DOCSLIB.ORG

Life History, Status, and Distribution of Klamath River Chinook Salmon

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Life History, Status, and Distribution of Klamath River Chinook Salmon S. D. G. Life History, Status, and Distribution of Klamath River Chinook Salmon By Jafet Andersson INTRODUCTION The Klamath River Basin on the Oregon-California border is a diverse, unusual and important watershed (Figure 1). It is diverse in its geology, climate and vegetation; unusual in its geomorphology, and important from aspects as diverse as supporting endangered fish species, providing for American Indian tribes, and supplying farmers with water for irrigation. Geomorphologically, the basin stretches from high desert in the Upper Basin (above the Iron Gate Dam) characterised by large natural lakes and low relief, to the mountainous Lower Basin characterised by steeper terrain and higher topographic complexity. The Scott River watershed in specific has bedrock dominated upper reaches, a central alluvial valley, a west side with steep-gradient tributaries, an east side with low-gradient tributaries and a steep bedrock gorge just above the junction with the Klamath main stem [refer to (Sanchez, 2003) in this volume for more detail]. The mountainous Lower Basin interacts with the meteorological conditions dominated by Pacific storms to produce the characteristic spatial climate distribution in the region. The further from the ocean, the lower the precipitation as water is successively released (mostly as snow) over the mountains in the west. This pattern influences the densely forested Scott River watershed in that the west side is much more moist than the valley and the east side. The hydrograph is snowmelt dominated with the bulk of the discharge being released in the spring [refer to (Anderson, 2003 and Chambers, 2003) in this volume for more detail]. There are 19 native and 13 alien fish species in the Lower Klamath Basin (Mount and Moyle, 2003). Nearly all native species spend some of their life in salt water while most alien species are entirely freshwater based. Important fishes of the Lower Klamath include the federally recognised threatened coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch), the declining steelhead (O. mykiss) and the largest and most abundant salmonid, the chinook salmon (O. tshawytscha). Due to the importance of anadromous1 fishes for tribal, sport and commercial fisheries there has been extensive support for restoration of these fish populations. Although focus has centred on the threatened coho, long-term holistic management of all native species Page 1 of 21 J. C. M. Andersson May 5, 2003 is needed to prevent additional species of being threatened, and to consider - at times counterintuitive - ecosystem interactions. For this purpose, the natural history of the chinook salmon (with focus on the Lower Klamath Basin above the Trinity River confluence) is reviewed in terms of its life history (the developmental history of an organism from birth to death) and status (the population size and spatial distribution in a temporal perspective). Figure 1. The Klamath River Basin ( source Klamath Basin fish and Water Management Symposium, http://www.humboldt.edu/~extended/klamath/klamathmap.html) 1 Anadromous fish spawn in freshwater but migrate to the sea and spend their adult life in the ocean Page 2 of 21 J. C. M. Andersson May 5, 2003 LIFE HISTORY Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) is an anadromous fish with a broad range of life history patterns. In general, it is characterised by a life cycle that begins in freshwater where the eggs are laid, where the alevins emerge and where the fry rear until they metamorphose into smolts (smoltification) in preparation for their ocean life as adults in the sea. The cycle is completed as the spawning adults migrate back into the rivers to lay their eggs (Healey, 1991). In the Klamath River Basin, there are, broadly speaking, two distinct chinook populations: the spring run2 and the fall run. Moyle (2002) indicates that a late fall run may also have existed, but it is either poorly documented or extinct. For management purposes, the National Marine Fisheries Services (NMFS) recognises two populations: the Southern Oregon and Coastal California ESU3 (including the Klamath chinook below the Trinity River confluence) and the Upper Klamath and Trinity Rivers ESU (including both the fall run and the spring run chinook salmon from the Klamath River based on their genetic similarity; Myers et al., 1998). The distinct differences between the spring run and the fall run life histories may, however, merit a managerial differentiation (Moyle, 2002). The spring run differ from the fall run in that the adults enter the river before they are ready to spawn and reside in deep pools for 2-4 months before they spawn whereas the fall run adults spawn closely after they reach their spawning destination (Moyle, 2002). In addition, the spring run juveniles remain in the streams for a year or longer before their