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• 221. [Image] The Water Report. Klamath Decisions: Court rulings on "takings" and BIOP/RPA sufficiency

  	Only portions of issues of The Water Report are available in the Klamath Waters Digital Library. The abbreviations in the title are for Biological opinion (BIOP) and reasonable and prudent alternative ...
  	Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: The Water Report. Klamath Decisions: Court rulings on "takings" and BIOP/RPA sufficiency Author: Envirotech Publications Year: 2005, 2008, 2006 Only portions of issues of The Water Report are available in the Klamath Waters Digital Library. The abbreviations in the title are for Biological opinion (BIOP) and reasonable and prudent alternative (RPA). See the full report at http://www.thewaterreport.com/ Title: The Water Report. Klamath Decisions: Court rulings on "takings" and BIOP/RPA sufficiency Author: Envirotech Publications Year: 2005, 2008, 2006 Only portions of issues of The Water Report are available in the Klamath Waters Digital Library. The abbreviations in the title are for Biological opinion (BIOP) and reasonable and prudent alternative (RPA). See the full report at http://www.thewaterreport.com/ Close

• 222. [Image] Federal Register - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Review of Native Species That are Candidates or Proposed for Listing as Endangered or Threatened

  	In this Candidate Notice of Review (CNOR), we, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), present an updated list of plant and animal species native to the United States that we regard as candidates ...
  	Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Federal Register - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Review of Native Species That are Candidates or Proposed for Listing as Endangered or Threatened Year: 2005, 2008 In this Candidate Notice of Review (CNOR), we, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), present an updated list of plant and animal species native to the United States that we regard as candidates or have proposed for addition to the Lists of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended. Identification of candidate species can assist environmental planning efforts by providing advance notice of potential listings, allowing resource managers to alleviate threats and thereby possibly remove the need to list species as endangered or threatened. Even if we subsequently list a candidate species, the early notice provided here could result in more options for species management and recovery by prompting candidate conservation measures to alleviate threats to the species. Additional material that we relied on is available in the Species Assessment and Listing Priority Assignment Forms (species assessment forms, previously called candidate forms) for each candidate species. We request additional status information that may be available for the 286 candidate species. We will consider this information in preparing listing documents and future revisions to the notice of review, as it will help us in monitoring changes in the status of candidate species and in management for conserving them. Previous Notices of Review The Act directed the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution to prepare a report on endangered and threatened plant species, which was published as House Document No. 94-51 Title: Federal Register - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Review of Native Species That are Candidates or Proposed for Listing as Endangered or Threatened Year: 2005, 2008 In this Candidate Notice of Review (CNOR), we, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), present an updated list of plant and animal species native to the United States that we regard as candidates or have proposed for addition to the Lists of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended. Identification of candidate species can assist environmental planning efforts by providing advance notice of potential listings, allowing resource managers to alleviate threats and thereby possibly remove the need to list species as endangered or threatened. Even if we subsequently list a candidate species, the early notice provided here could result in more options for species management and recovery by prompting candidate conservation measures to alleviate threats to the species. Additional material that we relied on is available in the Species Assessment and Listing Priority Assignment Forms (species assessment forms, previously called candidate forms) for each candidate species. We request additional status information that may be available for the 286 candidate species. We will consider this information in preparing listing documents and future revisions to the notice of review, as it will help us in monitoring changes in the status of candidate species and in management for conserving them. Previous Notices of Review The Act directed the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution to prepare a report on endangered and threatened plant species, which was published as House Document No. 94-51 Close

• 223. [Image] Area between the N-10 Lateral and the 101-10-C Drain

  	CN-12-201-514NA Klamath Project - Oregon-California. Area between the N-10 Lateral and the 101-10-C Drain which could be seeded with grass for birds and wildlife habitat; May 1975; USBR photo by J. W. ...
  	Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Area between the N-10 Lateral and the 101-10-C Drain Author: United States. Bureau of Reclamation, Legg, J.W. Year: 1975, 2010, 2007 CN-12-201-514NA Klamath Project - Oregon-California. Area between the N-10 Lateral and the 101-10-C Drain which could be seeded with grass for birds and wildlife habitat; May 1975; USBR photo by J. W. Legg Title: Area between the N-10 Lateral and the 101-10-C Drain Author: United States. Bureau of Reclamation, Legg, J.W. Year: 1975, 2010, 2007 CN-12-201-514NA Klamath Project - Oregon-California. Area between the N-10 Lateral and the 101-10-C Drain which could be seeded with grass for birds and wildlife habitat; May 1975; USBR photo by J. W. Legg Close

• 224. [Image] Photo showing condition of drain on west side of Lot No. 7, Lease Area “F”

  	CN-12-201-571NA Klamath Project – California. Also, showing burned area, where considerable wildlife habitat was destroyed by careless burning; May 1975; USBR photo by J. W. Legg
  	Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Photo showing condition of drain on west side of Lot No. 7, Lease Area “F” Author: United States. Bureau of Reclamation, Legg, J.W. Year: 1975, 2010, 2007 CN-12-201-571NA Klamath Project – California. Also, showing burned area, where considerable wildlife habitat was destroyed by careless burning; May 1975; USBR photo by J. W. Legg Title: Photo showing condition of drain on west side of Lot No. 7, Lease Area “F” Author: United States. Bureau of Reclamation, Legg, J.W. Year: 1975, 2010, 2007 CN-12-201-571NA Klamath Project – California. Also, showing burned area, where considerable wildlife habitat was destroyed by careless burning; May 1975; USBR photo by J. W. Legg Close

• 225. [Image] Raising Upper Klamath Lake, appraisal study : draft.

