious pests.

In our region, we’ve seen this pattern before, most notably on the Klamath Marsh. Looking at articles about grasshoppers and their devastation on the Klamath Marsh, there’s a common thread between: a lack of water in the spring and being cut-off from irrigation water. And a drive along Stateline Road, drivers will see the same thing.

The interesting thing about what we’re seeing in KDD and Lower Klamath Refuge is that there is tangible evidence between a dry refuge and a wet one. Driving along Stateline, the areas where you find the most grasshopper carcasses littering the road – not to mention more of the pests smearing their guts across windshields – is where Lower Klamath has yet to receive any water. However, as you get close to the Oregon Drain and towards Highway 97, the number of grasshoppers embedding themselves into your vehicle goes down. There’s much fewer of their exoskeletons littering the road, and less of them getting stirred up by traffic.

The bodies of dead grasshoppers littering Stateline Road between Lower Klamath Lake National Wildlife Refuge and the Klamath Drainage District

Clearwing grasshoppers flying across Stateline Road to fields in Klamath Drainage District

Grasshoppers flying over Stateline Road to Klamath Drainage District fields

Stateline Road near the Oregon Drain in Klamath Drainage District

Where Lower Klamath refuge is getting water from KDD, there’s hardly any grasshopper carcasses on Stateline Road

Does the water Klamath Drainage District provide to part of the Lower Klamath refuge mean there’s less grasshoppers in that area?

Not necessarily, and it becomes complicated due to the fact not all of the refuge is underwater.

Walking along the side of the road, grasshoppers still flutter from the green vegetation offering food and protection for them that’s growing in the ditch. With protection and food, there’s very little motivation for the grasshoppers to try and flee from the refuge to KDD for safety. And while the irrigated fields of KDD and water in Lower Klamath helps keep the grasshopper population in check, the area is still plagued by all of the grasshoppers, eating, mating, and laying eggs in the part of the refuge the Bureau of Reclamation has allowed to go dry.

Also worth noting is the number of birds in both areas along Stateline Road. In the area where the grasshoppers are rampant versus the part of Lower Klamath that’s receiving water from KDD, you’ll see more blackbirds (mostly redwing and yellow-headed blackbirds), meadowlarks, sparrows, swallows, blue jays, and even ravens and crows. Between habitat and water, these birds are likely helping keep the grasshopper populations in those areas in check.

This particular species of grasshopper, clearwing grasshoppers, are native to the Klamath Basin, which means they’re part of the ecosystem. In any ecosystem, there are natural checks and balances to help keep various species in check. Historically Lower Klamath National Refuge was never the haven for grasshoppers it is now due to the fact it had always been under water.

However, with the Bureau of Reclamation’s focus on single-species management of Upper Klamath Lake and the Klamath River, governmental officials have created a catastrophe in our ecosystem. As a result migratory birds and other Klamath Basin wildlife bear the brunt of the Bureau of Reclamation and Federal government’s poor water management policies, which is further worsened by adherence to a rigid Endangered Species Act. And now wildlife and farmers alike are having to deal with the unintended consequences of Federal decisions that fail to take entire ecosystems into consideration.

This catastrophe is not only affecting Klamath Basin wildlife, but also the Klamath Basin economy. As area family farmers and ranchers grain, hay and other crops fail, that will echo throughout the Basin’s economy, where one dollar produced by agriculture is used nine times throughout the community. In KDD alone, unofficially, farmers and ranchers are discussing losses in the hundreds of thousands of dollars in each of their operations.

The solution to ending this grasshopper plague is simple. Provide water for Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge and for Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge. This simple solution will help keep the hoards of grasshoppers under control and provide the necessary habitat needed for the birds traveling the Pacific Flyway as well as for the wildlife that make these refuges and surrounding fields their home.

Getting these pests under control will also benefit the Klamath Basin economy, as ag receipts would reflect higher yields which equates to more money to be spent throughout the community. And, if the Feds and Reclamation took KDD’s recommendation of using the Klamath Project as designed, not only would there be more grasshopper abatement, cleaner water could be sent down the the Klamath River for salmon.

Egrets in the reeds in Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge with water provided by Klamath Drainage District patrons — In contrast to the parts of Lower Klamath refuge that haven’t received water, egrets and other birds take advantage of the water provided by KDD and its partners

In the end, this ecological catastrophe could have been avoided. Instead, we have migratory birds desperately searching for habitat, farms throughout the Klamath Project still going dry and a grasshopper infestation nearing biblical proportions. The Klamath Drainage District and its patrons will continue to do our best to provide water to the Lower Klamath refuge, but ultimately the Bureau of Reclamation and the Federal government need to readdress how they manage water in the Klamath Project and take into consideration the unintended consequences of their water management policies.