seaward migration (from which the term "stream-type" originates), whereas the fall run juveniles are generally less than a year old before they migrate to the sea (from which the term "ocean-type" originates) (Healey, 1991). The spring run juveniles are, furthermore, more territorial due to their larger size resulting from their relatively longer pool residence time in comparison with the fall run juveniles (Moyle, 2002). Below follows a discussion of the different life history stages of chinook salmon with particular focus on general timing and habitat requirements for each stage. Egg An adult female lays between 2,000 and 17,000 eggs (averaging about 9 mm in diameter) depending, in part, on female size and geographic position such that larger females lay more eggs and females at lower latitudes lay fewer eggs (Healey, 1991; Myers et al., 1998).The 2 A run is a large group of fish migrating in order to spawn Page 3 of 21 J. C. M. Andersson May 5, 2003 eggs are laid down in a gravel spawning bed - also known as a redd - at the head of a riffle in several depressions created during a few days of digging by the female. At the time of deposition, usually more than one male release their sperm into the depressions which are subsequently covered by gravel (Allen and Hassler, 1986). Eggs are incubated for about 30 days in the fall and winter before they hatch (Nawa and Frissell, 1993). Figure 2. Chinook salmon egg (source Columbia Environmental Research Centre: http://www.cerc.cr.usgs.gov) Redds vary greatly in water depth, water velocity and depth of gravel overlaying the eggs (e.g. 5-720 cm, 10-189 cms-1, and 10-80 cm respectively), such that meaningful averages are hard to establish (Healey, 1991). Sub-gravel flow does, however, seem to be of overriding importance in the choice of redd site because of its role of bringing oxygen to and removing metabolic waste from the eggs (Allen and Hassler, 1986). It has been suggested that chinook eggs are more sensitive than other Pacific salmons to low sub-gravel flows due to the high surface-to-volume ratio of their relatively large eggs that thus require higher rates of oxygenation (Healey, 1991). Silver et al. (1963) noted that, at least at about 11ºC, oxygen levels during incubation were influencing the size of chinook at hatching even near oxygen saturation. A study conducted at Mill Creek, California indicated that mortality increased rapidly as oxygen concentration decreased (3.9% at 13 ppm and 37.9% at less than 5 ppm respectively) presumably because of decreased water flows through the gravel (Gangmark and Bakkala, 1960). The water flow through the gravel is affected by depth of water above it since more water increases the hydraulic head (the pressure) in the gravel (Allen and Hassler, 3 An ESU is an Evolutionary Significant Unit (Myers et al., 1998) Page 4 of 21 J. C. M. Andersson May 5, 2003 1986). Siltation is also an important determinant of gravel throughflow in that the silt clogs up the gravel and thus decreases the flow through it (Healey, 1991). Egg mortality is influenced by the temperature at which the eggs are incubated such that 3-16ºC constitutes the upper and lower limits for 50% pre-hatch mortality at constant temperatures. At variable temperatures, the mortality is reduced (Healey, 1991). Ideal incubation temperatures are 5.5-12.8 (McCullough, 1999). Hatching time is inversely proportional to temperature of incubation; at 16ºC e.g., eggs hatch after ca 32 days. Other sources of egg mortality include predation by other fish species and by invertebrates (e.g. oligochaete worms) if the eggs are not buried deep enough, shock from scouring and high concentrations of toxic chemicals (Allen and Hassler, 1986). All in all, these and many other factors in the chinook life cycle add up to the 1:1 ratio between adult female parent and adult female spawner in the next generation (Healey, 1991). Alevin Newly hatched chinooks that still have the yolk sac attached are termed alevins (Figure 3). Alevins emerge from the eggs in general between January and March (Trihey & Associates, 1996), but the timing varies from year to year. Alevins remain in the same habitat as the eggs (the redd) until the nutrients in the yolk sac are used up, which takes about 2-4 weeks (Nawa and Frissell, 1993). Figure 3. Chinook alevin (source Columbia Environmental Research Centre: http://www.cerc.cr.usgs.gov) In addition to the habitat requirements of the eggs, alevins need adequate amounts of water in the gravel surrounding them. In the event of both short recurrent, and prolonged single-event dewatering of the redds, development rate decreases and survival plummets. A Page 5 of 21 J. C. M. Andersson May 5, 2003 study found that the survival rate for alevins experiencing recurrent one hour dewaterings or a single six hour dewatering event was a mere 4% (Healey, 1991). Fry & Fingerling When the nutrients of the yolk sac are nearly gone, the chinook starts feeding on its own in the water column, develops neutral buoyancy and social behaviour (Allen and Hassler, 1986).
