|
Items in cart [0] |
Questions? Call 888-624-8373 |
| Copyright © 2009. National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. Terms of Use and Privacy Statement |
Below are the first 10 and last 10 pages of uncorrected machine-read text (when available) of this chapter, followed by the top 30 algorithmically extracted key phrases from the chapter as a whole.
Intended to provide our own search engines and external engines with highly rich, chapter-representative searchable text on the opening pages of each chapter.
Because it is UNCORRECTED material, please consider the following text as a useful but insufficient proxy for the authoritative book pages.
Do not use for reproduction, copying, pasting, or reading; exclusively for search engines.
OCR for page 46
Land Use and Water Management
The Klamath River watershed covers 12,000 mi2 Of northern Califor-
nia ancT southwestern Oregon ancT extends more than 350 river mi from its
Backwaters to its estuary at the Pacific Ocean. The watershed derives its
unique character largely from its geology ancT climate (Mount 1995), which
are cTiscussecT in the first quarter of this chapter. The rest of the chapter
describes lancT uses ancT resulting changes in the basin since 1848, the begin-
ning of the goicT-mining era. The topography, hycTrology, ecosystems, ancT
unusual plant ancT animal communities of the watershed reflect cTiverse
dynamic processes in the lancTscape of today ancT in the past. These features
of the watershed are tick to the natural resource economies of the water-
shecT, which inclucle logging, grazing, agriculture, mining, ancT fisheries. The
diversity of lancT uses ancT lancTscape features poses a significant challenge
to lancT managers ancT those seeking to restore the watershecT's aquatic
communities. As this chapter shows, simple or uniform approaches to res-
toration of impaired ecosystems are unlikely to succeed in a watershed as
cTiverse as that of the Klamath River.
DESCRIPTION OF THE KLAMATH RIVER WATERSHED
Geologic Setting
The physiography of the Klamath watershed records the oblique con-
vergence between the North American tectonic plate ancT the plates that
unclerlie the Pacific Ocean. The luan cle Fuca ancT Gorcia Plates, which lie
46
OCR for page 47
LAND USE AND WATER MANAGEMENT
47
off the shore of Washington, Oregon, anti northern California, are being
subcluctecI in a northeasterly direction beneath western North America,
forming the Cascaclia subduction zone (Figure 2-11. A consequence of the
subduction is the formation of an extensive north-south oriented chain of
volcanoes known as the Cascaclia volcanic arc or Cascade Range. The arc
inclucles two of the more prominent volcanoes in the upper I(lamath water-
shecI: Mount Shasta anti Mount Mazama (the site of Crater Lake). The
volcanic arc bisects the I(lamath watershed, clivicling the upper basin from
the lower basin (Figure 2-11. The upper basin, inclucling the large natural
lakes ancI their tributaries, lies in the back-arc of the Cascaclia margin. The
lower basin which inclucles the mountainous, steeper portions of the main-
stem I(lamath ancI the Scott, Salmon, ancI Trinity rivers lies in the cly-
namic fore-arc area of the margin. The Shasta River stracicIles the tectonic
boundary between the back-arc ancI the fore-arc (Figure 2-11; its confluence
with the main-stem I(lamath occurs in the fore-arc region.
Geophysical ancI geodetic surveys couplecI with geologic mapping ef-
forts have shown that portions of the fore-arc ancI back-arc regions of the
Cascaclia margin form discrete crustal blocks, each with its own motion
(Welis et al. 1998, McCaffrey et al. 20001. The motion of these blocks ancI
their interactions with each other have clictatecI the dynamic topography of
the region.
Tectonic Setting of Klamath Watershed
motion with Plate 1> ~~ ~ OREGON / ~
North America ~ ) - ~ r ~ ~ ~ ~
O large voIcano ~ ~ ~ :~' ~ - _| 7/- 1—--
~ = — ~ ~ E$~NE~V~
FIGURE 2-1 General tectonic setting for northern California and southern Oregon
illustrating the Cascadia subduction zone, the Cascade volcanic arc, the Basin and
Range Province, and the Oregon fore-arc and Sierra Nevada blocks. Note that the
I(lamath watershed occurs at the intersection of these tectonic blocks. Source: Mod-
ified from Wells and Simpson 2001.
OCR for page 48
48
FISHES IN THE KLAMATH RIVER BASIN
Within the I(lamath watershed region, the back-arc portion of the
Cascaclia margin is part of the crustal block known as the Basin anti Range
Province. Although attached to North America, the province is undergoing
east-west extension of as much as 1 cm/yr (Bennett et al.1998, Magill et al.
19821. Right-lateral shear oriented north northwest-south southeast occurs
along the western ecige of the province anti is superimposed on the east-
west extension (Bennett et al. 1998, 19991. This shear has formecI the
distinctive grabens showing north-northwest south-southwest orientation,
which appear topographically as fault-bouncI troughs anti valleys of the
I(lamath Lake area. The crustal extension of the northwestern basin anti
range in southern Oregon anti northern California has been accompanied
by wiclespreacI Neogene volcanism that has formecI the distinctive volcanic
tablelancis anti broacI valleys anti marshes of the upper tributaries within
the I(lamath watershed.
Unlike most watersheds, the I(lamath watershed has its greatest relief
anti topographic complexity in its lower half rather than in its heac~waters.
This unusual physiography stems from the location of the fore-arc region,
which encompasses the lower half of the watershed. The Cascaclia fore-arc
of northern California is arguably the most dynamic lanciscape in the region
(Mount 19951. The regional compression associated with subduction of the
Gorcia Plate immecliately off shore has proclucecI some of the fastest rates of
uplift recorclecI in California. Aciclitionally, the fore-arc occurs at the poorly
clefinecI intersection between two large crustal blocks (Figure 2-11: the Sierra
Nevada block anti the Oregon fore-arc block (Welis et al.1998, McCaffrey
et al. 20001. The Sierra Nevada block inclucles the Sierra Nevacia-Great
Valley of central California anti the I(lamath Mountains anti Coast Ranges
of Northern California. The block is bounclecI on the east by the Basin anti
Range Province anti on the west by the San Ancireas-Coast Range Fault
system (Welis et al. 19981. Geodetic surveys indicate that the block is
moving northwest relative to North America anti is rotating in a counter-
clockwise manner (Argus anti Gordon 19901. The Oregon fore-arc block
extends from the Cascaclia subduction zone on the west to the Basin anti
Range on the east. Its southern boundary occurs at the transition to the Si-
erra Nevada block, roughly in the vicinity of the California-Oregon border.
The Oregon fore-arc block is rotating clockwise relative to North America
(Welis et al. 19981.
The lower I(lamath River watershed, which extends from Iron Gate
Dam to the I(lamath estuary, traverses the northern portions of the Sierra
Nevada block along its transition to the Oregon fore-arc block (Figure 2-1).
The steep, rugged watersheds of the lower I(lamath, couplecI with the becI-
rock-controllecI main stem, reflect the rapicI uplift in the region anti the
constant adjustment of the river to its dynamic lanciscape (Mount 19951.