  	Executive Summary This report documents an appraisal-level evaluation of raising Upper Klamath Lake in south-central Oregon. The lake is the State's largest freshwater lake and is a principal storage feature ...
  	Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Raising Upper Klamath Lake, appraisal study : draft. Author: U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation Year: 2000, 2008, 2005 Executive Summary This report documents an appraisal-level evaluation of raising Upper Klamath Lake in south-central Oregon. The lake is the State's largest freshwater lake and is a principal storage feature of the Klamath Project. The Klamath Project provides water for irrigating approximately 240,000 acres in the Klamath Basin in south-central Oregon and northern California. The Klamath Project was authorized for construction in 1905, and work began shortly thereafter. In 1921, Link River Dam was constructed at the south end of the lake, near the city of Klamath Falls, to provide regulation of the lake. Background The listing of fish species as threatened or endangered, and the Federal responsibility to protect Tribal trust assets, have placed increasing demands on the limited water supply of the Klamath Project and reduced its flexibility to meet demands. There is an immediate need to increase water supplies and improve the timing of their availability to improve fish and wildlife habitat and water quality. The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) began the Klamath Basin Water Supply Initiative (Initiative) in 1996 to identify options for increasing water supplies in the Klamath River Basin. The Initiative is a joint effort partnership of Reclamation, the Klamath River Compact Commission, the California Department of Water Resources, and the Oregon Water Resources Department. The Initiative identified 96 options for increasing water supplies and recommended 44 for further study, including raising Upper Klamath Lake. Options Evaluated The evaluation documented in this report considers increasing the maximum operating level of Upper Klamath Lake by 2 feet by raising Link River Dam. Two options are described: (1) raising existing levees around the lake to contain the lake within its current surface area and (2) allowing the lake to spread and flood adjacent lands. Option 1 constrains the higher water surface elevation to the current shoreline. Modifications would be provided to protect all existing land, roads, and structures surrounding the lake. A 2-foot-high parapet will be constructed on top of the dam to accommodate the higher water level. Major construction activities include: Raising Upper Klamath Lake ? Eight sections of new seawall, totaling 6.6 linear miles ? Modifying 14 sections of existing dikes with roads, totaling 44.3 linear miles ? Modifying 10 sections of existing dikes without roads, totaling 25.2 linear miles ? Two sections of new dikes with roads, totaling 1.9 linear miles ? Three sections of new dikes without roads, totaling 2.7 linear miles ? Armoring two sections of existing dikes, totaling 3.5 linear miles ? Raising one bridge and county and local roads at seven locations, totaling 1.3 miles of roads ? Raising 2.5 miles of a State highway ? Rehabilitating 126 private residences (relocating septic tanks, providing foundation drainage, and landscaping) ? Rehabilitating headworks and intake structures at 10 locations ? Relocating an existing boat dock The estimated cost of Option 1 is $125 million. Option 2 does not protect structures and property, but, instead, allows the lake to spread beyond the current shoreline and flood adjacent lands. Existing dikes will be breached, and existing roads that would otherwise be inundated will be raised. Either existing headworks and water intakes at various locations will be retrofitted for the higher water surface elevation, or the associated facility will be purchased. Link River Dam will be modified as in Option 1. Major construction activities include: ? Breaching (every % mile) 14 sections of existing dikes with roads, totaling 44.3 linear miles of dikes ? Breaching 10 sections of existing dikes without roads, totaling 25.3 linear miles of dikes ? Armoring 3.0 linear miles of an existing dike ? Raising one bridge and county and local roads at three locations, totaling 0.6 mile of roads Executive Summary ? Raising 2.5 miles of an existing State highway ? Rehabilitating headworks and intake structures at nine locations ? Relocating an existing boat dock The estimated cost of Option 2 is $129 million, including $113 million for the acquisition of private land and structures. Raising Upper Klamath Lake 2 feet will increase storage by approximately 170,000 acre-feet, or about 25 percent. Winter floodflows, which are presently spilled to the Klamath River and not available for project use, will be stored and made available to help meet water needs for endangered species, Tribal trust resources, agricultural contractors, and national wildlife refuges. Future operation of the enlarged lake will be contingent upon acquisition of appropriate rights to divert and store additional water in the lake and may require filing an application for the appropriation of additional water with the Oregon Water Resource Department. Costs associated with implementing either Option 1 or Option 2 are significant. In addition, implementing either option will have both positive and negative impacts on the natural and human environment. Recommendations Several engineering studies are recommended. These include: ? Estimating quantities, properties, and availability of embankment and riprap materials, and identifying their locations (quaries) ? Constructing a modified dike test section to assess construction methodology and performance of rockfill protection ? Using detailed aerial topography (maximum 1-foot contours) of the Upper Klamath Lake shoreline to better define existing features and required improvements ? Conducting a comprehensive survey of all shoreline structures to provide a better estimate of the work required and associated costs ? Inspecting existing dam gates and concrete bulk heads to determine if additional modifications are required for the higher reservoir water surface ? S-3 Raising Upper Klamath Lake ? Developing site-specific, cost-effective alternatives to the proposed shore protection features ? Identifying and securing suitable rights-of-way Recreation facilities need to be analyzed in more detail to determine impacts and associated protection, relocation, and modification costs. A user survey and appropriate mapping of all recreational facilities has been initiated to determine existing recreation use levels and assist in the analysis of potential impacts. A detailed hydrology study demonstrating that unappropriated water is available to fill the additional storage in Upper Klamath Lake is recommended. Better descriptions of area-elevation-capacity relationships and evaporation and transpiration losses will also be needed. The following environmental studies are recommended: ? Develop detailed topographic information for the entire lake and surrounding area to predict the extent of flooding and potential vegetation changes ? Develop topographic mapping in 1-foot increments to predict effects on wetland vegetation ? Determine potential streamflow changes below Link River Dam and potential benefits to threatened and endangered fishes ? Determine impacts to upland areas that would be inundated by the higher reservoir water surface elevations. The following economic studies are recommended: ? Determine all costs (e.g., planning, design, construction, mitigation, and operation, maintenance, and replacement) ? Determine benefit/cost Early development and implementation of a public involvement plan will be essential to a feasibility study. Various studies to identify and analyze social impacts and impacts to environmental justice, Tribal trust, and cultural resources are recommended. Opportunities to avoid or lessen adverse impacts will also need to be identified. S-4 Title: Raising Upper Klamath Lake, appraisal study : draft. Author: U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation Year: 2000, 2008, 2005 Executive Summary This report documents an appraisal-level evaluation of raising Upper Klamath Lake in south-central Oregon. The lake is the State's largest freshwater lake and is a principal storage feature of the Klamath Project. The Klamath Project provides water for irrigating approximately 240,000 acres in the Klamath Basin in south-central Oregon and northern California. The Klamath Project was authorized for construction in 1905, and work began shortly thereafter. In 1921, Link River Dam was constructed at the south end of the lake, near the city of Klamath Falls, to provide regulation of the lake. Background The listing of fish species as threatened or endangered, and the Federal responsibility to protect Tribal trust assets, have placed increasing demands on the limited water supply of the Klamath Project and reduced its flexibility to meet demands. There is an immediate need to increase water supplies and improve the timing of their availability to improve fish and wildlife habitat and water quality. The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) began the Klamath Basin Water Supply Initiative (Initiative) in 1996 to identify options for increasing water supplies in the Klamath River Basin. The Initiative is a joint effort partnership of Reclamation, the Klamath River Compact Commission, the California Department of Water Resources, and the Oregon Water Resources Department. The Initiative identified 96 options for increasing water supplies and recommended 44 for further study, including raising Upper Klamath Lake. Options Evaluated The evaluation documented in this report considers increasing the maximum operating level of Upper Klamath Lake by 2 feet by raising Link River Dam. Two options are described: (1) raising existing levees around the lake to contain the lake within its current surface area and (2) allowing the lake to spread and flood adjacent lands. Option 1 constrains the higher water surface elevation to the current shoreline. Modifications would be provided to protect all existing land, roads, and structures surrounding the lake. A 2-foot-high parapet will be constructed on top of the dam to accommodate the higher water level. Major construction activities include: Raising Upper Klamath Lake ? Eight sections of new seawall, totaling 6.6 linear miles ? Modifying 14 sections of existing dikes with roads, totaling 44.3 linear miles ? Modifying 10 sections of existing dikes without roads, totaling 25.2 linear miles ? Two sections of new dikes with roads, totaling 1.9 linear miles ? Three sections of new dikes without roads, totaling 2.7 linear miles ? Armoring two sections of existing dikes, totaling 3.5 linear miles ? Raising one bridge and county and local roads at seven locations, totaling 1.3 miles of roads ? Raising 2.5 miles of a State highway ? Rehabilitating 126 private residences (relocating septic tanks, providing foundation drainage, and landscaping) ? Rehabilitating headworks and intake structures at 10 locations ? Relocating an existing boat dock The estimated cost of Option 1 is $125 million. Option 2 does not protect structures and property, but, instead, allows the lake to spread beyond the current shoreline and flood adjacent lands. Existing dikes will be breached, and existing roads that would otherwise be inundated will be raised. Either existing headworks and water intakes at various locations will be retrofitted for the higher water surface elevation, or the associated facility will be purchased. Link River Dam will be modified as in Option 1. Major construction activities include: ? Breaching (every % mile) 14 sections of existing dikes with roads, totaling 44.3 linear miles of dikes ? Breaching 10 sections of existing dikes without roads, totaling 25.3 linear miles of dikes ? Armoring 3.0 linear miles of an existing dike ? Raising one bridge and county and local roads at three locations, totaling 0.6 mile of roads Executive Summary ? Raising 2.5 miles of an existing State highway ? Rehabilitating headworks and intake structures at nine locations ? Relocating an existing boat dock The estimated cost of Option 2 is $129 million, including $113 million for the acquisition of private land and structures. Raising Upper Klamath Lake 2 feet will increase storage by approximately 170,000 acre-feet, or about 25 percent. Winter floodflows, which are presently spilled to the Klamath River and not available for project use, will be stored and made available to help meet water needs for endangered species, Tribal trust resources, agricultural contractors, and national wildlife refuges. Future operation of the enlarged lake will be contingent upon acquisition of appropriate rights to divert and store additional water in the lake and may require filing an application for the appropriation of additional water with the Oregon Water Resource Department. Costs associated with implementing either Option 1 or Option 2 are significant. In addition, implementing either option will have both positive and negative impacts on the natural and human environment. Recommendations Several engineering studies are recommended. These include: ? Estimating quantities, properties, and availability of embankment and riprap materials, and identifying their locations (quaries) ? Constructing a modified dike test section to assess construction methodology and performance of rockfill protection ? Using detailed aerial topography (maximum 1-foot contours) of the Upper Klamath Lake shoreline to better define existing features and required improvements ? Conducting a comprehensive survey of all shoreline structures to provide a better estimate of the work required and associated costs ? Inspecting existing dam gates and concrete bulk heads to determine if additional modifications are required for the higher reservoir water surface ? S-3 Raising Upper Klamath Lake ? Developing site-specific, cost-effective alternatives to the proposed shore protection features ? Identifying and securing suitable rights-of-way Recreation facilities need to be analyzed in more detail to determine impacts and associated protection, relocation, and modification costs. A user survey and appropriate mapping of all recreational facilities has been initiated to determine existing recreation use levels and assist in the analysis of potential impacts. A detailed hydrology study demonstrating that unappropriated water is available to fill the additional storage in Upper Klamath Lake is recommended. Better descriptions of area-elevation-capacity relationships and evaporation and transpiration losses will also be needed. The following environmental studies are recommended: ? Develop detailed topographic information for the entire lake and surrounding area to predict the extent of flooding and potential vegetation changes ? Develop topographic mapping in 1-foot increments to predict effects on wetland vegetation ? Determine potential streamflow changes below Link River Dam and potential benefits to threatened and endangered fishes ? Determine impacts to upland areas that would be inundated by the higher reservoir water surface elevations. The following economic studies are recommended: ? Determine all costs (e.g., planning, design, construction, mitigation, and operation, maintenance, and replacement) ? Determine benefit/cost Early development and implementation of a public involvement plan will be essential to a feasibility study. Various studies to identify and analyze social impacts and impacts to environmental justice, Tribal trust, and cultural resources are recommended. Opportunities to avoid or lessen adverse impacts will also need to be identified. S-4 Close

• 226. [Image] Bull Trout, Salvelinus Confluentus... Draft Recovery Plan, Chapter 2, Klamath River Recovery Unit...U.S. Department Of The Interior