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Estimation of Stream Conditions in Tributaries of the Klamath River, Northern California
    U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Arcata Fisheries Technical Report TR 2018-32 Estimation of Stream Conditions in Tributaries of the Klamath River, Northern California Christopher V. Manhard, Nicholas A. Som, Edward C. Jones, Russell W. Perry U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Arcata Fish and Wildlife Office 1655 Heindon Road Arcata, CA 95521 (707) 822-7201 January 2018 Funding for this study was provided by a variety of sources including the Klamath River Fish Habitat Assessment Program administered by the Arcata Fish and Wildlife Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Bureau of Reclamation, Klamath Falls Area Office. Disclaimer: The mention of trade names or commercial products in this report does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use by the Federal Government. The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The Arcata Fish and Wildlife Office Fisheries Program reports its study findings through two publication series. The Arcata Fisheries Data Series was established to provide timely dissemination of data to local managers and for inclusion in agency databases. Arcata Fisheries Technical Reports publish scientific findings from single and multi- year studies that have undergone more extensive peer review and statistical testing. Additionally, some study results are published in a variety of professional fisheries aquatic habitat conservation journals. To ensure consistency with Service policy relating to its online peer-reviewed journals, Arcata Fisheries Data Series and Technical Reports are distributed electronically and made available in the public domain. Paper copies are no longer circulated.
    [Show full text]
  • Klamath River Fall Chinook Salmon Age-Specific Escapement, River Harvest, and Run Size Estimates, 2020 Run
    1 Klamath River Fall Chinook Salmon Age-Specific Escapement, River Harvest, and Run Size Estimates, 2020 Run Klamath River Technical Team 15 February 2021 Summary The number of Klamath River fall Chinook Salmon returning to the Klamath River Basin (Basin) in 2020 was estimated to be: Run Size Age Number Proportion 2 9,077 0.17 3 37,820 0.69 4 7,579 0.14 5 8 0.00 Total 54,484 1.00 Preseason forecasts of the number of fall Chinook Salmon adults returning to the Basin and the corresponding post-season estimates are: Adults Preseason Postseason Sector Forecast Estimate Pre / Post Run Size 59,100 45,400 1.30 Fishery Mortality Tribal Harvest 8,600 5,200 1.65 Recreational Harvest 1,300 5,100 0.25 Drop-off Mortality 800 600 1.33 10,700 10,900 0.98 Escapement Hatchery Spawners 12,200 8,300 1.47 Natural Area Spawners 36,200 26,200 1.38 48,400 34,500 1.40 2 Introduction This report describes the data and methods used by the Klamath River Technical Team (KRTT) to estimate age-specific numbers of fall Chinook Salmon returning to the Basin in 2020. The estimates provided in this report are consistent with the Klamath Basin Megatable (CDFW 2021) and with the 2021 forecast of ocean stock abundance (KRTT 2021). Age-specific escapement estimates for 2020 and previous years, coupled with the coded-wire tag (CWT) recovery data from Basin hatchery stocks, allow for a cohort reconstruction of the hatchery and natural components of Klamath River fall Chinook Salmon (Goldwasser et al.