The patterns of uplift anti faulting also control the orientation of most
OCR for page 49
LAND USE AND WATER MANAGEMENT
49
tributaries. Because the main tributaries of the lower I(lamath River the
Shasta, Scott, Salmon, anti Trinity rivers are important for salmonicis,
their incliviclual geologic features are of interest.
The Shasta River watershed is at the junction between the Basin anti
Range Province, in the Sierra Nevada block within the Cascaclia volcanic
arc. Its watershed, which originates at Mount Ecicly, encompasses about
800 mi2. Like the Scott River watershed to the west, the Shasta has a large
central ai~uv~ai valley, steep Breakwaters on the west, anti a steep gorge in
the lowermost portion of the watershed. The eastern portions of the water-
shecI are clominatecI by Tertiary ancI Quaternary volcanic flows ancI by
clebris flows associated with Cascade volcanism. The lower gorge anti
westernmost ecige of the basin are uncleriain by Paleozoic metamorphic
rocks of the Sierra Nevada block. The most conspicuous topographic fea-
ture of the Shasta Valley is a large Pleistocene volcanic clebris avalanche
clerivecI from nearby Mount Shasta that creates the unusual hummocky
topography in the upper reaches of the valley (Cranciall 19891. The north-
south orientation of the valley is associated with large basin anti range
.. . . .. . . .
faults similar to those controlling the formation of the upper basin. The
hycirology of the Shasta River watershed, unlike that of the other tributary
watersheds of the lower basin, is clominatecI by discharge from numerous
springs.
The Shasta subbasin lies within the extensive rain shaclow of the Salmon
anti Marble mountains. Precipitation averages 12-18 in/yr anti is as low as
5 in/yr in the vicinity of Big Springs (Mack 19601. The bulk of this precipi-
tation occurs from October to March as snow. Like the upper I(lamath
basin, the Shasta subbasin has warm summers (mean ciaily temperatures
commonly exceeding 30°C) ancI coo! winters (mean ciaily temperatures of
5°C). The average length of the growing season in the basin is about 180
clays (Mack 19601. As cliscussecI in Chapter 8, climate may change over the
coming clecacles.
The Scott River watershed lies at the transition between the Cascaclia
volcanic arc ancI the fore-arc basin (Figure 2-11. The watershed, which is
about 820 mi2, has heac~waters nearly 8,000 ft above sea level in the Salmon
Mountains along the west sicle of the watershed. The Scott joins the I(la-
math River at river mile 142. The physiography of the watershed shows
elements of its neighboring watersheds. Like the Salmon watershed, the
heac~waters of the Scott are heavily forested ancI have annual precipitation
of 50 in or more, high water yielcis, ancI extensive snowpack more than
4,000 ft above sea level. Like the Shasta watershed, the Scott has a large,
fault-bouncI alluvial valley in the micicIle portions of the watershed that
supports extensive agriculture ancI grazing. This valley, like the eastern
portion of the Scott watershed, lies in the rain shaclow of the Salmon ancI
Marble mountains; mean annual precipitation is about 20 in. The Scott
OCR for page 50
so
FISHES IN THE KLAMATH RIVER BASIN
River, like the Shasta River, has a steep bedrock gorge downstream of the
alluvial valley ancI above its confluence with the I(lamath River. Mean ciaily
temperatures in the valley exceed 32°C cluring late luly or early August
(peaks, above 40°C); mean ciaily temperatures reach 10°C in winter (Rantz
1972, CDWR 2002).
The tributaries of the Scott River strongly affect the hycirology (Mack
1958) ancI aquatic habitat of the basin. The fourth-orcler tributaries of the
west sicle of the watershed inclucling Scott, French, Sugar, Etna, Patterson,
I(i cicler , an cI Shacklefor cI creeks are steep -gradient, perennial be cirock tri-
butaries. Several of these tributaries have built coarse-grainecI alluvial fans
where their gradients decrease as they meet the valley floor. In contrast, the
East ancI South Forks of the Scott ancI the third- ancI fourth-orcler creeks of
the Scott River Canyon, a tributary of the Scott, enter the river in steep
reaches ancI have no alluvial fans. The relatively ciry east sicle of the water-
shecI has several low-graclient ephemeral tributaries; Moffett Creek is the
largest ancI most important of these.
In its upper reaches ancI within the canyon, the Scott River is primarily
a bedrock river characterized by alternating step-pool ancI cascade reaches
with discontinuous riffle-pool reaches containing narrow alluvial floocI-
plains. Within the Scott Valley, the river has various forms that are con-
trollecI principally by grain size, slope, tributary contributions, ancI channel
modifications. In coarse-grainecI, steep-graclient reaches of the river, the
channel appears to be actively braiding. In low-graclient, fine-grainecI
reaches with cohesive banks, the channel alternates between a single-channel
meandering river ancI a multichannel, anastomosing river, albeit with nu-
merous modifications for floocI management ancI irrigation diversions. Some
incision within the channelizecI reach has lowerecI the channel becI by sev-
eral feet (G. Black, Siskiyou Resource Conservation District, Etna, Califor-
nia, personal communication, 20021. Sloughs, which indicate historical
channel avuision ancI cutoff events, apparently were numerous before agri-
cultural clevelopment of the valley. Several large sloughs remain in the
valley along the west sicle ancI receive flow from tributaries ancI from the
main stem cluring large flow events.
At 750 mi2 the Salmon River is the smallest of the four major tributar-
ies to the lower I(lamath basin (Figure 2-11. The Salmon watershed is steep
ancI heavily forested ancI, in comparison with its neighboring watersheds,
relatively unclisturbecI. The bulk of the main stem ancI its tributaries consist
of bedrock channels with numerous step-pool ancI cascade reaches ancI
narrow riparian corridors. The watershed is locatecI entirely within the
Cascaclia fore-arc region on the Sierra Nevada block. The high uplift rates
ancI the lack of extensional tectonics have prevented the formation of any
important alluvial valleys, such as those of the Scott ancI Shasta drainages.
The rugged terrain ancI the lack of a large alluvial valley have limitecI some
OCR for page 51
LAND USE AND WATER MANAGEMENT
51
of the lancI-use activities that have affected anaciromous fishes in other
tributaries.
The Trinity River is the largest tributary to the I(lamath River. At 2,900
mi2 with an annual average precipitation of 57 in, it is also the largest
contributor of runoff ancI sediment to the I(lamath River. It is a rugged, step,
ancI heavily forested watershed. Its eastern portions in the Trinity Alps ancI
Coast Ranges reach elevations in excess of 9,000 ft ancI support thick winter
snowpacks. The bulk of the watershed is below 5,000 ft in elevation ancI is
clominatecI by conifer ancI mixed conifer ancI harc~woocI forests. The con-
fluence of the Trinity ancI I(lamath rivers is locatecI 43 mi upstream of the
mouth ancI exerts consiclerable influence over conditions in the lowermost
I(lamath River ancI its estuary. The Trinity watershed is locatecI entirely
within the Sierra Nevada block, west of the Cascade volcanic arc. The basin
lies close to the junction between the Cascade subduction zone ancI the
northernmost San Ancireas Fault. The physiography of the watershed is con-
trollecI by high rates of uplift ancI a series of large, seismically active north-
west trencling faults. The eastern half of the basin is composed of rocks of the
I(lamath Mountains Geologic Province, while the western half is clominatecI
by rocks of the Coast Range Geologic Province. Both provinces contain rock
types that are prone to lancislicling ancI high rates of erosion, particularly
when clisturbecI by poor lancI-use practices. The high rates of uplift, unstable
rock types, ancI high rates of precipitation produce a naturally dynamic
lanciscape ancI a river with a variable hycirograph ancI sediment yielcis.