  	KLAMATH RIVER RECOVERY UNIT CHAPTER OF THE BULL TROUT RECOVERY PLAN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY CURRENT SPECIES STATUS Klamath River bull trout were listed as a distinct population segment ...
  	Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Bull Trout, Salvelinus Confluentus... Draft Recovery Plan, Chapter 2, Klamath River Recovery Unit...U.S. Department Of The Interior Year: 2008, 2005 KLAMATH RIVER RECOVERY UNIT CHAPTER OF THE BULL TROUT RECOVERY PLAN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY CURRENT SPECIES STATUS Klamath River bull trout were listed as a distinct population segment in 1998 (63 FR 31647) because they are physically isolated from other bull trout by the Pacific Ocean and several small mountain ranges in central Oregon. Recovery of bull trout in the Klamath River Recovery Unit, which includes three core areas and nine currently identified local populations, will require cooperation from Federal, State, and local agencies, and Tribal and private entities. Within the Klamath River Recovery Unit, abundance has been severely reduced and remaining populations are fragmented. HABITAT REQUIREMENTS AND LIMITING FACTORS Watershed disruption has played a major role in the decline of bull trout in the Klamath River basin. The effects of historical land use on fish habitat in the larger tributaries and mainstem rivers of the Klamath River basin have been profound. Channelization, water withdrawals, removal of streamside vegetation, and other disturbances have altered the aquatic environment by elevating water temperatures, reducing water quantity and quality, and increasing sedimentation. Changes in or disruptions to watershed processes that influence characteristics of stream channels have also influenced the dynamics and persistence of bull trout populations. Klamath River basin bull trout are threatened by habitat degradation, past and present land use management practices, agricultural water diversions, and competition or hybridization from normative brown and brook trout. As a result of past land and resource management practices, bull trout populations in the Klamath River Recovery Unit are small, disjunct, and face a high risk of extirpation. IV RECOVERY GOAL AND OBJECTIVES The goal of the bull trout recovery plan is to ensure the long-term persistence of self-sustaining, complex interacting groups of bull trout distributed across the species range, so that the species can be delisted. In order to recover bull trout in the Klamath River, the following objectives need to be met: ? Maintain current distribution of bull trout and restore distribution in previously occupied areas within the Klamath River Recovery Unit, as noted in Appendix A. ? Maintain stable or increasing trends in abundance of bull trout within the Klamath River. This objective includes the expression of all life history strategies including resident, fluvial, and adfluvial forms in the Upper Klamath Lake core area and resident and fluvial forms in the Sycan River and Upper Sprague River core areas. ? Restore and maintain suitable habitat conditions for all bull trout life history stages and strategies. In core areas and migration corridors, stable or upward trends in habitat quality are achieved through landscape-level adjustments in land management strategies designed to maintain and/or enhance structural and functional attributes of upslope, riparian, and fluvial systems. ? Conserve genetic diversity and provide opportunity for interchange of genetic material among appropriate core populations. RECOVERY CRITERIA Recovery criteria for the Klamath River Recovery Unit reflect the stated objectives and consideration of population and habitat characteristics within the recovery unit. Using four population and habitat elements, the Klamath River Recovery Unit Team categorized bull trout into three groups of relative risk: diminished, intermediate, and increased. Team members evaluated bull trout under current and potential recovered conditions based on the number of local populations, adult abundance, population trends and variability, and connectivity of the system. These elements were derived from the best scientific information available concerning bull trout population and habitat requirements. Evaluation of these elements under a recovered condition assumed that actions identified within this chapter had been implemented. 1. Distribution criteria will be met when current distribution of bull trout in the 12 local populations is maintained and distribution is expanded by establishing bull trout in areas identified as suitable for potential local populations. The number of existing local populations by core area are as follows: Upper Klamath Lake, 3; Sycan River, 2; and Upper Sprague River, 7. Achieving criterion 1 entails maintaining existing local populations and establishing additional potential local populations in all core areas in the recovery unit to maintain current and recovered distribution. To achieve criterion 1 and to ensure a core area population of no fewer than 100 adult bull trout, establishing at least 5 to 7 local populations in the Klamath Lake core area among 15 potential local populations (2 to 5 new local populations), at least 5 to 7 local populations in the Sycan River core area from among 15 potential local populations (3 to 5 new local populations), and at least 10 to 12 local populations in the Upper Sprague River core area from among 25 potential local populations (3 to 5 new local populations) is necessary. 2. Abundance criteria will be met when the estimated number of adult bull trout is at least 8,250 individuals distributed among the Upper Klamath Lake, Sycan River, and Upper Sprague River core areas, based on 10 years of monitoring data. 3. Trend criteria will be met when adult bull trout exhibit stable or increasing trends in abundance in the Upper Klamath Lake, Sycan River, and Upper Sprague River core areas, based on 2 generations (10 years) of monitoring data. VI 4. Connectivity criteria will be met when specific barriers to bull trout migration in the Klamath River Recovery Unit have been addressed. In the Klamath River Recovery Unit, this objective means addressing passage: 1) existing culverts that impede passage should be replaced, including those on Threemile Creek at U.S. Forest Service Road 110 crossing, Brownsworth Creek at U.S. Forest Service Road 34 crossing, and Brownsworth Creek both 0.75 mile and 1.25 miles above U.S. Forest Service Road 34; the culvert 0.25 mile below U.S. Forest Service Road 34 (to prevent repeated washout); the large-diameter culvert at the Boulder Creek road crossing; culverts in the upper Sycan River watershed that are identified in the Fremont National Forest inventory; and several in the North Fork Sprague River drainage, namely, on North Fork Sprague River (2), Boulder Creek (1), Dead Cow Creek (1), and Sheepy Creek (1); 2) fish passage structures should be installed at water diversions on bull trout streams, and barriers should be removed, including on Cherry, Sevenmile, Sun, and Threemile Creeks; 3) fish screens should be installed to prevent fish from entering diversion canals or pipes, including on Long, Deming, Threemile, Sun, Sevenmile, and Cherry Creeks; 4) manmade barriers and entrainment should be evaluated and remedied to promote migratory bull trout; priority watersheds include Threemile, Long, Deming, Sevenmile, Cherry, Sun, and Long Creeks. The Klamath River Recovery Unit team expects that the recovery process will be dynamic and will be refined as more information becomes available. Future adaptive management will play a major role in recovery implementation and refinement of recovery criteria. The recovery unit criteria listed above will be used to determine when the Klamath River Recovery Unit is fully contributing to recovery of the Klamath River population segment. vn ACTIONS NEEDED Recovery for bull trout will entail reducing threats to the long-term persistence of populations and their habitats, ensuring the security of multiple interacting groups of bull trout, and providing habitat and access to conditions that allow for the expression of various life history forms. The seven categories are listed in Chapter 1; tasks specific to this recovery unit are provided in this chapter. ESTIMATED COST OF RECOVERY Total cost of bull trout recovery in the Klamath River Recovery Unit is estimated at about $26 million spread over a 25-year recovery period. Successful recovery of bull trout in the recovery unit is contingent on removing threats from nonnative species, eliminating barriers to fish movement, and improving habitat conditions within the Klamath River basin. Total cost includes estimates of expenditures by local, Tribal, State, and Federal governments and by private business and individuals. Cost estimates are not provided for tasks which are normal agency responsibilities under existing authorities. The estimated costs are attributed to bull trout conservation, but other aquatic species will also benefit. ESTIMATED DATE OF RECOVERY Time required to achieve recovery depends on bull trout status, factors affecting bull trout, implementation and effectiveness of recovery tasks, and responses to recovery tasks. A tremendous amount of work will be required to restore impaired habitat, reconnect habitat, and eliminate threats from nonnative species. Three to five bull trout generations (15 to 25 years), or possibly longer, may be necessary before identified threats to the species can be significantly reduced and bull trout can be considered eligible for delisting. vin Title: Bull Trout, Salvelinus Confluentus... Draft Recovery Plan, Chapter 2, Klamath River Recovery Unit...U.S. Department Of The Interior Year: 2008, 2005 KLAMATH RIVER RECOVERY UNIT CHAPTER OF THE BULL TROUT RECOVERY PLAN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY CURRENT SPECIES STATUS Klamath River bull trout were listed as a distinct population segment in 1998 (63 FR 31647) because they are physically isolated from other bull trout by the Pacific Ocean and several small mountain ranges in central Oregon. Recovery of bull trout in the Klamath River Recovery Unit, which includes three core areas and nine currently identified local populations, will require cooperation from Federal, State, and local agencies, and Tribal and private entities. Within the Klamath River Recovery Unit, abundance has been severely reduced and remaining populations are fragmented. HABITAT REQUIREMENTS AND LIMITING FACTORS Watershed disruption has played a major role in the decline of bull trout in the Klamath River basin. The effects of historical land use on fish habitat in the larger tributaries and mainstem rivers of the Klamath River basin have been profound. Channelization, water withdrawals, removal of streamside vegetation, and other disturbances have altered the aquatic environment by elevating water temperatures, reducing water quantity and quality, and increasing sedimentation. Changes in or disruptions to watershed processes that influence characteristics of stream channels have also influenced the dynamics and persistence of bull trout populations. Klamath River basin bull trout are threatened by habitat degradation, past and present land use management practices, agricultural water diversions, and competition or hybridization from normative brown and brook trout. As a result of past land and resource management practices, bull trout populations in the Klamath River Recovery Unit are small, disjunct, and face a high risk of extirpation. IV RECOVERY GOAL AND OBJECTIVES The goal of the bull trout recovery plan is to ensure the long-term persistence of self-sustaining, complex interacting groups of bull trout distributed across the species range, so that the species can be delisted. In order to recover bull trout in the Klamath River, the following objectives need to be met: ? Maintain current distribution of bull trout and restore distribution in previously occupied areas within the Klamath River Recovery Unit, as noted in Appendix A. ? Maintain stable or increasing trends in abundance of bull trout within the Klamath River. This objective includes the expression of all life history strategies including resident, fluvial, and adfluvial forms in the Upper Klamath Lake core area and resident and fluvial forms in the Sycan River and Upper Sprague River core areas. ? Restore and maintain suitable habitat conditions for all bull trout life history stages and strategies. In core areas and migration corridors, stable or upward trends in habitat quality are achieved through landscape-level adjustments in land management strategies designed to maintain and/or enhance structural and functional attributes of upslope, riparian, and fluvial systems. ? Conserve genetic diversity and provide opportunity for interchange of genetic material among appropriate core populations. RECOVERY CRITERIA Recovery criteria for the Klamath River Recovery Unit reflect the stated objectives and consideration of population and habitat characteristics within the recovery unit. Using four population and habitat elements, the Klamath River Recovery Unit Team categorized bull trout into three groups of relative risk: diminished, intermediate, and increased. Team members evaluated bull trout under current and potential recovered conditions based on the number of local populations, adult abundance, population trends and variability, and connectivity of the system. These elements were derived from the best scientific information available concerning bull trout population and habitat requirements. Evaluation of these elements under a recovered condition assumed that actions identified within this chapter had been implemented. 1. Distribution criteria will be met when current distribution of bull trout in the 12 local populations is maintained and distribution is expanded by establishing bull trout in areas identified as suitable for potential local populations. The number of existing local populations by core area are as follows: Upper Klamath Lake, 3; Sycan River, 2; and Upper Sprague River, 7. Achieving criterion 1 entails maintaining existing local populations and establishing additional potential local populations in all core areas in the recovery unit to maintain current and recovered distribution. To achieve criterion 1 and to ensure a core area population of no fewer than 100 adult bull trout, establishing at least 5 to 7 local populations in the Klamath Lake core area among 15 potential local populations (2 to 5 new local populations), at least 5 to 7 local populations in the Sycan River core area from among 15 potential local populations (3 to 5 new local populations), and at least 10 to 12 local populations in the Upper Sprague River core area from among 25 potential local populations (3 to 5 new local populations) is necessary. 2. Abundance criteria will be met when the estimated number of adult bull trout is at least 8,250 individuals distributed among the Upper Klamath Lake, Sycan River, and Upper Sprague River core areas, based on 10 years of monitoring data. 3. Trend criteria will be met when adult bull trout exhibit stable or increasing trends in abundance in the Upper Klamath Lake, Sycan River, and Upper Sprague River core areas, based on 2 generations (10 years) of monitoring data. VI 4. Connectivity criteria will be met when specific barriers to bull trout migration in the Klamath River Recovery Unit have been addressed. In the Klamath River Recovery Unit, this objective means addressing passage: 1) existing culverts that impede passage should be replaced, including those on Threemile Creek at U.S. Forest Service Road 110 crossing, Brownsworth Creek at U.S. Forest Service Road 34 crossing, and Brownsworth Creek both 0.75 mile and 1.25 miles above U.S. Forest Service Road 34; the culvert 0.25 mile below U.S. Forest Service Road 34 (to prevent repeated washout); the large-diameter culvert at the Boulder Creek road crossing; culverts in the upper Sycan River watershed that are identified in the Fremont National Forest inventory; and several in the North Fork Sprague River drainage, namely, on North Fork Sprague River (2), Boulder Creek (1), Dead Cow Creek (1), and Sheepy Creek (1); 2) fish passage structures should be installed at water diversions on bull trout streams, and barriers should be removed, including on Cherry, Sevenmile, Sun, and Threemile Creeks; 3) fish screens should be installed to prevent fish from entering diversion canals or pipes, including on Long, Deming, Threemile, Sun, Sevenmile, and Cherry Creeks; 4) manmade barriers and entrainment should be evaluated and remedied to promote migratory bull trout; priority watersheds include Threemile, Long, Deming, Sevenmile, Cherry, Sun, and Long Creeks. The Klamath River Recovery Unit team expects that the recovery process will be dynamic and will be refined as more information becomes available. Future adaptive management will play a major role in recovery implementation and refinement of recovery criteria. The recovery unit criteria listed above will be used to determine when the Klamath River Recovery Unit is fully contributing to recovery of the Klamath River population segment. vn ACTIONS NEEDED Recovery for bull trout will entail reducing threats to the long-term persistence of populations and their habitats, ensuring the security of multiple interacting groups of bull trout, and providing habitat and access to conditions that allow for the expression of various life history forms. The seven categories are listed in Chapter 1; tasks specific to this recovery unit are provided in this chapter. ESTIMATED COST OF RECOVERY Total cost of bull trout recovery in the Klamath River Recovery Unit is estimated at about $26 million spread over a 25-year recovery period. Successful recovery of bull trout in the recovery unit is contingent on removing threats from nonnative species, eliminating barriers to fish movement, and improving habitat conditions within the Klamath River basin. Total cost includes estimates of expenditures by local, Tribal, State, and Federal governments and by private business and individuals. Cost estimates are not provided for tasks which are normal agency responsibilities under existing authorities. The estimated costs are attributed to bull trout conservation, but other aquatic species will also benefit. ESTIMATED DATE OF RECOVERY Time required to achieve recovery depends on bull trout status, factors affecting bull trout, implementation and effectiveness of recovery tasks, and responses to recovery tasks. A tremendous amount of work will be required to restore impaired habitat, reconnect habitat, and eliminate threats from nonnative species. Three to five bull trout generations (15 to 25 years), or possibly longer, may be necessary before identified threats to the species can be significantly reduced and bull trout can be considered eligible for delisting. vin Close

