Our new Biological Assessment is out - Klamath Basin Crisis

Klamath Project Operations Biological Assessment
Endangered Suckers: Environmental Baseline for Suckers
Table 2-11. Reclamation actions taken in response to USFWS 2002 BO conservation
measures.
Number Measure Status
1 Coordinate with BLM,
USGS, ODFW, CDFG,
Klamath Tribes, and the
Service to establish a
population of Lost River
suckers in Gerber Reservoir
with brood stock from Clear
Lake
2 Serve as a clearing house
for water quality data from
the Upper Klamath Basin
3 Fish passage at Chiloquin
Dam-secure funding to
improve passage
4 Work with Tule Lake NWR,
CDFG, & irrigation districts
to protect suckers in Tule
Lake sump
5 Coordinate with EPA and
States of CA and OR on the
Lost River TMDLs
6 Implement a pilot project to
enhance sucker spawning at
known spawning sites along
the eastern shoreline of UKL
7 Develop an operations plan
for ALR
8 Develop a plan to maximize
the efficient delivery and use
of water within the Project
delivery area using local
expertise from water users.
Reclamation has funded USGS to conduct
monitoring surveys in Gerber and Clear Lake.
Information from these studies could be used to
identify brood stock for reintroduction purposes.
The fish present in Gerber appear to be a hybrid of
Klamath Largescale and shortnose suckers.
Reclamation has implemented this
recommendation to the limit of our authority
Parties and stakeholders cannot agree upon
parameters to measure, locations to collect data,
or who should be the clearing house
Along with BIA, received funding for construction
of new pumping plant and dam removal. Pumping
plant construction currently underway, scheduled
for completion in late 2007/early 2008, Chiloquin
Dam scheduled for removal in 2008. Reclamation
continues to monitor effects to suckers pre and
post removal
Reclamation coordinates with USFWS and TID to
manage lake surface elevations of the sumps to
protect suckers
Reclamation provided data in support of this effort
and is coordinating as appropriate
Reclamation has funded USGS to monitor
spawning activities at these sites
ALR will become part of the Refuge system;
therefore, it is more cost effective for the long term
property owner to develop the operations plan.
Reclamation conducted an efficiency study in 1998
of the Project and determined it is 93% efficient
(Reclamation 1998 Water Use). Through the
Water Conservation Program, Reclamation has
provided 18 miles of pipe to Irrigation Districts to
replace open canals between 2002 and 2007. An
additional 2 miles is scheduled to be installed in
2008.
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