Biological Opinions - Bureau of Reclamation

Figure 4.2. Modeled UKL Reserve, EWA, and Project Supply based on available UKL water supply
(Reclamation 2012).
4.2.3.2.7 Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge Supply
Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge receives water from the Klamath River via Ady Canal
and from Tule Lake Sump 1A via Pumping Plant D. The pattern of deliveries to Lower Klamath
NWR has changed in recent years because of substantial increases in power costs associated with
pumping at Plant D. The cost increases have caused Tulelake Irrigation District to minimize
pumping through Plant D, requiring Lower Klamath NWR to become increasingly dependent on
water from the Klamath River. In the context of this proposed action, Lower Klamath NWR
deliveries refer only to water provided from the Klamath River through Ady Canal.
Water for Lower Klamath NWR may be delivered by two methods during the spring/summer.
The first method provides non-Project Supply and non-EWA water out of Keno Reservoir
accretions or UKL storage. The second method uses excess Project Supply, if there is an excess.
Lower Klamath NWR deliveries are contingent upon available water supply, and deliveries are
not made when Project Supply shortages exist.
The KBPM delivers water that is not part of the Project Supply to Lower Klamath NWR from
June through November when the Project Supply is 390,000 acre-feet and the elevation of UKL
exceeds the threshold values listed in Table 4.11. Lower Klamath NWR may receive up to the
maximum potential delivery volume (developed by Reclamation, based on historical data) shown
in Table 4.11. The comparison to threshold elevations is made daily; therefore, water is
delivered to Lower Klamath NWR daily on a prorated basis for each monthly maximum
potential delivery target.
35