    [Show full text]
  • KLAMATH HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT [FERC No
    KLAMATH HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT [FERC No. 2082] REQUEST FOR DETERMINATION OF ELIGIBILITY Copco No. 1, c1915 PacifiCorp Archives Photo for PacifiCorp, Portland, OR Prepared by George Kramer, M.S., HP Preservation Specialist Under contract to CH2M-Hill Corvallis, OR October 2003 App E-6E DOE 1_Cover.doc DETERMINATION OF ELIGIBILITY FOR THE NATIONAL REGISTER Property Name: KLAMATH HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT Date of Construction: 1903-1958 Address: N/A County: Klamath, Oregon Siskiyou, California Original Use: Hydroelectric Generation Current Use: Hydroelectric Generation Style: Utilitarian/Industrial Theme: Commerce/Industrial _____________________________________________________________________________________ PRIMARY SIGNIFICANCE: The resources of the Klamath Hydroelectric Project were built between 1903 and 1958 by the California Oregon Power Company and its various pioneer predecessors and are now owned and operated by PacifiCorp under Federal Energy Regulatory License No. 2082. The resources of the project are strongly associated with the early development of electricity in the southern Oregon and northern California region and played a significant role in the area’s economy both directly, as a part of a regionally-significant, locally-owned and operated, private utility, and indirectly, through the role that increased electrical capacity played in the expansion of the timber, agriculture, and recreation industries during the first six decades of the 20th century. The Klamath Hydroelectric Project is considered regionally significant and eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places under Criterion “A” for its association with the industrial and economic development of southern Oregon and northern California. [See Statement of Significance, Page 19] Copco No. 1, Dam and Gatehouse, 2002 In my opinion, the property ___ meets ___ does not meet the criteria for listing in the National Register of Historic Places.
    [Show full text]
  • Declining Sediment Loads from Redwood Creek and the Klamath River, North Coastal California
    Declining Sediment Loads from Redwood Creek and the Klamath River, North Coastal California Randy D. Klein1 and Jeffrey K. Anderson2 Abstract River basin sediment loads are affected by several factors, with flood magnitude and watershed erosional stability playing dominant and dynamic roles. Long-term average sediment loads for northern California river basins have been computed by several researchers by several methods. However, characterizing the dynamic nature of climate and watershed stability requires computation of annual loads. We computed annual suspended and bedload loads for the 1950s through 2009 for both Redwood Creek and the Klamath River. Results show high sediment loads coincident with a period of widespread logging by destructive practices and large storms in the 1950s through 1970s followed by a dramatic decline in sediment loads through the present. Analyses of annual departures from mean and time trend tests indicated the decline in loads is not due solely to the lack of very large storms. We infer it can also be explained by the partial recovery of watershed erosional stability from the 1980s through the present due to reduced logging rate, use of lower impact logging practices, and implementation of treatment programs for reducing erosional threats from logging roads. Key words: bedload, suspended load, watershed recovery, Redwood Creek, Klamath River Introduction Sediment yield, or load, consists of the total mass of sediment particles transported by streamflow past a location along a stream or river over a given time period. Sediment is transported either suspended in the water column (suspended load) or along the channel bed (bedload). Quantification of sediment loads can be important for a variety of management needs, such as evaluating land use impacts, reservoir design, coastal sediment budgets, and others.
