Upper Klamath and Lost River Subbasins TMDL and Water Quality Management Plan April 2017 TMDL Program 700 NE Multnomah St. Suite 600 Portland, OR 97232 Phone: 541-273-7002 Contact: Mike Hiatt www.oregon.gov/DEQ DEQ is a leader in restoring, maintaining and enhancing the quality of Oregon’s air, land and water. Oregon Department of Environmental Quality This report prepared by: Oregon Department of Environmental Quality 700 NE Multnomah St, Suite 600 Portland, OR 97232 541-273-7002 www.oregon.gov/deq Contact: Mike Hiatt [email protected] Documents can be provided upon request in an alternate format for individuals with disabilities or in a language other than English for people with limited English skills. To request a document in another format or language, call DEQ in Portland at 503-229-5696, or toll-free in Oregon at 1-800-452-4011, ext. 5696; or email [email protected]. State of Oregon Department of Environmental Quality ii Table of Contents Executive Summary................................................................................................................................... 1 Klamath River TMDLs................................................................................................................................ 2 Lost River TMDLs ...................................................................................................................................... 2 TMDL Summaries ...................................................................................................................................... 3 Summary of Load Allocations and Waste Load Allocations: ............................................................... 3 Report Organization .................................................................................................................................. 5 Chapter 1: Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 6 1.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................................... 7 1.2 Overview of Total Maximum Daily Loads .......................................................................................... 9 1.2.1 What is a TMDL? ............................................................................................................................ 9 1.2.2 Permitting and Enforcement Tools ............................................................................................... 11 1.2.3 Endangered Species Act Consultation ......................................................................................... 12 1.2.4 Tribal Trust Responsibilities ......................................................................................................... 12 1.2.5 FERC Relicensing ........................................................................................................................ 12 1.2.6 TMDL Implementation via the Water Quality Management Plan ................................................. 12 1.2.7 Adaptive Management Process .................................................................................................... 13 1.3 Subbasin Overview .......................................................................................................................... 14 1.3.1 Geology ........................................................................................................................................ 15 1.3.2 Climate .......................................................................................................................................... 17 1.3.3 Land Use and Ownership ............................................................................................................. 19 1.3.4 Hydrology ...................................................................................................................................... 21 1.3.5 Water Management Districts ........................................................................................................ 25 1.3.6 Point Sources ............................................................................................................................... 26 1.3.7 Nonpoint Sources ......................................................................................................................... 29 1.3.8 Fishery Resources ........................................................................................................................ 30 1.4 References ......................................................................................................................................... 35 Chapter 2: Klamath River Dissolved Oxygen, Chlorophyll a, pH, and Ammonia Toxicity ............... 37 2.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................ 38 2.2 Target Identification .......................................................................................................................... 40 2.2.1 Sensitive Beneficial Uses ............................................................................................................. 40 2.2.2 Dissolved Oxygen Water Quality Standard (relevant parts) ......................................................... 40 2.2.3 pH Standard: ................................................................................................................................. 41 2.2.4 Nuisance Phytoplankton Growth .................................................................................................. 42 2.2.5 Ammonia Toxicity ......................................................................................................................... 42 State of Oregon Department of Environmental Quality iii 2.3 Deviation from Water Quality Standard .......................................................................................... 42 2.3.1 Dissolved Oxygen, pH and Ammonia Toxicity ............................................................................. 43 2.4 Seasonal Variation ............................................................................................................................ 48 2.5 Water Quality Modeling Overview .................................................................................................... 50 2.6 Source Assessment .......................................................................................................................... 52 2.6.1 Pollutant Identification .................................................................................................................. 52 2.6.2 Upstream Condition - Upper Klamath Lake .................................................................................. 55 2.6.3 Point Sources ............................................................................................................................... 57 2.6.4 USBR’s Klamath Project: Lost River Diversion Channel and Klamath Straits Drain ................... 58 2.6.5 PacifiCorp’s Klamath River Hydroelectric Projects ....................................................................... 62 2.6.6 Agriculture ..................................................................................................................................... 63 2.6.7 Irrigation Districts .......................................................................................................................... 63 2.6.8 Forestry ......................................................................................................................................... 63 2.6.9 Urban / residential ........................................................................................................................ 63 2.6.10 Other Possible Upland Sources ................................................................................................. 63 2.6.11 Natural Sources .......................................................................................................................... 63 2.6.12 Internal Sources and Sinks ......................................................................................................... 64 2.6.13 Keno impoundment Source Evaluation ...................................................................................... 66 2.6.14 Current Loading Analysis ........................................................................................................... 66 2.7 Water Quality Standard Attainment Analysis ................................................................................. 70 2.7.1 Natural Conditions Baseline ......................................................................................................... 70 2.7.2 Loading Capacity .......................................................................................................................... 72 2.7.3 Allocations to address DO, pH, excess algae and ammonia toxicity impairments ...................... 73 2.7.4 Instream Targets ........................................................................................................................... 83 2.8 Margins of Safety ............................................................................................................................... 84 2.8.1 Uncertainty Analysis ....................................................................................................................