• 227. [Image] Upper Klamath Basin bull trout conservation strategy : part 1, a conceptual framework for recovery, final

  	EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This document presents the framework of a plan to reverse the decline of bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) populations in the Klamath Basin. If successful, we expect bull trout ...
  	Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Upper Klamath Basin bull trout conservation strategy : part 1, a conceptual framework for recovery, final Author: Light, Jeffrey Year: 1996, 2008, 2005 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This document presents the framework of a plan to reverse the decline of bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) populations in the Klamath Basin. If successful, we expect bull trout to recover to a level where they will have a reasonable chance of long-term viability. The work is the collective effort of fish biologists, foresters, other natural resource management professionals, and local landowners representing a diverse array of interests and organizations. Together, these individuals have worked for several years to gather information pertaining to the distribution and status of Klamath bull trout populations and threats to their persistence. The members of the Bull Trout Working Group share the common desire to restore bull trout populations while at the same time sustaining their respective land use interests in the Klamath Basin. This approach provides incentives to all the interested parties to seek agreement on solutions, encouraging cooperative work on an otherwise ambitious and daunting task. The following few pages summarize the plan. Each area is covered again in greater detail in the body of the document. The goals established by the Bull Trout Working Group for this recovery plan are to (1) Secure existing bull trout populations, and (2) Expand the populations to some of their former range and numbers. We pursue these goals with a three step approach of assessment, implementation, and evaluation. We begin with a review of the distribution and status of bull trout generally, then specifically within the Klamath Basin. Next we present available data and interpretations supporting our conclusions regarding the type, magnitude, and extent of physical and biological factors or concerns that may hamper bull trout persistence. Land and fish management activities that contribute to these problem situations are then identified. This is followed by a blueprint for stepwise development and implementation of practical solutions. Finally, a monitoring plan is proposed to measure the success of the recovery efforts. The Klamath Basin Bull trout populations represent a valuable biological resource. These populations exist at the southern edge of the species' distribution, and have distinctive genetic character. In the Upper Klamath River Basin, bull trout are presently found as resident forms in eight isolated headwater streams within six small drainages. (4Headwater streams' in this document refers to very small streams, rather than rivers which are the headwaters for larger rivers). These streams occur in three general locations: they are tributaries of the Sprague River, of the Sycan River and of Upper Klamath Lake. Together, the known populations occupy approximately 23 miles (37 km) of perennial streams. Formerly, bull trout may have occurred in the mainstems of these systems (Gilbert 1897. Dambacher et al. 1992, Roger Smith, ODFW, pers. coram. 1994). In addition to existing populations, other populations are known to have recently occupied nearby streams (Cherry and Coyote creeks, the Upper Sycan River). Estimated current population sizes in each drainage range between 133 and 1,293, indicating that populations are low enough to warrant concern. These population sizes are smaller than the minimum viable population sizes predicted by conservation biology theory. A substantial risk of extirpation via natural disturbance cycles and stochastic events exists for such small populations. Streams that are presently inhabited by bull trout are typically small and spring-fed with steep gradients. They originate in the higher elevations of mountains within the Upper Klamath Basin and flow through forests where land uses range from wilderness and national parkland to commercial forestry and grazing. Eventually, these tributaries or their mainstem receiving waters leave the forest and flow through broad sagebrush-covered valleys or marshes where they widen and flatten. Here livestock grazing and agriculture are the dominant land uses. An assessment of the current situation regarding Klamath Basin bull trout was performed using existing and new information on life history, distribution, habitat requirements by lifestage, environmental requirements, exotic species interactions, angling pressure, land use interactions, habitat fragmentation, population fragmentation and many other factors. Basin-specific information on each of these factors was collected and analyzed, complemented by a thorough review of the literature. Past, present and possible future distributions of bull trout were examined. Particular emphasis was placed on determining the nature and extent of biotic interactions, because this potential agent of bull trout decline has not been thoroughly addressed in other works. Analysis of the assembled information resulted in the identification of several specific natural and anthropogenic factors which are thought to limit the distribution and persistence of bull trout. Habitat quality and quantity are affected by land use to some degree in all currently inhabited bull trout streams except upper Sun Creek. Generally, habitat conditions vary from fair to good in existing bull trout streams. We identified several land uses that have reduced habitat quality. Principal among the abiotic factors of concern is fine sediment loading from (1) road erosion, (2) stream bank and adjacent ground disturbance by livestock, and (3) Bull Trout Document - Final - - 6 - 26-Jan-96 stream-adjacent hillslope erosion from logging. Second among the abiotic factors of concern is elevated temperature. Other concerns include diminished large woody debris (LWD) recruitment, declining bank integrity, low flows, changes in stream morphology, and blocked or hindered fish passage. The relative importance of each of these factors or concerns differs by watershed, or by location within a watershed. In most cases, information on specific issues and their locations is available with sufficient resolution to allow land managers to develop action plans to address them. Possible exceptions may include Deming Creek, where Watershed Analysis has not yet been performed. Based on the assessment results to date, the following strategy was developed to address limiting factors and concerns. Competitive and genetic interactions with non-native brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) and brown trout (Salmo trutta) were found to be important biotic factors currently threatening the persistence of bull trout in the Klamath Basin. This conclusion was based on the almost pervasive presence of these exotic competitors and the significance of their negative interactions as determined from the literature and from local observations in headwater streams. Temperature may be a significant issue, especially for juvenile rearing, although the temperature tolerances of bull trout are not well understood. Habitat fragmentation and alteration appear to have been major issues in the past, resulting in population fragmentation, particularly at lower elevations and in larger streams where bull trout may have ranged historically. These final two factors appear less important than exotic competitors or temperature for bull trout in the current limited ranges in headwater streams, though they are important in mainstems and larger tributaries. They will need to be addressed if large scale restoration is undertaken. With the exceptions of temperature and fine sediment, brook trout have habitat requirements and environmental tolerances similar to bull trout, and they thrive in many Klamath Basin headwater streams while bull trout do not. Brown trout pose a competitive threat similar to that posed by brook trout, but the mechanisms of displacement and the areas where they occur differ. Even in environments unaltered by land management, such as Sun Creek within Crater Lake National Park, exotic trout are displacing bull trout. This conclusion is consistent with findings throughout the west, where competition with exotic species has clearly had a major effect on bull trout range, resulting in widespread declines in bull trout distribution. Changes in habitat may have altered competitive interactions between bull trout and other salmonids, both directly and indirectly. Since changes in environmental factors can exacerbate competition issues in sensitive populations, habitat condition remains a concern. Near-term, mid-term, and long-term strategy for Recovery of Bull Trout Populations Our approach to recovery of the Klamath basin's bull trout populations is a two-phase effort corresponding to near- and mid-term objectives, and an examination of possible long-term recovery objectives. It entails securing and maintaining existing populations followed by expansion into former headwater and downstream habitats, and ultimately the possibility of connecting tributaries with mainstem linkages. Assessment, research and monitoring needs associated with each phase were identified (see main body of text). Specific project details such as funding, work schedules, participant responsibilities, specific actions, implementation methods and costs are not presented but are to be developed collectively by the Bull Trout Working Group. Phase 1: Securing existing populations This phase of the recovery plan focuses on the six small drainages where bull trout populations are known to exist today. Here we wish to prevent further decline of individual populations as a step toward securing the viability of the Klamath Basin metapopulation(s).1 This is accomplished by addressing biotic and abiotic factors that threaten the persistence of these populations. The most immediate threat is the continued presence of non-native salmonids. Localized areas of habitat degradation or alteration from sediment inputs and shade removal are an additional serious concern. It may be feasible to isolate bull trout populations above barriers, followed by eradication of brook and brown trout within each isolated stream reach. This approach will be tested early in Phase 7, with particular attention to unforeseen consequences on the ecology of the test streams. Assuming it is viable, this approach will become the focus of Phases 1 & 2, in parallel with habitat enhancement efforts. Habitat enhancement is generally feasible, particularly in areas where roads or livestock are the issues. Where needed, such habitat enhancement efforts are expected to be completed as part of Phases 1&2. It will be necessary to understand the distribution of genetic variation among existing sub-populations of bull trout in order to embark on a well 1 For an understanding of metapopulation considerations, see the body of the text, in particular the section on 'Metapopulations and sub-populations' on page 60. Bull Trout Document - Final - - 7 - 26-Jan-96 directed range expansion program. Baseline data would be essential for genetic monitoring activities and for the development of stocks for establishing new sub-populations in subsequent phases. If successful, the actions taken in Phase 1 are expected to eliminate the direct threats to existing bull trout sub-populations posed by non-native salmonids. Parallel efforts to improve the in-stream physical environment to ensure habitat is suitable for bull trout are expected to eliminate proximate environmental threats to existing bull trout sub-populations. This effort will require that abiotic limiting factors and concerns be addressed via land management activities, most of which fall within the realm of forest land management. Timber harvest and regeneration, roads (construction, use, and maintenance), and livestock grazing programs are considered. Immediate actions may take the form of road erosion abatement, including road abandonment and revegetation. Some of these actions can be accomplished when a particular unit is harvested, while others may be pursued as independent restoration activities (e.g., livestock management plans, culvert replacements). Presently, no in-stream fish habitat improvement projects have been proposed, and none are foreseen for stream reaches affected by this phase of the recovery plan. Most of the concerns related to livestock are focused within the riparian zone. Some riparian locations are much more sensitive than others, for example the large meadow in Long Creek. Actions to address these concerns will vary by landowner and location, and may range from complete riparian exclosure to short-term grazing to continuous but moderate access. The preferred actions will depend on the success of these various strategies in bringing about the desired response of the channel and fish habitat, and can be expected to change as recovery of riparian areas progresses. Effectiveness monitoring will be invaluable for measuring the success of these efforts, and in adapting our management strategy during the implementation. No water diversion concerns have been identified for this phase of the plan, except for Deming Creek, where screening of irrigation ditches may be warranted. Some additional fish management actions may also be applicable in Phase 7, for example to continue to monitor compliance with existing no kill regulations in bull trout streams. Other pertinent fish management issues have been addressed already, for example the cessation of exotic trout stocking (brook, brown or non-native rainbow) in bull trout streams. Phase 2: Expanding the range of bull trout within headwater streams In Phase 2, bull trout populations are refounded in headwater streams which now support brook trout, e.g. Calahan and Cherry creeks, or possibly in creeks without