Uplift in the Trinity watershed has precluclecI the formation of exten-
sive alluvial valleys such as those founcI in the Scott ancI Shasta watersheds.
The upper reaches of the main stem ancI the tributaries support steep-
graclient rivers with numerous cascades. In portions of the main stem ancI
the South Fork, however, low-graclient reaches with narrow alluvial valleys
occur. These reaches historically supported dynamic, meandering coarse-
grainecI channels that proviclecI icleal spawning ancI rearing habitat for
salmon ancI steelheacI. The size of the Trinity watershed, couplecI with its
extensive high-quality spawning ancI rearing habitat, macle the Trinity a
productive source of coho salmon ancI other anaciromous fishes (USFWS/
HVT 1999).
Climate and Historical Hydropattern
The tectonic setting of the I(lamath watershed exerts primary control
over its irregular distribution of precipitation. The uplift of the Cascaclia
fore-arc ancI the formation of the Cascade volcanic arc have proclucecI an
important rain shaclow in the upper basin ancI the Shasta Valley. The upper
watershed has a relatively low mean annual precipitation (27 in; Risley and
Laenen 1999), about half of which falls as snow. Precipitation in the lower
OCR for page 52
52
FISHES IN THE KLAMATH RIVER BASIN
watershed varies greatly ancI reaches as much as 100 infer in the temperate
rain forest close to the coast. The rapicI uplift of the fore-arc has proclucecI
a series of steep mountain ranges with strong orographic effects. Where
mountain ranges exceed 5,000 ft above sea level, they maintain large winter
ancI spring snowpacks in wet years ancI are associated with very high
amounts of runoff cluring warm winter storms.
Annual runoff, as measured near the mouth of the I(lamath River, is
approximately 13 x 106 acre-ft. The upper watershed above Iron Gate
Dam, which comprises about 38% of the total watershed area, provides
only 12% of the annual runoff of the watershed. The low yielcis from the
upper watershed are a product of its location in the rain shaclow of the
Cascades, its low relief, anti its extensive marshes ancI lakes that increase
hyciraulic retention times. In contrast, the tributaries of the lower water-
shecI dominate the total runoff of the I(lamath watershed. Their high runoff
stems from their high relief ancI the orographic influence of the Coast
Ranges, Trinity Alps, anti the Marble, Salmon, anti Russian mountains. For
example, one relatively small tributary, the Salmon River, supplies runoff
about equal to that of the entire upper watershed, but from less than one-
fifth of the area (Table 2-1~.
TABLE 2-1 Runoff, YielcI, anti Basin Areas for the I(lamath Watershecia
Ratio of
Average Average
Annual Runoff to
Runoff, Drainage
1,000 Drainage Runoff, Drainage Area,
Location acre-ft Area, mi2 % Area, % acre-ft/mi2
Klamath River below Iron
Gate Dam 1,581 4,630 12 38 341
Shasta River near mouth 136 793 1 7 172
Scott River at mouth 615 808 5 7 761
Other tributaries 615 709 5 5 867
Klamath River below
Scott River 3,020 6,940 23 57 435
Indian Creek at mouth 360 135 3 1 2,667
Salmon River at mouth 1,330 750 10 6 1,773
Other tributaries 1,350 650 10 5 1,500
Klamath River at Orleans 6,060 8,475 47 70 715
Trinity River at Hoopa 3,787 2,950 29 24 1,283
Other tributaries 3,021 675 23 6 4,476
Klamath River at mouth 12,868 12,100 100 100 1,109
aData compiled from reports of the California Division of Water Resources 2002, represent-
ing average current conditions (including depletion caused by consumptive use) and gage
records of the U.S. Geological Survey. Periods of record for data vary by site from 22 to 50
yr, principally between 1951 and the present, and include both pre- and post-Trinity River
Diversion operations.
OCR for page 53
LAND USE AND WATER MANAGEMENT
53
The hyciropattern, or timing of runoff, varies throughout the water-
shecI. Seasonal runoff from the upper watershed is regulatecI by the long
anti complex transport pathways in the basin anti, historically, by the natu-
ral buffering effect of overflow into the Lost River anti Lower Klamath anti
Tule lakes.
Uncler unregulatecI conditions, peak runoff from the upper watershed
wouicI typically occur in April anti decrease graclually to minimums in late
August or early September. Flow regulation anti lancI-use activities in the
upper basin have alterecI the hyciropattern. Unlike the upper basin, the
lower Klamath basin exhibits two potential flow peaks, clepencling on the
water year. Subtropical storms strike the Klamath watershed with high
frequency from late December to early March anti are responsible for all
peak ciaily discharges in the Klamath main stem anti its tributaries. The
short hyciraulic retention times of the tributaries to the lower Klamath
basin enhance the effect of these storms. The second anti more preclictable
flow peaks are associated with spring snowmelt. The timing of the snow-
melt pulse varies, but it usually occurs in April. Historically, the clecline in
flow from the tributaries to the lower basin was graclual anti reached mini-
mums in September. During the low-flow periods in the late summer or
early fall when no precipitation occurs, spring-fecI tributaries such as the
Shasta River anti flow from the upper basin constitute the bulk of base flow
in the main stem of the lower basin.
Even the Trinity, the largest annual contributor of runoff to the Kla-
math, historically proviclecI very little flow in the late summer anti early fall.
AQUATIC ENVIRONMENTS IN THE UPPER KLAMATH BASIN
The upper Klamath basin encompasses about 5,700 mi2 (USER 2000a).
Major lakes in the upper Klamath basin inclucle Upper Klamath Lake (now
67,000 acres at maximum lake elevation), Lower Klamath Lake (historical
maximum area, 94,000 acres; now about 4,700 acres), Tule Lake (histori-
cal maximum area, 110,000 acres; now 9,450-13,000 acres), Clear Lake,
anti Gerber Reservoir (see Chapter 31.