    [Show full text]
  • After a Sleepless Full Moon Night With
    Restoring Coho Salmon in the Klamath River, One Beaver At A Time By Will Harling, Executive Director, Mid Klamath Watershed Council After a sleepless full moon night with our 18 month old daughter, Rory, (a night where my wife bore the brunt of her midnight antics and our guests sleeping in the living room must have been guessing who was torturing who), I bundled our girl onto my back and walked down to the Klamath River in the pre-dawn light. To say I altruistically wanted everyone to sleep in would be a half-truth given the fishing pole in one hand, balancing out the diaper bag in the other. I had a spot in mind, just downstream of the Orleans Bar River Access, where the river slides over a broad riffle so shallow the fish are forced into a narrow slot that one could cast across, even with a groggy, grumpy, sleep-deprived toddler strapped to their back. The relatively wide Orleans Valley gives the river a chance to meander a little here, reclaiming its sinuousity stolen over the past six million years as the Klamath Mountains began to rise from underneath, forcing it into steep sided canyons tracing fault lines in the uplifted bedrock just upstream and downstream of the valley. Fall chinook salmon moving upstream to spawn left wakes in the glassy water as they navigated up through the shallows, and the Klamath’s famed half-pounder steelhead run was coming in with them. Across the river, I noticed a furry head moving slowly upstream. The light brown tuft of hair visible above the water looked like what I thought a beaver would look like, but couldn’t be sure.
    [Show full text]
  • YUROK TRIBE 190 Klamath Boulevard • Post Office Box 1027 • Klamath, CA 95548
    YUROK TRIBE 190 Klamath Boulevard • Post Office Box 1027 • Klamath, CA 95548 Yurok Tribe Written Testimony Regarding H.R. 5548, Fishery Failures: Urgently Needed Disaster Declarations Act January 14th, 2020 INTRODUCTION The Yurok Tribe is a federally recognized Indian tribe whose reservation is located on the Lower Klamath River in Northern California, spanning from the river’s mouth at the Pacific Ocean upriver to the Yurok village of Weitchpec. With more than 6,300 tribal members, the Yurok Tribe is the largest Indian tribe in California. The fishery resources of the Klamath and Pacific Ocean are the mainstay of the life, economy, and culture of the Yurok Tribe. See Mattz v. Arnett, 412 U.S. 481, 486-87 (1973). The Klamath River Indian fishery is “not much less necessary to the existence of the [Yurok] Indians than the atmosphere they breathed.” Blake v. Arnett, 663 F.2d 906, 909 (9th Cir. 1981). A pillar of the Tribe’s legal rights is its federally reserved fishing right which was reserved in the creation of the Yurok Reservation. The Tribe enjoys commercial, subsistence, and ceremonial fishing rights on the lower 45 miles of the Klamath River which it exercises each year under strict regulation by the Yurok Tribal Government. See, Baley v United States, No. 18- 1323 (Fed. Cir. Nov. 14, 2019) (confirming Yurok fishing rights for commercial, subsistence, and ceremonial purposes). In this way, the Tribe maintains its fishing way of life. Tribal members are able to fish commercially to provide financial stability to their families, 1 ceremonially to support ancient practices necessary to maintain Yurok world balance, and for subsistence purposes to continue a fishing way of life.
    [Show full text]
  • Klamath River (Iron Gate Dam to Seiad Creek) Life Stage Periodicities for Chinook, Coho and Steelhead
    Klamath River (Iron Gate Dam to Seiad Creek) Life Stage Periodicities for Chinook, Coho and Steelhead U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Coastal California Fish and Wildlife Office Arcata, California KLAMATH RIVER (IRON GATE DAM TO SEIAD CREEK) LIFE STAGE PERIODICITIES FOR CHINOOK, COHO, AND STEELHEAD July 1997 Prepared by: Thomas A. Shaw Chris Jackson Dan Nehler Michael Marshall Department of the Interior U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Coastal California Fish and Wildlife Office Arcata, California Funded by: U.S. Geological Survey This report was prepared as part of the U.S. Geological Survey’s Quick Response Research Program to conduct a microhabitat study on the mainstem Klamath River. