Upper Klamath Lake Catchment Habitat Enhancement

The Habitat Enhancement Biologist (HEB) began working in November, 2006. Efforts to date have focused upon coordinating with restoration-oriented groups in the basin, grant-writing efforts to fund projects, and participating on the review and editing team for the Upper Sprague River Watershed Assessment and the Lower Sprague. Coordinated by the Klamath Basin Ecosystem Foundation, the Upper Sprague Assessment is an important step towards launching significant on-the-ground enhancement projects in the Sprague Basin.

The HEB is currently coordinating a basin wide vegetation monitoring project that will provide an evaluation of the plant community succession in relation to disturbed and undisturbed riparian areas. This project will consist of 50-60 sampling site located throughout the Sprague River basin.

Other work includes the development of a geomorphologic study to investigate sediment aggregation and deposition on 5 sites located in the Sprague River Valley. This project will provide valuable baseline data for future evaluation of sediment loading. As part of this project initial funds that where allocated toward contractual money were used to purchase surveying equipment (laser level and appropriate field gear) and analyzing tools (Rivermorph: a computer program designed to assist in cataloging and analyzing river morphology data) to provide the HEB with the capacity to conduct “in-house” studies.

The HEB has been designated as the Tribes’ liaison with the USFWS Ecosystem Restoration Office (ERO, which has also designated a liaison with us) in terms of data sharing and interaction on projects. This new relationship will facilitate data sharing and cooperative approaches to project planning. For example, the geomorphology project is a collaborative approach between the Klamath Tribes and the ERO office, providing both agencies with a higher capacity to develop and conduct a basin sediment monitoring project.

In addition, the HEB has submitted a Watershed Based Plan (WBP) draft as part of the requirements for 319 EPA funding. This WBP is yet another essential step towards on the ground restoration and enhancement projects for the Sprague River Basin. The WBP will provide guidance and a resource that the Klamath Tribes and associated entities can use to develop best management practice.

A variety of assessments, research and monitoring projects, and active restoration and enhancement projects are either planned or ongoing in the Upper Klamath Basin. Hiring a biologist to focus on these efforts from a salmon and steelhead restoration perspective is necessary for the Tribes to further efforts to restore these fish. This position will also facilitate the dissemination of information collected by the Tribes, enhancing coordination and collaboration, and ultimately making enhancement efforts of many entities more effective.