Upper Klamath Lake, now the largest water body in the Klamath basin,
receives most of its water from the Williamson anti WoocI rivers. The
Williamson River watershed consists of two subbasins cirainecI by the
Williamson anti Sprague rivers. The Williamson River arises in the Winema
National Forest, flows to the north through Klamath Marsh, anti turns
south to Upper Klamath Lake. The Sprague River arises in the Fremont
National Forest anti flows westward to connect with the Williamson River
just below the Chiloquin Dam (Figure 1-11. The Sycan River, a major
tributary of the Sprague, cirains much of the northeastern portion of the
watershed. Both the Williamson anti Sprague subbasins are primarily for-
OCR for page 54
54
FISHES IN THE KLAMATH RIVER BASIN
estecI (about 70°/O). Other important lancI-cover types are shrub ancI grass-
lancI (14%), agriculture (6%~' ancI wetiancI (6%; BoycI et al. 20021. The
Williamson ancI Sprague together provide over half the water reaching
Upper I(lamath Lake (I(ann ancI Walker 20011.
The WoocI River is the second largest source of water (16%) for Upper
I(lamath Lake (I(ann ancI Walker 20011. Annie ancI Sun creeks join to form
the WoocI River. The watershed cirains an area northeast of Upper I(lamath
Lake ancI extends from the southern base of the mountains that surround
Crater Lake to the confluence of the WoocI River with Upper I(lamath Lake
by way of the northern arm (Figure 1-3), which is often callecI Agency Lake.
Although primarily forested, the WoocI River has extensive agricultural
lancis ancI wetiancis. The balance of the water reaching Upper I(lamath
Lake is clerivecI from clirect precipitation on the lake ancI flows from springs,
small streams, irrigation canals, ancI agricultural pumps.
Before clevelopment of the I(lamath Project, Lower I(lamath Lake (Fig-
ure 1-3) was often larger than Upper I(lamath Lake. Flows from the I(la-
math River, supplementecI by springs around the lake, supported a complex
of wetiancis ancI open water covering approximately 80,000-94,000 acres
in the spring, cluring high water, ancI 30,000-40,000 acres in late summer.
The open water proviclecI habitat for suckers, ancI the variable combination
of open water ancI marsh created important habitat for migratory bircis
along the Pacific Flyway, making it one of the most important aquatic
complexes for waterfowl in the West. By 1924, however, clevelopment of
the I(lamath Project eliminatecI more than 90°/O of its open water ancI
marsh. Only about 4,700 acres of open water ancI wetiancI remain. Drain-
ing the lake lecI to the extirpation of sucker populations that hacI been in the
lake (USER 2002a), ancI also eliminatecI much of the habitat suitable for
waterfowl ancI other bircis.
Connections between the I(lamath River ancI Lower I(lamath Lake
were severed by clevelopment, which changed the hycirology of both the
lake ancI the river in ways that are not entirely clear. Before 1917, when
railroacI construction blockecI the I(lamath Straits, "water flowecI from
Upper I(lamath Lake, through the Link River into Lake Ewauna, ancI then
into the I(lamath River. Between Lake Ewauna ancI I(eno, the river mean-
clerecI through a flat, marshy country" (Henshaw anti Dean 1915, p. 655)
for about 20 mi before clescencling over a natural rock barrier that
stretched across the river at I(eno. "Water in the river perioclically backecI
up behind the reef at I(eno anti spreacI out upstream, flowing into Lower
I(lamath Lake through I(lamath Straits" (Weciclell 2000, p. 11. Today,
connectivity between Lower I(lamath Lake ancI the rest of the basin is
limitecI to water pumped through Sheepy Ricige from Tule Lake ancI water
from irrigation channels that leacI to the I(eno impoundment (USFWS
2001, Figure 1-21.
OCR for page 55
LAND USE AND WATER MANAGEMENT
55
Before the I(lamath Project, the lake ancI wetiancis probably retained
substantial amounts of early spring precipitation ancI some of the high
flow of the river. "By storing ancI subsequently releasing this water into the
river, Lower I(lamath Lake wouicI have augmented the effects of grouncI-
water in shifting the I(lamath River hycirograph to the river" (Weciclell
2000, p.71. Lower I(lamath Lake was "neither an undrained basin nor a
thoroughly cirainecI floociplain. At times, its waters flowecI into the Pacific
Ocean via the I(lamath River, yet this drainage was only partial" (Weciclell
2000, p.81.
Before 1924, suckers appear to have been abundant in Lower I(lamath
Lake, even after its connection to the river was severed in 1917. Suckers
migrated into the lake from Sheepy Creek, a spring-fecI tributary on the
western ecige of the lake, in numbers large enough to support a fishery
(Coots 1965, cited in USFWS 20011.
Before the I(lamath Project, Tule Lake (Figure 1-3) varied from 55,000
to over 100,000 acres, averaging about 95,000 acres (making it often larger
than Upper I(lamath Lake). Like Lower I(lamath Lake, Tule Lake was
connected seasonally to the I(lamath River. During periods of high runoff,
water from the I(lamath River flowecI into the Lost River slough ancI clown
the Lost River to Tule Lake. The direction of the river's flow is now cleter-
minecI by operators of the I(lamath Project, clepencling on irrigation neecis.
Most of the former becI of Tule Lake has been cirainecI for agriculture,
leaving about 9,450-13,000 acres of shallow lake ancI marsh.
The fluctuation in surface area of Tule Lake afforclecI by its connections
to the I(lamath River may have been critical in maintaining the high aquatic
productivity of Tule Lake ancI its wetiancis (ILM 20001. Tule marshes on
the north ancI west sicles of the lake supported populations of colonial
nesting water bircis ancI summer resident waterfowl. The large fish popula-
tions in the lake supported what was probably the largest concentration of
nesting osprey in North America (ILM 20001. Much of the historical vari-
ability in lake ancI marsh habitats has been lost as a result of management.
Nevertheless, well into the 1960s ancI early 1970s, Tule Lake National
WilcIlife Refuge was consiclerecI the most important waterfowl refuge in
North America; cluck populations exceeclecI 2.5 million at their peaks. Sil-
tation causecI by agriculture ancI loss of wetiancI productivity has occurred
in the last several clecacles, however, ancI waterfowl populations have cle-
clined (ILM 20001.
Historically, suckers in Tule Lake ancI the Lost River were abundant
enough to support cannery operations along the Lost River (USFWS 20011.
After the I(lamath Project cirainecI most of Tule Lake for agriculture ancI
diversion clams of the project blockecI the access of suckers to spawning
areas in the Lost River, sucker populations cleclinecI substantially (Scop-
pettone et al. 1995, USER 2002a).
OCR for page 56
56
FISHES IN THE KLAMATH RIVER BASIN
The hycirology of Tule Lake anti of the I(lamath River first changed in
1890, when settlers built a clike across the Lost River slough in an attempt
to protect lancis near Tule Lake from floocling (USFWS 20011. The clike
prevented I(lamath River flooc~waters from overflowing into the Lost River
drainage ancI ultimately draining into Tule Lake. As is the case with respect
to Lower I(lamath Lake, the amount of water that flowecI from the I(la-
math River into Tule Lake ancI the effect of this overflow on the historical
hycirograph of the I(lamath River are unclear. Estimates of historical I(la-
math River flows are clerivecI from measurements recorclecI before Lower
I(lamath Lake was clisconnectecI from the I(lamath River, but the measure-
ments were taken after Tule Lake was clisconnectecI from the river.