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF FIGURES........................................................................................................................ iv LIST OF TABLES ......................................................................................................................... vi ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .......................................................................................................... vii INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 1 Study Area........................................................................................................................... 1 METHODS ..................................................................................................................................... 3 Holding and Migration
    [Show full text]
  • Distribution of Anadromomous Fishes in the Upper Klamath River
    Distribution of Anadromomous Fishes in the Upper Klamath River Watershed Prior to Hydropower Dams— A Synthesis of the Historical Evidence fisheries history Knowledge of the historical distribution of anadromous fish is important to guide man- agement decisions in the Klamath River including ongoing restoration and regional recovery of coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch). Using various sources, we determined the historical distribution of anadromous fish above Iron Gate Dam. Evidence for the feature largest, most utilized species, Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), was avail- ABSTRACT able from multiple sources and clearly showed that this species historically migrated upstream into tributaries of Upper Klamath Lake. Available information indicates that the distribution of steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) extended to the Klamath Upper Basin as well. Coho salmon and anadromous lamprey (Lampetra tridentata) likely were distributed upstream at least to the vicinity of Spencer Creek. A population of anadro- mous sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) may have occurred historically above Iron Gate Dam. Green sturgeon (Acipenser medirostris), chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta), pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha), coastal cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarki clarki), and eulachon (Thaleichthys pacificus) were restricted to the Klamath River well below Iron Gate Dam. This synthesis of available sources regarding the historical extent of these species’ upstream distribution provides key information necessary to guide management and habitat restoration efforts. Introduction John B. Hamilton Gary L. Curtis Gatschet’s statement is that salmon ascend the Klamath river twice a year, in June and again in autumn. This is in agreement with my information, that the run comes in the middlefinger Scott M. Snedaker month [sic], May–June, and that the large fish run in the fall...They ascend all the rivers David K.
    [Show full text]
  • Klamath River Fall Chinook Salmon Age-Specific Escapement, River Harvest, and Run Size Estimates, 2018 Run
    Klamath River Fall Chinook Salmon Age-Specific Escapement, River Harvest, and Run Size Estimates, 2018 Run Klamath River Technical Team 14 February 2019 Summary The number of Klamath River fall Chinook Salmon returning to the Klamath River Basin (Basin) in 2018 was estimated to be: Run Size Age Number Proportion 2 11,114 0.11 3 86,717 0.84 4 5,567 0.05 5 9 0.00 Total 103,407 1.00 Preseason forecasts of the number of fall Chinook Salmon adults returning to the Basin and the corresponding post-season estimates are: Adults Preseason Postseason Sector Forecast Estimate Pre / Post Run Size 91,900 92,300 1.00 Fishery Mortality Tribal Harvest 18,100 14,800 1.22 Recreational Harvest 3,500 4,100 0.85 Drop-off Mortality 1,600 1,300 1.23 23,200 20,200 1.15 Escapement Hatchery Spawners 27,900 18,600 1.50 Natural Area Spawners 40,700 53,600 0.76 68,600 72,200 0.95 Introduction This report describes the data and methods used by the Klamath River Technical Team (KRTT) to estimate age-specific numbers of fall Chinook Salmon returning to the Basin in 2018. The estimates provided in this report are consistent with the Klamath Basin Megatable (CDFW 2019) and with the 2019 forecast of ocean stock abundance (KRTT 2019). Age-specific escapement estimates for 2018 and previous years, coupled with the coded-wire tag (CWT) recovery data from Basin hatchery stocks, allow for a cohort reconstruction of the hatchery and natural components of Klamath River fall Chinook Salmon (Goldwasser et al.
