Our new Biological Assessment is out - Klamath Basin Crisis

Klamath Project Operations Biological Assessment
Endangered Suckers: Environmental Baseline for Suckers
Table 2-4. Wetlands adjacent to UKL converted to agricultural land. Approximately
8,000 acres, primarily in the Wood River watershed, were converted but are not
accounted for in this table.
Site
Acres
Date
Converted
Acres
(cumulative)
Percent
(cumulative)
Wilson Marsh 100 1889 100 0.1
Little Wocus Marsh 260 1889 360 1.3
Big Wocus Marsh 3,800 1896 4,160 15.7
Algoma Marsh 1,200 1914 6,660 25.1
Caledonia Marsh 2,500 1916 7,860 29.6
Hanks Marsh (Cove Point) 1,000 1919-40 8,860 33.3
Ball Bay South 800 1919 9,660 36.3
Williamson River Marsh 6,400 1920 16,060 60.4
Wood River Ranch 2,900 1940-57 18,960 71.4
Ball Bay West 410 1946-47 19,370 72.9
Agency Lake North 2,600 1962 21,970 82.7
Agency Lake West 4,600 1968-71 26,570 100
Source: Adapted from Snyder and Morace 1997.
Sedimentation Due to Watershed Alterations in UKL
Sediment studies in UKL indicate a change in sediment composition and a
substantial increase in sediment accumulation rates and nutrient concentrations
over the last 150 years corresponding with increases in erosion input from the
watershed (Eilers et al. 2001; Eilers et al. 2004; Bradbury et al. 2004). The
changes in sediment composition and accumulation rates are consistent with land
use activities that occurred during this period, including substantial deforestation,
drainage of wetlands, and agricultural activities associated with livestock and
irrigation (Eilers et al. 2001; Eilers et al. 2004; Bradbury et al. 2004). Sediment
accumulation rates have increased from about 18 grams per square meter per year
(g/m2/year) in 1880 to a high of 120 g/m2/year in 1995 (Table 2-5). Eilers et al.
(2004) and Bradbury et al. (2004) also found increases in sediment accumulation
rates in UKL since the onset of development in the Upper Klamath watershed.
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