fish, e.g. Sheep Creek on the North Fork Sprague. This serves to expand the number of sub-populations, increases the number of refugia, and increases the overall size of the Klamath metapopulation(s). This is a major step in the establishment of viable metapopulations; by increasing the number of sub-populations, the effect of the loss or decline of any particular sub-population is reduced, making the metapopulation(s) more resilient to natural disturbance, variations in breeding success, disease outbreaks and other stochastic factors. Phase 2 consists of two parts: Phase 2a, in which sub-populations are founded in streams which only recently lost bull trout (e.g. Cherry Creek, Coyote Creek and the upper Sycan River) and Phase 2b, in which sub-populations are founded in other suitable headwater habitat, as indicated by the presence of thriving brook trout sub-populations (e.g. Sevenmile Creek, Calahan Creek, Annie Creek, Camp Creek, Jackson Creek, Deep Creek and Corral Creek). Both parts of Phase 2 are accomplished in much the same way as Phase 7: Barriers are constructed to exclude brook trout and brown trout, then the exotic species are eradicated above the barriers. Bull trout populations are then founded with human-introduced bull trout, whether via transplantation from wild sources or from a hatchery. Care must be exercised to maintain adequate genetic diversity in the founded sub-populations as establishment of genetically healthy populations is a non-trivial task. An inherent risk in newly created sub-populations is the loss of genetic variation (founder effect), which if great enough can reduce the vigor of the population and its long-term viability. As in Phase 7, stresses from abiotic factors, such as excessive delivery of fine sediment, low flows, or warm water temperatures, need to be reduced in parallel with the removal of exotics. Streamside roads, road crossings, low flows in upper reaches, and livestock are situations of concern in many of the streams, and warm temperatures are in some. Also as in phase 7, monitoring for the presence of exotics, bull trout population parameters, and abiotic factors is an important follow-up activity to track and ensure long-term success. In addition, genetic monitoring of newly founded populations is indicated. Bull Trout Document - Final - -8- 26-Jan-96 A possible future direction after Phase 2 Once Phase 2 is complete, the Bull Trout Working Group will pause to assess the efforts completed and plan future efforts. If phases 1 and 2 are successful, there will be significant numbers of bull trout in various tributaries, but possibly little genetic exchange between them. Bull trout range may still be restricted to headwater streams. During the evaluation and reassessment of the recovery effort, the group will re-consider the long-term recovery objectives. Based on what we know now, two possible recovery objectives are likely to be considered. The first such possible objective is the establishment of natural movement corridors between adjacent headwater streams, thereby establishing complete and viable metapopulation(s) of bull trout within the Upper Klamath Basin. Connectivity between headwater streams would allow volitional movement of bull trout. Movement would allow dispersal, founding of new sub-populations, and interbreeding between sub-populations, within the local sub-basin. Establishing natural movement corridors between headwater streams may require that selected reaches of larger tributaries or even portions of mainstem rivers be restored to suitable habitat for bull trout. This would be an ambitious undertaking, which may be infeasible. It might require the elimination or exclusion of exotics, the removal of man-made barriers which prevent movement between streams, or alterations in current land use to reduce anthropogenically induced fine sediment loads, low flows, warm stream temperatures, or changes in channel morphology. The change in focus from headwater streams to larger tributaries represents an escalation in the scale and complexity of the restoration effort. Exclusion of exotics is much more difficult. Land use effects, whether from water diversions or livestock grazing are often more significant. The second possible objective of future efforts after Phase 2 is to attemp to re-establish fluvial populations of bull trout in selected mainstem rivers of the Upper Klamath Basin, in such a way as to connect the sub-populations of each metapopulation. Fluvial bull trout are far larger than stream resident bull trout, and have much higher fecundity as a result. This gives them a tremendous advantage in breeding, whether in founding new sub-populations, or augmenting existing sub-populations. By establishing a fluvial form of bull trout in the Upper Klamath Basin, overall viability of the metapopulation(s) should be greatly increased. Timeline for implementation A prototype Phase 1 implementation is likely to be completed within 2-5 years. Full implementation of Phase 1 may take many years, but the bulk of the work could be completed in 10-20 years. Further assessment work and some aspects of Phase 2 will be accomplished concurrent with Phase 1 efforts over the next several years, but may require 5-10 years before being well underway. Specific timelines for individual projects in phases 1 and 2 and the overall recovery effort will be developed by the Bull Trout Working Group. Summary and prognosis for bull trout populations in the Upper Klamath River Basin If our analysis is accurate, the Klamath Basin's native bull trout populations are imperiled, yet their future need not be bleak. They persist today as a handful of isolated sub-populations in small, headwater streams. If a fluvial life history form existed, as it may have at one time in the Wood River2, no longer occurs or is a very small (i.e., undetectable) component of the current Klamath River Basin population. Gene flow between these sub-populations has apparently ceased. Individual population sizes are small enough to be near or below minimum viable levels as defined by current theorists in conservation biology. Competition from introduced brook and brown trout is widespread, with severe long-term consequences. Habitat conditions vary from stream to stream, depending on the nature and extent of land uses around and downstream of the bull trout tributaries. Fine sediment inputs and elevated stream temperatures are the principal habitat issue. Water withdrawals, altered channels and flood plains, and other anthropogenic influences have contributed to loss of mainstem fluvial habitat, and may have ultimately resulted in habitat fragmentation, followed by isolation of the remaining populations. Together, these conditions do not bode well for the longevity of native bull trout populations. We believe concerted efforts to resolve the identified problems can achieve the goals of maintaining, and possibly restoring, Klamath bull trout populations. Further, we believe that without attention, one or more of the identified limiting factors will almost certainly spell an end to most or all of the sub-populations in the basin. 2 A 330 mm specimen was collected from Fort Creek, a tributary to the Wood River, in 1876. Cited in Cavendar 1978; Smithsonian Accession Number 16793. Bull Trout Document - Final - -9 - 26-Jan-96 Title: Upper Klamath Basin bull trout conservation strategy : part 1, a conceptual framework for recovery, final Author: Light, Jeffrey Year: 1996, 2008, 2005 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This document presents the framework of a plan to reverse the decline of bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) populations in the Klamath Basin. If successful, we expect bull trout to recover to a level where they will have a reasonable chance of long-term viability. The work is the collective effort of fish biologists, foresters, other natural resource management professionals, and local landowners representing a diverse array of interests and organizations. Together, these individuals have worked for several years to gather information pertaining to the distribution and status of Klamath bull trout populations and threats to their persistence. The members of the Bull Trout Working Group share the common desire to restore bull trout populations while at the same time sustaining their respective land use interests in the Klamath Basin. This approach provides incentives to all the interested parties to seek agreement on solutions, encouraging cooperative work on an otherwise ambitious and daunting task. The following few pages summarize the plan. Each area is covered again in greater detail in the body of the document. The goals established by the Bull Trout Working Group for this recovery plan are to (1) Secure existing bull trout populations, and (2) Expand the populations to some of their former range and numbers. We pursue these goals with a three step approach of assessment, implementation, and evaluation. We begin with a review of the distribution and status of bull trout generally, then specifically within the Klamath Basin. Next we present available data and interpretations supporting our conclusions regarding the type, magnitude, and extent of physical and biological factors or concerns that may hamper bull trout persistence. Land and fish management activities that contribute to these problem situations are then identified. This is followed by a blueprint for stepwise development and implementation of practical solutions. Finally, a monitoring plan is proposed to measure the success of the recovery efforts. The Klamath Basin Bull trout populations represent a valuable biological resource. These populations exist at the southern edge of the species' distribution, and have distinctive genetic character. In the Upper Klamath River Basin, bull trout are presently found as resident forms in eight isolated headwater streams within six small drainages. (4Headwater streams' in this document refers to very small streams, rather than rivers which are the headwaters for larger rivers). These streams occur in three general locations: they are tributaries of the Sprague River, of the Sycan River and of Upper Klamath Lake. Together, the known populations occupy approximately 23 miles (37 km) of perennial streams. Formerly, bull trout may have occurred in the mainstems of these systems (Gilbert 1897. Dambacher et al. 1992, Roger Smith, ODFW, pers. coram. 1994). In addition to existing populations, other populations are known to have recently occupied nearby streams (Cherry and Coyote creeks, the Upper Sycan River). Estimated current population sizes in each drainage range between 133 and 1,293, indicating that populations are low enough to warrant concern. These population sizes are smaller than the minimum viable population sizes predicted by conservation biology theory. A substantial risk of extirpation via natural disturbance cycles and stochastic events exists for such small populations. Streams that are presently inhabited by bull trout are typically small and spring-fed with steep gradients. They originate in the higher elevations of mountains within the Upper Klamath Basin and flow through forests where land uses range from wilderness and national parkland to commercial forestry and grazing. Eventually, these tributaries or their mainstem receiving waters leave the forest and flow through broad sagebrush-covered valleys or marshes where they widen and flatten. Here livestock grazing and agriculture are the dominant land uses. An assessment of the current situation regarding Klamath Basin bull trout was performed using existing and new information on life history, distribution, habitat requirements by lifestage, environmental requirements, exotic species interactions, angling pressure, land use interactions, habitat fragmentation, population fragmentation and many other factors. Basin-specific information on each of these factors was collected and analyzed, complemented by a thorough review of the literature. Past, present and possible future distributions of bull trout were examined. Particular emphasis was placed on determining the nature and extent of biotic interactions, because this potential agent of bull trout decline has not been thoroughly addressed in other works. Analysis of the assembled information resulted in the identification of several specific natural and anthropogenic factors which are thought to limit the distribution and persistence of bull trout. Habitat quality and quantity are affected by land use to some degree in all currently inhabited bull trout streams except upper Sun Creek. Generally, habitat conditions vary from fair to good in existing bull trout streams. We identified several land uses that have reduced habitat quality. Principal among the abiotic factors of concern is fine sediment loading from (1) road erosion, (2) stream bank and adjacent ground disturbance by livestock, and (3) Bull Trout Document - Final - - 6 - 26-Jan-96 stream-adjacent hillslope erosion from logging. Second among the abiotic factors of concern is elevated temperature. Other concerns include diminished large woody debris (LWD) recruitment, declining bank integrity, low flows, changes in stream morphology, and blocked or hindered fish passage. The relative importance of each of these factors or concerns differs by watershed, or by location within a watershed. In most cases, information on specific issues and their locations is available with sufficient resolution to allow land managers to develop action plans to address them. Possible exceptions may include Deming Creek, where Watershed Analysis has not yet been performed. Based on the assessment results to date, the following strategy was developed to address limiting factors and concerns. Competitive and genetic interactions with non-native brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) and brown trout (Salmo trutta) were found to be important biotic factors currently threatening the persistence of bull trout in the Klamath Basin. This conclusion was based on the almost pervasive presence of these exotic competitors and the significance of their negative interactions as determined from the literature and from local