July 10, 2023July 12, 2023

Klamath Drainage District featured in Deputy Assistant Secretary Strickler’s “Opportunities Tour”

Clipping from the June, 2023 edition of Basin Ag News

Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Department of the Interior Matt Strickler recently paid a visit to the Klamath Basin and the Klamath Project as part of an “Opportunities Tour” put together by the Klamath Water Users Association.

As a part of the June 14th-15th Opportunities Tour, Strickler visited the Klamath Drainage District and met with district manager, Scott White, and district supervisors Tracey Liskey and Luther Horsley. In their discussion with Deputy Assistant Secretary Strickler, they talked about the work being done and the partnerships developed with Ducks Unlimited, Klamath Watershed Partnership, Trout Unlimited, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, California Waterfowl, and many other stakeholders to benefit the Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge and the Klamath Basin wildlife that call it home.

Below is a excerpt from the article “Deputy Assistant Secretary Strickler’s “Opportunities Tour”” that appeared in the June edition of Basin Ag News, provided by the Herald and News. The excerpt focuses on Strickler’s stop in KDD, but you can read the article in its entirety at Basin Ag News.

It is not every day that you get to interact with the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Department of the Interior.

But Matt Strickler quickly makes one forget his official title, with his unassuming, down-to-earth demeanor.

Strickler, a long-time congressional staffer and former official in Virginia Governor Ralph Northam’s administration, is a seemingly good fit for the Klamath Basin, where stakeholders are still getting to know the Secretary of the Interior’s lead representative on water issues in the Basin.

On June 14 and 15, Strickler visited the Klamath Basin to meet directly with agricultural and tribal leaders, prior to a broader meeting of stakeholders on June 16. The Klamath Water Users Association took the opportunity to organize a tour of the Klamath Project, to look at and discuss concepts that could possibly benefit multiple stakeholders, including fish and wildlife.

The objective of this so-called “opportunities tour” was to demonstrate the capacity and willingness of agricultural producers within the Klamath Project to help solve some of the intractable problems related to water management in the Basin.

The first stop was Midland Hill, which offers a bird’seye view of Miller Island, the Tule Smoke Club, the Southern Pacific railroad embankment, and expanse of Klamath Drainage District and Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge. There, Klamath Drainage District’s manager Scott White, along with district supervisors Tracey Liskey and Luther Horsley, spoke briefly about the concepts being discussed among the district and other stakeholders based around the basic concept of reestablishing functioning wetlands within the Tule Smoke Club, Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge, and possibly beyond. Wetlands that could potentially be habitat for endangered Lost River and shortnose sucker (C’waam and Koptu).

Klamath Watershed Partnership, Trout Unlimited, and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife are involved in this planning effort, among other stakeholders.

Strickler indicated he is hoping to identify a handful of large-scale projects towards which federal funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act (BIL) can be targeted. The goal, Strickler said, is to get away from the perception of “random actions of restoration” that have traditionally characterized federal activities in the Basin.

Following Midland Hill, the group proceeded to the Ady Canal headworks and the terminus of the Klamath Straits Drain.

There, one can see the complicated nature of water management in Lower Klamath Lake, as the Klamath Straits Drain goes both over and under the headworks of the Ady Canal, and the remnants of the original Klamath Straits are still visible just north of the existing channel. The discussion there continued around river flows and potential for the district’s ideas to potentially benefit the Klamath River.

The group then drove to the district’s recirculating plant on Township Road, which is responsible for a large portion of the water that made it to Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge this past winter and spring. After a brief explanation of the pump’s workings, a quick drive down to the lower end of the Ady Canal led to the site where Ducks Unlimited (DU) plans to build a similar unit with a grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. A trickle was then flowing through the Ady Canal into Unit 2 on the south side of Stateline Road (commonly known as Stateline Drain). These deliveries are being attributed to a complicated water right transfer from the Wood River Valley, when similar quality water in the adjacent drain is often available if the pump only existed to lift it.

Juvenile suckers have recently been transplanted into Unit 2, making the need for a secure water supply all the greater. Meanwhile the rest of Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge is bone-dry, with great clouds of dust blowing off the former wetlands.

After breaking off from Scott White and Klamath Drainage District, the tour continued down Stateline Road, looking at DU’s other planned pumping site on the west end of Stateline Drain.