The Lost River cirains Clear Lake ancI flows north toward the I(lamath
River (Figure 1-31. The structure ancI hycirology of the Lost River have been
highly moclifiecI by the I(lamath Project. Historically, the Lost River was con-
nectecI to the I(lamath River cluring periods of high flow via the Lost River
slough. There is now no clirect outlet to the I(lamath River, although diversion
canals can be used to sencI water into the I(lamath Project (Figure 1-21.
Aquatic habitats have been moclifiecI throughout the upper I(lamath
basin, but the Lost River watershed has been particularly alterecI by clevel-
opment of the I(lamath Project. The Lost River, once a major spawning site
for suckers, today supports few suckers (Chapter 61. According to the U.S.
Fish ancI WilcIlife Service (USFWS), the Lost River "can perhaps be best
characterized as an irrigation water conveyance, rather than a river. Flows
are completely regulatecI, it has been channelizecI in one 6-ml reach, its
riparian habitats ancI adjacent wetiancis are highly moclifiecI, ancI it receives
significant discharges from agricultural cirains ancI sewage effluent. The
active floociplain is no longer functioning except in very high water concli-
tions" (USFWS 2001, III-2-241. New lakes have been created ancI oicI lakes
cirainecI, new waterways have been clug ancI oicI rivers turned into irrigation
clitches, anti new sucker habitat has been created while original sucker habi-
tat has been eraclicatecI.
Before 1910, a natural lake, marsh, ancI meaclow complex occupied
what is now Clear Lake (Figure 1-31. Water from this lake cirainecI into the
Lost River ancI then to Tule Lake (USER 2000a). In most years, the Lost
River below the present Clear Lake clam ran ciry from lune through Octo-
ber. To hoicI back flooc~waters from Tule Lake ancI store seasonal runoff for
irrigation later in the season, a clam was constructed at Clear Lake in 1910,
impounding the waters of the Lost River ancI creating a larger lake.
Where Gerber Reservoir now stancis (Figure 1-3), 3,500 acres of sea-
sonal wetiancis existed before the I(lamath Project, but there was no lake.
Construction of Gerber Reservoir in 1926 for floocI control ancI irrigation
created new sucker habitat ancI a population of suckers persists there (USER
2002b, Chapter 51.
OCR for page 84
84
FISHES IN THE KLAMATH RIVER BASIN
period, employment in California increased by 211%' anti U.S. employ-
ment by 180%. As in the upper basin, the composition of the regional
economy changed substantially over this time. A summary of the changes is
proviclecI in Table 2-8. In the lower basin, the sectors that grew most were
construction anti services. The share of jobs in construction grew from
2.9% to 5.4% of the total; jobs in services grew from 16.6% to 29.9%.
Moclest growth occurred in agricultural services, forestry, fishing, anti other;
retail tracle; anti finance, insurance, anti real estate. Employment cleclinecI in
the mining, manufacturing, anti military sectors. Lower than average growth
occurred in the farming, transportation anti public utilities, wholesale tracle,
anti fecleral civilian sectors.
Table 2-9 gives estimates of some basic economic indicators anti their
distribution among sectors for 1998. This table, which is basecI on ciata
from Minnesota Implan Group's Input-Output IMPLAN Moclel, varies
slightly from Table 2-8' which is basecI solely on Bureau of Economic
Analysis ciata. The sectors with the largest shares of output in 1998 were
com bine cI wo o cI pro clucts inclu cling fore stry anti logging an cI manufactur-
ing wood products, etc. (19.8%~' construction (8.4%~' retail trade (6.8%~'
anti combined agriculture inclucling agriculture, fishing anti relatecI anti
manufacturing foocI, etc. (6.5%~. The four sectors with the largest shares
of value added were wood products (12.4%~' retail trade (10.4%~' educa-
tional services (9.8%~' anti health care anti social assistance (9.4%~.
Retail trade (12.8%~' educational services (12.2%~' and health care
anti social assistance (11.8%) hacI the greatest shares of jobs in the economy.
As noted for the upper-basin economy, output, value aciclecI, anti em-
ployment measures indicate the magnitude anti distribution of economic
activity among sectors in a region. The magnitude of economic activity in a
sector, however, cloes not necessarily reflect the extent to which the sector
. . . . . .
sustains economic activity In t ne region.
Table 2-10 summarizes the contribution of each sector to total regional
employment, anti is based on an analysis that used the Lower I(lamath
Basin Input-Output Moclel, which was clevelopecI for this report. The jobs
uncler the sectoral employment columns are within the sector, whereas the
jobs in the export-clepenclent columns are from all sectors that clepencI on
the exports from a sector. For example, there were 5~017 jobs in the con-
struction sector but 6~941 jobs in the region clepenclecI on construction
exports (for example, builcling homes for retirees from outside the region or
construction roacis for fecleral or state governments). Of those, 3~886 jobs
clepenclecI clirectly on the exports of construction services from the region;
these jobs were relatecI to direct purchases from construction firms from
househoicI, firms, anti governments outside the region. In aciclition, 1,687
jobs clepenclecI inclirectly on construction exports; these jobs were created
when construction firms purchased inputs (for example, builcling materials)
OCR for page 85
85
be
At
o
-
Q
1
~9
_
Cal
Cad
Cad
Cad
so
At
At
._
A
Cad
-
C~
so
5
5
so
~0
o
-
o
-
Q
\
o
1
\
o
No
or
so
o
U)
~ ~ ~ - 1 ~ ~ O ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ of ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
- 1 - 1 ~ ~ - 1 ~ ~ ~ ~ - 1 on of ~ - 1 of O
- 1 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ O ~ O ~ - 1
1 r-1 1 ~ ~ r-1 1
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ r-1 00 ~ ~ r-1 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ r-1 ~ 00 r-1 00
Do ~ ~ ~ O O of ~ oo ~ O ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 0 - 1 - 1 - 1
O ~ ~ r-1 ~ 00 r-1 ~ ~ 1 ~1 ~ ~1 ~ 00 ~ O 00 r-1 0
oo ~ ~ ~ ~ r-1
- 1 ~ ~ ~ - 1 1 ~ 1
O ~ ~ ~ - 1 oo - 1
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
O ~ ~ ~ - 1 - 1 ~ oo ~ O ~ ~ ~ - 1 oo ~ ~ oo ~ 0
O ~ r~ 1 ~ ~ ~ r-1
- 1 oo ~ ~ oo 0 - 1 oo ~ O ~ ~
- 1 - 1 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ oo
r-1 oO ~ ~ ~ 00 r-1 00
~ ~ ~ ~ oo - 1 ~ ~ - 1
oo ~ ~ ~ oo ~
oo oo oo ~ ~ ~ ~
O ~ ~ - 1
~ ~l ~
~1
0 - 1 oo ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ - 1 ~ O O ~ ~ ~ ~ O ~ O ~
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
O ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ - 1 0 - 1 ~ ~ - 1 ~ ~ ~ 0 - 1
O oo ~ ~ ~ ~ r-1 ~ ~ r-1 ~
~ ~ O ~ ~ ~ O O ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ - 1 ~ O ~ ~ oo
O ~ ~ ~ r-1 ~ ~ oc ~ O r-1 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ O ~ O
oo r-1 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ r-1 ~ ~ ~ 00 0
O oo ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ r~ 1 ~ ~ r-1 00
u~
E~
=0 ~
~ ~7
O ~ ~
_ ~ ~ /
~ _~ ~ , , ~ ~ D ~ _
E~ ~ ~
OCR for page 86
86
of
_
Do
_
Cal
Cal
Cal
Cal
so
an
o
._
an
o
-
Q
Cal
A
¢
At
5
-
5
Q
5
a
-
so
Cal
U)
Cal
o
D
¢ .0
_
,0
O ~
so
o
U)
~ ~ O ~ ~ r-1 ~ ~ ~ O ~ 00 oO ~
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
~ O ~ ~ ~ ~ O ~ ~ ~ rat 1 ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ on ~ - 1 ~ O
. . . . . . . . .