observations in headwater streams. Temperature may be a significant issue, especially for juvenile rearing, although the temperature tolerances of bull trout are not well understood. Habitat fragmentation and alteration appear to have been major issues in the past, resulting in population fragmentation, particularly at lower elevations and in larger streams where bull trout may have ranged historically. These final two factors appear less important than exotic competitors or temperature for bull trout in the current limited ranges in headwater streams, though they are important in mainstems and larger tributaries. They will need to be addressed if large scale restoration is undertaken. With the exceptions of temperature and fine sediment, brook trout have habitat requirements and environmental tolerances similar to bull trout, and they thrive in many Klamath Basin headwater streams while bull trout do not. Brown trout pose a competitive threat similar to that posed by brook trout, but the mechanisms of displacement and the areas where they occur differ. Even in environments unaltered by land management, such as Sun Creek within Crater Lake National Park, exotic trout are displacing bull trout. This conclusion is consistent with findings throughout the west, where competition with exotic species has clearly had a major effect on bull trout range, resulting in widespread declines in bull trout distribution. Changes in habitat may have altered competitive interactions between bull trout and other salmonids, both directly and indirectly. Since changes in environmental factors can exacerbate competition issues in sensitive populations, habitat condition remains a concern. Near-term, mid-term, and long-term strategy for Recovery of Bull Trout Populations Our approach to recovery of the Klamath basin's bull trout populations is a two-phase effort corresponding to near- and mid-term objectives, and an examination of possible long-term recovery objectives. It entails securing and maintaining existing populations followed by expansion into former headwater and downstream habitats, and ultimately the possibility of connecting tributaries with mainstem linkages. Assessment, research and monitoring needs associated with each phase were identified (see main body of text). Specific project details such as funding, work schedules, participant responsibilities, specific actions, implementation methods and costs are not presented but are to be developed collectively by the Bull Trout Working Group. Phase 1: Securing existing populations This phase of the recovery plan focuses on the six small drainages where bull trout populations are known to exist today. Here we wish to prevent further decline of individual populations as a step toward securing the viability of the Klamath Basin metapopulation(s).1 This is accomplished by addressing biotic and abiotic factors that threaten the persistence of these populations. The most immediate threat is the continued presence of non-native salmonids. Localized areas of habitat degradation or alteration from sediment inputs and shade removal are an additional serious concern. It may be feasible to isolate bull trout populations above barriers, followed by eradication of brook and brown trout within each isolated stream reach. This approach will be tested early in Phase 7, with particular attention to unforeseen consequences on the ecology of the test streams. Assuming it is viable, this approach will become the focus of Phases 1 & 2, in parallel with habitat enhancement efforts. Habitat enhancement is generally feasible, particularly in areas where roads or livestock are the issues. Where needed, such habitat enhancement efforts are expected to be completed as part of Phases 1&2. It will be necessary to understand the distribution of genetic variation among existing sub-populations of bull trout in order to embark on a well 1 For an understanding of metapopulation considerations, see the body of the text, in particular the section on 'Metapopulations and sub-populations' on page 60. Bull Trout Document - Final - - 7 - 26-Jan-96 directed range expansion program. Baseline data would be essential for genetic monitoring activities and for the development of stocks for establishing new sub-populations in subsequent phases. If successful, the actions taken in Phase 1 are expected to eliminate the direct threats to existing bull trout sub-populations posed by non-native salmonids. Parallel efforts to improve the in-stream physical environment to ensure habitat is suitable for bull trout are expected to eliminate proximate environmental threats to existing bull trout sub-populations. This effort will require that abiotic limiting factors and concerns be addressed via land management activities, most of which fall within the realm of forest land management. Timber harvest and regeneration, roads (construction, use, and maintenance), and livestock grazing programs are considered. Immediate actions may take the form of road erosion abatement, including road abandonment and revegetation. Some of these actions can be accomplished when a particular unit is harvested, while others may be pursued as independent restoration activities (e.g., livestock management plans, culvert replacements). Presently, no in-stream fish habitat improvement projects have been proposed, and none are foreseen for stream reaches affected by this phase of the recovery plan. Most of the concerns related to livestock are focused within the riparian zone. Some riparian locations are much more sensitive than others, for example the large meadow in Long Creek. Actions to address these concerns will vary by landowner and location, and may range from complete riparian exclosure to short-term grazing to continuous but moderate access. The preferred actions will depend on the success of these various strategies in bringing about the desired response of the channel and fish habitat, and can be expected to change as recovery of riparian areas progresses. Effectiveness monitoring will be invaluable for measuring the success of these efforts, and in adapting our management strategy during the implementation. No water diversion concerns have been identified for this phase of the plan, except for Deming Creek, where screening of irrigation ditches may be warranted. Some additional fish management actions may also be applicable in Phase 7, for example to continue to monitor compliance with existing no kill regulations in bull trout streams. Other pertinent fish management issues have been addressed already, for example the cessation of exotic trout stocking (brook, brown or non-native rainbow) in bull trout streams. Phase 2: Expanding the range of bull trout within headwater streams In Phase 2, bull trout populations are refounded in headwater streams which now support brook trout, e.g. Calahan and Cherry creeks, or possibly in creeks without fish, e.g. Sheep Creek on the North Fork Sprague. This serves to expand the number of sub-populations, increases the number of refugia, and increases the overall size of the Klamath metapopulation(s). This is a major step in the establishment of viable metapopulations; by increasing the number of sub-populations, the effect of the loss or decline of any particular sub-population is reduced, making the metapopulation(s) more resilient to natural disturbance, variations in breeding success, disease outbreaks and other stochastic factors. Phase 2 consists of two parts: Phase 2a, in which sub-populations are founded in streams which only recently lost bull trout (e.g. Cherry Creek, Coyote Creek and the upper Sycan River) and Phase 2b, in which sub-populations are founded in other suitable headwater habitat, as indicated by the presence of thriving brook trout sub-populations (e.g. Sevenmile Creek, Calahan Creek, Annie Creek, Camp Creek, Jackson Creek, Deep Creek and Corral Creek). Both parts of Phase 2 are accomplished in much the same way as Phase 7: Barriers are constructed to exclude brook trout and brown trout, then the exotic species are eradicated above the barriers. Bull trout populations are then founded with human-introduced bull trout, whether via transplantation from wild sources or from a hatchery. Care must be exercised to maintain adequate genetic diversity in the founded sub-populations as establishment of genetically healthy populations is a non-trivial task. An inherent risk in newly created sub-populations is the loss of genetic variation (founder effect), which if great enough can reduce the vigor of the population and its long-term viability. As in Phase 7, stresses from abiotic factors, such as excessive delivery of fine sediment, low flows, or warm water temperatures, need to be reduced in parallel with the removal of exotics. Streamside roads, road crossings, low flows in upper reaches, and livestock are situations of concern in many of the streams, and warm temperatures are in some. Also as in phase 7, monitoring for the presence of exotics, bull trout population parameters, and abiotic factors is an important follow-up activity to track and ensure long-term success. In addition, genetic monitoring of newly founded populations is indicated. Bull Trout Document - Final - -8- 26-Jan-96 A possible future direction after Phase 2 Once Phase 2 is complete, the Bull Trout Working Group will pause to assess the efforts completed and plan future efforts. If phases 1 and 2 are successful, there will be significant numbers of bull trout in various tributaries, but possibly little genetic exchange between them. Bull trout range may still be restricted to headwater streams. During the evaluation and reassessment of the recovery effort, the group will re-consider the long-term recovery objectives. Based on what we know now, two possible recovery objectives are likely to be considered. The first such possible objective is the establishment of natural movement corridors between adjacent headwater streams, thereby establishing complete and viable metapopulation(s) of bull trout within the Upper Klamath Basin. Connectivity between headwater streams would allow volitional movement of bull trout. Movement would allow dispersal, founding of new sub-populations, and interbreeding between sub-populations, within the local sub-basin. Establishing natural movement corridors between headwater streams may require that selected reaches of larger tributaries or even portions of mainstem rivers be restored to suitable habitat for bull trout. This would be an ambitious undertaking, which may be infeasible. It might require the elimination or exclusion of exotics, the removal of man-made barriers which prevent movement between streams, or alterations in current land use to reduce anthropogenically induced fine sediment loads, low flows, warm stream temperatures, or changes in channel morphology. The change in focus from headwater streams to larger tributaries represents an escalation in the scale and complexity of the restoration effort. Exclusion of exotics is much more difficult. Land use effects, whether from water diversions or livestock grazing are often more significant. The second possible objective of future efforts after Phase 2 is to attemp to re-establish fluvial populations of bull trout in selected mainstem rivers of the Upper Klamath Basin, in such a way as to connect the sub-populations of each metapopulation. Fluvial bull trout are far larger than stream resident bull trout, and have much higher fecundity as a result. This gives them a tremendous advantage in breeding, whether in founding new sub-populations, or augmenting existing sub-populations. By establishing a fluvial form of bull trout in the Upper Klamath Basin, overall viability of the metapopulation(s) should be greatly increased. Timeline for implementation A prototype Phase 1 implementation is likely to be completed within 2-5 years. Full implementation of Phase 1 may take many years, but the bulk of the work could be completed in 10-20 years. Further assessment work and some aspects of Phase 2 will be accomplished concurrent with Phase 1 efforts over the next several years, but may require 5-10 years before being well underway. Specific timelines for individual projects in phases 1 and 2 and the overall recovery effort will be developed by the Bull Trout Working Group. Summary and prognosis for bull trout populations in the Upper Klamath River Basin If our analysis is accurate, the Klamath Basin's native bull trout populations are imperiled, yet their future need not be bleak. They persist today as a handful of isolated sub-populations in small, headwater streams. If a fluvial life history form existed, as it may have at one time in the Wood River2, no longer occurs or is a very small (i.e., undetectable) component of the current Klamath River Basin population. Gene flow between these sub-populations has apparently ceased. Individual population sizes are small enough to be near or below minimum viable levels as defined by current theorists in conservation biology. Competition from introduced brook and brown trout is widespread, with severe long-term consequences. Habitat conditions vary from stream to stream, depending on the nature and extent of land uses around and downstream of the bull trout tributaries. Fine sediment inputs and elevated stream temperatures are the principal habitat issue. Water withdrawals, altered channels and flood plains, and other anthropogenic influences have contributed to loss of mainstem fluvial habitat, and may have ultimately resulted in habitat fragmentation, followed by isolation of the remaining populations. Together, these conditions do not bode well for the longevity of native bull trout populations. We believe concerted efforts to resolve the identified problems can achieve the goals of maintaining, and possibly restoring, Klamath bull trout populations. Further, we believe that without attention, one or more of the identified limiting factors will almost certainly spell an end to most or all of the sub-populations in the basin. 2 A 330 mm specimen was collected from Fort Creek, a tributary to the Wood River, in 1876. Cited in Cavendar 1978; Smithsonian Accession Number 16793. Bull Trout Document - Final - -9 - 26-Jan-96 Close