You can read the rest of this article and more at Basin Ag News.

May 30, 2023May 30, 2023

How Klamath Drainage District Benefits Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge

With May being National Wetlands Month, we thought we’d share how Klamath Drainage District provides benefits to our neighbor to the south, Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge.

Klamath Drainage District benefits the Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge in a number of ways. First, KDD provides water to the refuge during dry years when other sources of water are not available, including the historic droughting of the refuge by the Bureau of Reclamation. This helps to maintain the refuge’s wetlands and wildlife habitat. Second, KDD helps to improve water quality in the refuge. The KDD’s water management practices help to reduce sediment and nutrient loads in the refuge’s waterways. Third, KDD helps to create jobs in the Klamath Basin. The KDD’s operations and maintenance activities support a number of jobs in the region.

KDD’s cooperative agreement with the USFWS has also been successful in providing water to the Lower Klamath NWR during dry years while improving water quality in the refuge. This partnership has made KDD a valuable partner in the management of the LKNWR to the benefit of the birds of the Pacific Flyway and Klamath Basin wildlife.

Here are some specific examples of how the Klamath Drainage District benefits the Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge:

- In 2015, KDD provided water to the refuge during a severe drought. This water helped to keep the refuge’s wetlands wet and supported the habitat of thousands of birds and other wildlife.
- As already mentioned, KDD’s water management practices help to reduce sediment and nutrient loads in the refuge’s waterways. This helps to improve water quality and protect the refuge’s fish and wildlife.
- With the ability to reuse or return more 75% of the water used in the district, KDD is able to decrease its demand in Upper Klamath Lake which could free up more water for Tule Lake and Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuges.
- Between December of 2021 and August, 2022, KDD sent approximately 3,100 acre feet of much needed water to the Lower Klamath Lake National Wildlife Refuge.

The Klamath Drainage District is a valuable partner in the management of the Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge. KDD’s water management practices help to keep the refuge’s wetlands wet, improve water quality, and create jobs in the region. The work that KDD does in partnership with the California Waterfowl Association, Ducks Unlimited, and the US Fish & Wildlife Service help ensure Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge provides much needed habitat for the birds of the Pacific Flyway as well as the Klamath Basin wildlife who make their home in the refuge.

May 2, 2023

Press Release: KDD Welcomes Beginning of 2023 Irrigation Season

May 1, 2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Scott White
scott@klamathdrainagedistrict.org
(541) 510-6311

BUREAU OF RECLAMATION TURNS ON KLAMATH IRRIGATION PROJECT

Klamath Drainage District welcomes the beginning of the irrigation season, notes the Feds’ trimmed allocation will affect local refuges, other farms

Klamath Falls, OR – The Bureau of Reclamation has finally allowed the Klamath Project to officially begin its irrigation season today, a full month later than the traditional April 1st start date that Klamath Basin family farmers and ranchers have traditionally relied on.

With the delayed start date, the Bureau has also trimmed deliveries to Klamath Project irrigators. While 590,000 acre-feet of water will flow to the Pacific Ocean to meet claimed needs of salmon, Klamath Project farmers will receive 215,000 acre-feet, roughly 60% of the water needed for Klamath Basin agriculture and wildlife refuges served by the Klamath Project.

“In a year when snowpack reached over 200% of normal, and the Klamath Project continues to bear the brunt of questionable ESA demands, which is frustrating,” said Scott White, General Manager of the Klamath Drainage District. “But as with years past, I plan on working with TID and KID to sharpen our pencils and see how we can work together to the benefit of all the Project districts and the refuges.”

Bill Walker, president of the KDD board, added, “There are going to be 60,000 acres of farmland, including the Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge and the Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge, that are probably going to go dry this year. I’m proud of the work my fellow KDD patrons are doing to free up water for Lower Klamath and create habitat on their properties, but at some point the Feds need to look at the ecological disaster they’re creating in the Upper Klamath Basin. In the meantime, KDD will continue to be the ‘Only Restaurant In Town’ that’s meeting the needs of the Pacific Flyway in the Klamath Basin.”

The Klamath Drainage District is uniquely situated to make the most of the limited 2023 water allocation. Due to the district’s natural geology and hydrology coupled with infrastructure investments, KDD returns or reuses more than 75% of the water used by patrons. Between December of 2021 and August, 2022, KDD sent approximately 3,100 acre feet of much needed water to the Lower Klamath Lake National Wildlife Refuge.

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 the tremendous wildlife viewing opportunities it provides.

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