DO ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ r-1 ~ O
O ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ - 1 - 1 ~ O O
~ ~ ~ ~ oo ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ r-1 00 oO ~ ~ ~ r-1 oO ~ ~ ~ ~ r-1
O O ~ - 1 ~ ~ ~ 00 ~ ~ ~ 00 ~ ~ ~ - 1 ~ ~ 00 ~ ~ -
- 1 - 1 0 ~ - 1 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ - 1 0 ~ ~
00
O ~ ~
. . . . . .
~ O ~ ~ - 1 0
~ ~ o ~
oo ~ oo ~
~ - 1
. . . .
~ ~ ~ O oo ~ ~ ~ ~ - 1 0 oo ~ ~ ~ oo - 1 0
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
O ~ ~ ~ ~ O ~ ~ oo ~ - 1 0 0 ~ - 1 ~ ~ O
0 - 1 ~ oo
oo - 1
- 1 0
. . . . .
~ ~ ~ ~ ~1
~ ~ ~ ~1
. . . .
~ ~ ~ oo
~ ~ ~ ~l
~ oo ~ ~
. . . .
~ ~ ~l ~
oo ~ ~ o
. . . .
~ ~ oo o
oo ~l ~
~ ~1
- 1 - 1 ~ ~ ~ ~ - 1 - 1 ~ ~ ~ oo ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ oo ~ ~ - 1 0 0 0
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
O oo ~ ~ ~ 0 - 1 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ - 1 0 0 oo - 1 ~ ~ O
~ ~ oo ~ ~
o o ~ ~ ~
. . . . .
~ ~ ~ - 1 0
oo ~ ~ oo
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ o ~ oo o ~ oo ~ oo ~
r-1 00 ~ r-1 ~ ~ ~ 00 ~ ~ ~ r-1
O O ~ ~ - 1 ~ ~ ~ - 1 - 1 - 1
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
~ - 1 ~ oo O ~ ~ oo ~ ~ - 1
oo ~ ~l ~ o oo ~ o ~ oo ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ - 1 ~ ~ ~ - 1 - 1 ~ - 1
c~
c~
- ~
~ s~
c~ ~ ~
- s~
.
~ Q ~
(~! C~
c~^ Q ~ bL)
bL) ~
O . _
s~ ~ O ~
O
s~ ~ Q ~ s~
~ C~
~ ~ ~ O ~ ~ ~
C ~ 't,o ~ ~ ~ C
5 ', , D
— C · ~— ~ — ~— ~ ~ ~ —
—~ (~!
C~
n~
C~
._
bC
. ~
C~ C~
C~
0 _
C~
. _ .
=~ e ~
_
O
C~
~ ¢ ~ ~
0 00 ~ - ) O
. . . . .
- 1 ~ ~ oo O
- 1 - 1
~ ~ ~ ~1
O C~
O t)
s~
~ _
C~
·— .O
s~
O
Q ~ c~ <~ ~
Q ~ _ ~ ._
~ ~ ~ .o ~ ~
C~ ._ ~
~ C O C U ~ O
t) s~
~ ~ . ~ ~ ~ . _
C ~ ~ ~r _ _ C c. _ C
OCR for page 87
OCR for page 89
OCR for page 90
OCR for page 91
OCR for page 92
OCR for page 93
OCR for page 94
Representative terms from entire chapter:
ilamath river
87
- o
Q
Q
sit
O
Q
.. 0^
.= _
Cal
Cal ~
_
~ O
3 ~
so
o
At
o
-
Q
an
Cal
Cal
so
o
of
¢
Do
X
Ct
E-°
. ~
._
\
o
o
.
o
o
-
oo ~ ~ ~ - 1 ~ O ~ 0 - 1 oo O O ~ ~ - 1 ~ 0 - 1 0
To ~ ~ - 1 ~ 0 - 1 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ O ~ ~ - 1
o
r-1
- 1 ~ O ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ O ~ ~ ~ C
~ ~ oo ~ ~ r-1 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ O r-1 ~ 00 r-1 ~ O O
oo oo ~ ~ ~ ~ oo r-1 ~ ~ ~ ~ r-1 00 ~ r~ 1 ~ 00 ~ ~
~ ~ O ~ ~ r-1 ~ ~ ~ O ~ 00 00 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 00 ~ r-1 ~ O O O
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
O ~ ~ ~ ~ O ~ ~ ~ r~ 1 ~ ~ ~ oO ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ r-1 ~ O O O
~ ~ ~ O
~1 ~1 ~O~o ~ 1 ~ ~n00ol
~ ~ ~ ~ oo ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ r-1 00 oO ~ ~ ~ r-1 oO ~ ~ ~ ~ r-1
O O ~ r-1 ~ ~ ~ 00 ~ ~ ~ oO ~ ~ ~ r-1 ~ ~ 00 ~ ~ r-1
~ ~ ~ ~ - 1 - 1 0 ~ - 1 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ - 1 0
~ ~ 00
S~
C~
~C
. _ S~
~ Q ~
c~
O ~ ~ .=
O u _ 5 u
Ci ~~70 ~ -~~
U — _ — U
~L ~_5c~53_~$;c<
88
FISHES IN THE KLAMATH RIVER BASIN
from firms within the region and when the suppliers purchased from other
businesses in the region.
Another 1,368 jobs were induced by exports of wood products; these
fobs were in sectors like retail trade, real estate, and health care that were
created when households respent income earned in all the jobs generated
directly and indirectly by exports of wood products. The spending and
responding of money brought into the region by exports of construction
generated a total of 6,941 jobs.