• 228. [Image] Hydrogeology and paleohydrology in the Williamson River basin, Klamath County, Oregon

  	Abstract An abstract of the thesis of Jeffrey Scott Conaway for the Master of Science in Geology presented December 8, 1999. Title: Hydrogeology and Paleohydrology in the Williamson River Basin, Klamath ...
  	Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Hydrogeology and paleohydrology in the Williamson River basin, Klamath County, Oregon Author: Conaway, Jeffrey Scott Year: 2000, 2008, 2005 Abstract An abstract of the thesis of Jeffrey Scott Conaway for the Master of Science in Geology presented December 8, 1999. Title: Hydrogeology and Paleohydrology in the Williamson River Basin, Klamath County, Oregon. Stress on the water resources of the Williamson River basin has led to their regulation to protect important habitat. Quantification of this resource is required for accurate regulation. A portion of this study is a hydrogeologic reconnaissance that suggests directions for future work. Measured discharge and deuterium isotope data from points above and below the Williamson River canyon indicate that the river receives 99% of its discharge from ground water during periods of low flow. The principle aquifer of the southern Klamath Marsh is a fractured basalt, while continental sediments that are up to 200 m thick provide high artesian yields south of the canyon. The disparity between high precipitation on the basin's western margin and the low and variable discharge of the Williamson River at the Kirk Sill suggests either the presence of a fault zone that interrupts the flow of ground water or deep flow paths that do not surface within Klamath Marsh. Three terraces line the eastern edge of Klamath Marsh at approximate elevations of 1380, 1385, and 1397 m. The lowest terrace is late Holocene and cut into marsh sediment and reworked deposits from the pyroclastic eruptions of Mount Mazama. The middle terrace is planed into bedrock and formed when Pleistocene Lake Chemult occupied this basin. The upper terrace, a strand line, is delineated by a slope break that separates reworked pyroclastic deposits from undisturbed pyroclastic fall. Formation of this terrace occurred when pyroclastic flows from the cataclysmic eruption of Mount Mazama formed a blockage in the Williamson River canyon. Resultant backflooding reworked pyroclastic deposits and rafted pumice up to an approximate elevation of 1400 m. The blockage failed catastrophically from overtopping, draining 5.7 x 109 m3 of water, scouring the canyon and producing an erratic boulder deposit at the mouth of the canyon. Upstream evidence of rapid draining includes linear scour channels incised in pyroclastic-flow deposits and scouring of the broad Pleistocene terrace. Paleohydraulic reconstruction of down stream flooding using a flow-competence equation and a physically based dam-break model yield a peak discharge of 1.3 x 104 m3 s"1. Title: Hydrogeology and paleohydrology in the Williamson River basin, Klamath County, Oregon Author: Conaway, Jeffrey Scott Year: 2000, 2008, 2005 Abstract An abstract of the thesis of Jeffrey Scott Conaway for the Master of Science in Geology presented December 8, 1999. Title: Hydrogeology and Paleohydrology in the Williamson River Basin, Klamath County, Oregon. Stress on the water resources of the Williamson River basin has led to their regulation to protect important habitat. Quantification of this resource is required for accurate regulation. A portion of this study is a hydrogeologic reconnaissance that suggests directions for future work. Measured discharge and deuterium isotope data from points above and below the Williamson River canyon indicate that the river receives 99% of its discharge from ground water during periods of low flow. The principle aquifer of the southern Klamath Marsh is a fractured basalt, while continental sediments that are up to 200 m thick provide high artesian yields south of the canyon. The disparity between high precipitation on the basin's western margin and the low and variable discharge of the Williamson River at the Kirk Sill suggests either the presence of a fault zone that interrupts the flow of ground water or deep flow paths that do not surface within Klamath Marsh. Three terraces line the eastern edge of Klamath Marsh at approximate elevations of 1380, 1385, and 1397 m. The lowest terrace is late Holocene and cut into marsh sediment and reworked deposits from the pyroclastic eruptions of Mount Mazama. The middle terrace is planed into bedrock and formed when Pleistocene Lake Chemult occupied this basin. The upper terrace, a strand line, is delineated by a slope break that separates reworked pyroclastic deposits from undisturbed pyroclastic fall. Formation of this terrace occurred when pyroclastic flows from the cataclysmic eruption of Mount Mazama formed a blockage in the Williamson River canyon. Resultant backflooding reworked pyroclastic deposits and rafted pumice up to an approximate elevation of 1400 m. The blockage failed catastrophically from overtopping, draining 5.7 x 109 m3 of water, scouring the canyon and producing an erratic boulder deposit at the mouth of the canyon. Upstream evidence of rapid draining includes linear scour channels incised in pyroclastic-flow deposits and scouring of the broad Pleistocene terrace. Paleohydraulic reconstruction of down stream flooding using a flow-competence equation and a physically based dam-break model yield a peak discharge of 1.3 x 104 m3 s"1. Close

