Our new Biological Assessment is out - Klamath Basin Crisis

Klamath Project Operations Biological Assessment
Coho Salmon: Factors Affecting Species Environment
small tributary flows. The NAS also hypothesized that adding substantial amounts of
warm water could reduce the size of these thermal shelters, although that hypothesis was
not supported by research at the Red Cap Creek thermal refuge (Benson and Holt
2005) 34 .
Generally, during late spring and early summer, flows from Iron Gate Reservoir tend to
be below equilibrium temperature on the order of 2 to 4 ºC. However, the effect is
diminished with increased distance from the dam. The cooler water temperature is
attributed to the source of the water, the IGD reservoir. Note that the warmest reach of
the Klamath River is between Scott River and Shasta River.
Figure 3-15. Longitudinal view of daily mean water temperatures from IGD to Turwar, on June 1
in a typical year.
12-13C
13-14
14-15
15-16
16-17
17-18
15 °C or cooler 15 °C or warmer
Scott
.
River
Iron Gate Dam
.
Shasta River
Turwar
.
Salmon River
Trinity . R
Source: Figure 5, p. 9, Cramer Fish Sciences 2007 Technical Memorandum 7.
34
National Academy of Science news release dated February 6, 2002. News release obtained on July
5, 2007 at http: //www8.nationalacademies.org/onpinews/newsitem.aspx?RecordID=10296
222