Table 2-10 shows that the lower-basin economy depends on the natu-
ral-resources sectors, although not to the same extent as that of the upper
basin. The combined agricultural sectors support 6.3% of the region's
jobs, and the combined wood products sectors support 13.9%. Together,
these two natural-resources sectors make up about 20.2% of the lower-
basin economy. In the upper basin, the agricultural sector supports 14%
of the region's jobs, and wood products supports 12.5%, for a total of
about 27% of the economy. Table 2-10 also identifies the dependence of
the lower-basin regional economy on four other sectors that often are the
focus of local economic development efforts, particularly in rural econo-
mies oriented to natural resources. Specifically, these are the sectors that
include substantial activity related to tourism associated with visitors
from outside the region, such as retail trade, accommodation and food
services, other services, and arts, entertainment, and recreation, which
together contribute 12.5% of the export employment base (slightly more
than in the upper basin). Still, these tourism sectors remain primarily
service sectors. For example, the retail-trade sector's share of sectoral
employment is 12.8%, and it provides just 3.8% of the export employ-
ment base.
The lower basin's employment, like the upper basin's, depends heavily
on income to households. Household income from government transfer
payments (such as social security), dividends, commuters' income, rental
payments, and other sources of income originating outside the basin is the
most Important part of the export base. In 1998,17,191 jobs, or 20.7%,
depended on those payments.
The dependence of the basin's economy on federal and state govern-
ment and educational institutions is also evident in Table 2-10. Almost one-
fourth of the jobs in the region depend on federal and state funding for
services, such as education and other public services. Public administration
supports 8.0% of all jobs in the basin; this sector includes federal and state
payments to local governments (such as federal payments in lieu of taxes,
federal forest payments, and state-shared cigarette and highway revenues)
and to government personnel (USES, USDA, and USFWS, for example).
State and federal funding for educational services plus tuition payments by
nonresidents support 14.9% of the region's jobs.
LAND USE AND WATER MANAGEMENT
89
Two important industries based on natural resources, agricultural crop
ancI livestock pro Suction ancI fisheries , are aggregate cI ancI summarize cI in
the tables as the agriculture, fishing, ancI relatecI sector. Because they are
both so strongly affected by water resources in the I(lamath basin, some
aciclitional review of these industries follows.
Using the same definition of a farm as in the upper basin, there were
974 farms in the lower I(lamath basin in 1997' that is about 40% of the
number of farms in the upper basin (Table 2-111. As noted in the discussion
regarding the upper basin, farms inclucle many places that clo not clepencI
on their farm operations as their major source of income. IncleecI, as shown
in Table 2-11' 35% of farm operators work more than 200 ciays/yr off the
farm, ancI only 51% consider farming their primary occupation. Fewer
than half the farms (45%) have more than $10,000 in annual sales. Farms
averaged 653 acres; 39.5% hacI some irrigation ancI 3.7% of the region's
farmiancI is irrigated. Over half the farms (61%) are sole proprietorships,
ancI 72% are operated by the person living on the farm. About one-thircI of
the farms (35%) hire farm workers. The average annual pay per hirecI farm
worker was $6~754. Thus, the number of farm workers in the lower basin
is about one-thircI the number in the upper basin, but the average pay per
worker is greater in the lower basin. About half (44%) the 2~183 farm
workers worked 150 or more clays in 1997.
Net cash returns per farm from agricultural sales in the lower I(lamath
basin averaged $23~016 ancI were similar to those of the upper basin
($21~323) in 1997. Net cash returns equals the value of agricultural procI-
ucts soicI minus operating expenses (not inclucling depreciation. Very few
farms (3.1%) received government payments in 1997' which averaged
$2~000.
Table 2-12 reports the value of agricultural production by commodity
for each of the counties in the lower I(lamath basin ancI for the region. The
regional value of total agricultural production in 1998 was estimated to be
$114 million, compared with $283 million in the upper basin. Dairy ancI
nursery products are the principal agricultural products of the region, to-
gether accounting for 75.6% of the value of agricultural-commoclity pro-
cluction. Cattle ancI livestock products are also important; they account for
13.7% of the value of agricultural commodity production.
Fishing is an important part of the culture of the lower-basin culture
ancI the economy. Table 2-13 provides information on catch ancI value for
the fishing industry in 1997-2001. The catch information reflects only
ocean-relatecI commercial fishing, not fishing in rivers. The lower I(lamath
basin input-output mocle! explicitly considers ocean fishing in the agricul-
ture, fishing, ancI relatecI sectors because the catch is soicI clirectly for pro-
cessing or consumption. River fishing is incluclecI only inclirectly in the
moclel; that economic activity ancI other activities relatecI to fish in the
90
. -
c~
at
pa
at
~ -
o o
~ Em
.~= ~
at o
EM
At
At
At
At
At
Q
o
Cal
Cal
so
Cal
_
Cal
Cal
Cal
Cal
so
At
~0
o
Cal
. ~
Cal
._
so
Cal
so
Cal
_
o ~
C C
so
~ o
._
Cal
._
so
Cal
so
Cal
Cal
o ~ o
- , ~ =N Be, Be, ~ ~ Be,
o ~ ~ ~ o ~ o
of - 1
- 1 ~ - 1 - 1
- 1
oo
- 1
- 1 ~ - 1 0 - 1 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 0 - 1 oo ~ oo ~ ~ oo O ~ oo
r-1 ~ ~ ~ oO ~ O ~ r-1 00 ~ ~ ~ ~ 00
- 1 0 - 1 ~ ~ - 1 ~ O ~ ~ ~
~ - ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
oo ~ r-1 ~ ~ r
~ 1
r-1 00 00 ~ ~ O ~ O O
O ~ ~ 0 - 1
~, ~ ~ r',
~ ~ ~ ~ ~1
oo ~ ~ ~ r-1
~ ~ ~ ~ o ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
- 1
~ oo ~
- 1 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ O O 0 - 1 oo - 1 ~ ~ ~ ~ O O
O O ~ - 1 - 1 ~ - 1
- 1 ~ ~ - 1 - 1 ~ ~ ~
~ ~ o ~ ~ ~ oo
~ ~l ~
o
- ~
.
O (d bL) ~ ~
o ~ · ~ ~ ~ o
5 cu ~ O u:
O ~ C~
· ~ ~ - - , — ~ ~ + o ~ ~ ~ '
D r ~ ~ ~ U C ~ O _ _ ,— _~ =2 ~ C ~ ~ A
e v
¢ ~ c ~ ~ ¢ 3. ¢ ~ c ~ ~ ~ ¢
c~
.
c~
c~
c~
o
o
o
~1
o
Q C,
bC ~
c~ _
,~ O
¢ ~
X
O
c~
c~ O
c~ O
O
~1
~ c~
~ c~
s~ ,L)
~ s~
s~
c~
c~ ~
~L) ·—
~ O
._ ._
bC . ~
¢ E-
o o
c~ ~
r-1
-1^
c~
c~
~L)
c~ ~
O ;>
c~
._
,=
0 - 1
O
._
5~ c~
O ~
¢
u~
-
. .
u~
LAND USE AND WATER MANAGEMENT
TABLE 2-12 Value of Agricultural Production in the Lower I(lamath
Basin, 1998
91
Value of Agricultural Production, $000
Commodity
Dairy
Nursery products
Cattle and livestock
products
Hay and pasture
Vegetables
Sheep, lambs, and wool 38
435
472
29,766
Del Norte Humboldt Trinity
up UP
Lp UP
Lower
13 asin
Total
Share of
Total
Value of
Production
o/
/o
10,578
13,322
3,495
1,351
75
Fruit and nuts
Other
Total
39,028
23,277
11,074
8,179
676
116
91
20
82,461
o
37
1,088
463
32
8
105
49
1,782
49,606
36,636
15,657
9,993
783
162
631
541
114,009
43.5
32.1
13.7
8.8
0.7
0.1
0.6
0.5
100.0
Source: California Agricultural Statistics Service.