• 229. [Image] Chronic toxicity of low dissolved oxygen concentrations, elevated pH, and elevated ammonia concentrations to lost river suckers (deltistes luxatus), and swimming performance of lost river suckers at various temperatures.

  	The study examines two species of sucker,the shortnose sucker(chasmistes brevirostrix), and the Lost River sucker,(deltisties luxatus) that inhabit Upper Klamath Lake and the effects of chronic toxicity ...
  	Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Chronic toxicity of low dissolved oxygen concentrations, elevated pH, and elevated ammonia concentrations to lost river suckers (deltistes luxatus), and swimming performance of lost river suckers at various temperatures. Author: Meyer, Joseph S. Year: 2000, 2007, 2006 The study examines two species of sucker,the shortnose sucker(chasmistes brevirostrix), and the Lost River sucker,(deltisties luxatus) that inhabit Upper Klamath Lake and the effects of chronic toxicity and temperature changes. The study examines two species of sucker,the shortnose sucker(chasmistes brevirostrix), and the Lost River sucker,(deltisties luxatus) that inhabit Upper Klamath Lake and the effects of chronic toxicity and temperature changes. Title: Chronic toxicity of low dissolved oxygen concentrations, elevated pH, and elevated ammonia concentrations to lost river suckers (deltistes luxatus), and swimming performance of lost river suckers at various temperatures. Author: Meyer, Joseph S. Year: 2000, 2007, 2006 The study examines two species of sucker,the shortnose sucker(chasmistes brevirostrix), and the Lost River sucker,(deltisties luxatus) that inhabit Upper Klamath Lake and the effects of chronic toxicity and temperature changes. The study examines two species of sucker,the shortnose sucker(chasmistes brevirostrix), and the Lost River sucker,(deltisties luxatus) that inhabit Upper Klamath Lake and the effects of chronic toxicity and temperature changes. Close