    [Show full text]
  • Klamath River Dam Removal Investigation
    Investigation of Removal of Four Lower Klamath River Dams Klamath River Dam Removal Investigation J. C. Boyle Dam Copco 1 Dam Copco 2 Dam and Iron Gate Dam July 2003 by G&G Associates G&G Associates 4003 1st Ave NW (206) 547-4148 i Seattle, WA 98107 FAX 547-4052 Investigation of Removal of Four Lower Klamath River Dams Table of Contents Executive Summary.......................................................................................................... 1 Introduction....................................................................................................................... 2 Authorization and Scope................................................................................................. 2 Project Description.......................................................................................................... 2 Structure Removal............................................................................................................ 4 Dam Removal Approaches ............................................................................................. 4 Assumptions and Criteria............................................................................................ 4 Spoils Sites.................................................................................................................. 6 Access ......................................................................................................................... 6 Hydrology ......................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Western Klamath Restoration Partnership: Somes Bar Integrated Fire Management Project Lower Middle Klamath River Watershed
    BIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT AND BIOLOGICAL EVALUATION For Threatened, Endangered, Proposed, and Sensitive Anadromous Fish Species That may be affected by: Western Klamath Restoration Partnership: Somes Bar Integrated Fire Management Project Lower Middle Klamath River Watershed * Ukonom Ranger District of the Klamath National Forest and Orleans Ranger District of the Six Rivers National Forest Klamath Province Humboldt and Siskiyou County, California April 20, 2018 Prepared by: _______________________ Date: April 20, 2018 LeRoy Cyr District Fisheries Biologist Reviewed by: ______________________ Date: April 20, 2018 Karen Kenfield Forest Level I Coordinator *Note: The Ukonom Ranger District is administratively managed by the Six Rivers National Forest. Somes Bar Integrated Fire Management Project – Fisheries BA/BE – April 2018 PROJECT NAME: Somes Bar Integrated Fire Management Project ADMINISTRATIVE UNITS: Klamath National Forest - Ukonom Ranger District and Six Rivers National Forest - Orleans Ranger District ANALYSIS WATERSHEDS: 4th field scale - Middle Klamath River: 984,709 acres 6th field scale - Ti Creek: 13,623 acres 6th field scale - Reynolds Creek: 34,611 acres 6th field scale - Boise Creek: 31,343 acres WATERSHED ANALYSES: Ishi-Pishi/Ukonom Ecosystem Analysis (USDA 1998) NEPA Documentation: Somes Bar Integrated Fire Management Project EA Expected signature date: May 2018 ESA LISTED SPECIES CONSIDERED: Southern Oregon/Northern California Coasts Coho salmon ESU (Oncorhynchus kisutch) ESA CRITICAL HABITAT: Southern Oregon/Northern California Coasts Coho salmon CH ESA DETERMINATIONS: The project may affect, not likely to adversely affect Southern Oregon/Northern California Coasts coho or their designated Critical Habitat. ESSENTIAL FISH HABITAT (EFH): The project may affect, not likely to adversely affect Chinook and Coho Salmon Essential Fish Habitat.
    [Show full text]
  • Klamath River Renewal Project a Cooperative Effort to Revitalize the Klamath River
    Klamath River Renewal Project A cooperative effort to revitalize the Klamath River October 2019 Information for Siskiyou County Residents Who is KRRC? Are there toxics in the sediments The Klamath River Renewal Corporation (KRRC) is an behind the dams? independent nonprofit organization formed in 2016 as Accumulated sediment within the reservoir has been part of the amended Klamath Hydroelectric Settlement tested and no contaminants have been detected in Agreement (KHSA). Signatories of the amended KHSA, violation of human health or drinking water standards. including the States of California and Oregon, local Of the approximately 15 million cubic yards of sediment governments, Tribal nations, dam owner PacifiCorp, behind the four dams, between 5 and 9 million cubic irrigators, and several conservation and fishing groups, yards will erode downstream soon after dam removal and appointed KRRC to take ownership and oversee removal the remainder will remain behind, effectively becoming of four hydroelectric dams on the river and restoration soil that would be replanted with native vegetation. of formerly inundated lands. KRRC’s work is funded by PacifiCorp customer surcharges and California Proposition 1 water bond funds. Will my power rates increase after the dams are removed? How does dam removal affect PacifiCorp, the owner of the facilities, indicates removal agriculture in Siskiyou County? of the dams under the terms of the KHSA, including a customer cost cap, will cost customers less than Not a single farm, ranch, or municipality diverts water relicensing the dams to meet required upgrades. The from the four reservoirs that are slated for removal. The California Public Utilities Commission has also supported facilities are operated for the sole purpose of generating the underlying settlement as a better outcome for power, and removing the dams will not affect any current customers than relicensing the dams.
    [Show full text]