I(lamath River main stem are reflectecI primarily in the tourism sectors.
Thus, the actual effects of fish migration through the I(lamath basin are
clifficult to estimate accurately. As Table 2-13 indicates, commercial fishing
hacI a value of $12.4 million in 2001, which was less than in prior years anti
continues to steaclily clecline.
In relative terms, commercial fishing accounts for about 10% of the
value of agriculture in the lower basin. The most valuable components of
the catch are grouncifish <$s.s million in 2001) and crab and lobster ($4.1
million in 20011. Salmon (Chinook) landings were valued at about $0.2
million in 2001.
The economic effects of eliminating or reducing any of the ocean fisher-
ies in the lower-basin economy can be calculatecI with the same procedure
used earlier to determine the export clepenclency indexes. Using the cletailecI
multi-sector version of the Lower I(lamath Basin Input-Output Moclel,
which is basecI on the 1998 IMPLAN moclel, to be consistent with the
upper basin analysis, the effect of removing all the salmon catch in 2001
($107,887), assuming that the catch is exported from the region, is a total
loss to the regional economy of $164,507. This effect, though relatively
small in comparison to the commercial fishing industry or the total regional
economy, clicI extend across 193 of the 204 sectors in the regional economy.
Commercial fishing has a multiplier of approximately 1.5 on both employ-
ment anti output in the region. Thus, for every clollar or job clirectly in-
volvecI in commercial fishing there is approximately another fifty cents or
92
FISHES IN THE KLAMATH RIVER BASIN
TABLE 2-13 Fisheries Characteristics of Ports of Eureka (Humboicit County)
and Crescent City (Del Norte County)
Round Pounds
Species
Group 1997 1998 1999 2000
Groundfish 16,246,794 13,888,084 12,036,198 10,116,024
Pacific whiting 13,958,624 12,614,230 2,881,997 10,988,772
Salmon (troll chinook) 16,675 26,450 34,500 26,450
Crab and lobster 6,454,585 7,425,668 7,122,922 4,764,952
Shrimp 12,441,711 1,460,207 3,658,543 2,170,063
Coastal pelagic 176,167 161,285 46,246 14,168
Highly migratory 2,222,487 727,022 647,952 823,779
Halibut 9,007 477 891 289
Sea urchins 63,624 2,357 36,532 3,735
Other 1,822,974 564,703 597,413 841,699
53,412,648 36,370,483 27,063,194 29,793,910
Source: Hans Radtke and Shannon Davis, unpublished.
half a job lost as suppliers or businesses that sell to those working in fishing,
or for the suppliers or businesses experiencing reclucecI sales. The current
economic effects of the commercial salmon catch may significantly uncler-
state the potential contribution of the salmon fishing to the economy of the
lower I(lamath basin. Salmon lanclings at the ports of Eureka anti Crescent
City have cleclinecI by more than 95°/O since the 1970s. If the average 1976-
1980 lanclings from the two ports of 2~547~000 rouncI Ib couicI be reached,
anti they were soicI at 2001 prices of $1.47 per Ib, the combined output
from the salmon fishery wouicI be $3~744~090. The estimated value-aciclecI
component of that level of output in 2001 clollars wouicI be $2~476~908.
Returning to that level of output wouicI require an estimated 67 direct jobs
in the commercial fishing sector. The multipliecI effect of these jobs on
commercial fishing to businesses that supply the fisheries sector anti from
househoicI expenditures in service sector businesses couicI be an aciclitional
30 jobs, for a total of 97 jobs. These estimates of the economic effects of
increased salmon harvest assume the catch is exported outside the region
anti that the effects are not reclucecI by changes that might be necessary to
achieve the increases (e.g., shifting water from irrigated agriculture to in-
crease stream flows).
In summary, the economics of the upper anti lower basins clisplay
characteristics common to many rural economies, inclucling heavy reliance
on natural resources sectors, such as agriculture ancI woocI products. To-
gether, the entire basin showed economic activity valuecI in 2002 at $10.5
billion. Of that, about 26% (or $2.7 billion) was clerivecI from sectors basecI
LAND USE AND WATER MANAGEMENT
93
Value (Nominal), $
2001 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001
8,708,018 9,309,576 6,615,305 6,308,414 6,631,668 5,461,928
5,081,398 581,399 391,780 115,275 764,851 170,967
73,600 21,298 41,427 61,577 42,795 107,887
1,719,814 11,132,662 12,193,371 13,210,063 9,403,268 4,073,747
3,447,869 5,020,462 951,542 1,982,483 1,172,213 1,236,641
148,548 93,398 39,260 11,365 7,879 52,975
1,414,603 1,870,065 764,542 630,488 841,564 1,155,138
8 17,866 790 1,669 723 16
22,595 35,352 825 26,438 3,224 12,279
388,929 509,044 227,912 217,430 262,536 138,378
21,005,382 28,591,122 21,226,754 22,565,202 19,130,721 12,409,956
on natural resources. Reliance on such sectors is slowly cleclining across
both the upper ancI lower basins.
OVERVIEW
The I(lamath basin is exceptionally diverse geomorphically because it
has been strongly influencecI by both crustal movement ancI volcanism.
Geomorphic diversity in the basin has proclucecI a wicle variety of aquatic
habitats, inclucling extensive wetiancis, large shallow lakes, swiftly flowing
main-stem waters, ancI various tributary conditions. The watershed is not
clensely populatecI but shows strong anthropogenic influences of several
kinds. Management of water for irrigation, which has been in progress for
more than a century, has alterecI the basic environmental conditions for
aquatic life, inclucling the hycirographic features of flowing waters, the
distribution ancI extent of wetiancis, ancI the extent ancI physical character-
istics of the lakes that were founcI originally in the basin. Of the total
economic activity in the I(lamath basin ($10.5 billion), about 26% is cle-
rivecI from natural resources, inclucling mostly agriculture, woocI products,
ancI ocean fishing. Irrigation ancI agricultural practices have blockecI or
clivertecI fish from migration pathways, causecI adverse warming of waters,
ancI augmented nutrient transport from lancI to water. Commercial fishing
also has left a mark through clepletecI stocks of some species anti, although
now controllecI, may have hacI legacy effects that are clifficult to reverse.
Timber harvest ancI mining along tributaries have causecI, ancI in some cases
94
FISHES IN THE KLAMATH RIVER BASIN
continue to cause, severe physical impairment of aquatic habitats. Although
aquatic habitats now are regarclecI as valuable for the maintenance of native
species, remecliation of ciamage to habitat presents great clifficulties because
of the extent anti diversity of changes that have occurred in the basin over
the last century.
