From the Bureau of Reclamation:
The Bureau of Reclamation today announced the initial 2024 water supply allocations for the Klamath Project along with $8.5 million in immediate funding for the Klamath Basin communities to support drought resiliency and $5 million for Klamath Basin tribes impacted by drought.
In partnership with the Klamath Project Drought Response Agency, Reclamation has secured $8.5 million for administration of specifically authorized drought resiliency programs targeted for project contractors who receive a reduced water allocation. Reclamation is announcing this funding together with an additional $5 million from separate program sources which will be disbursed through technical assistance agreements with Klamath Basin Tribal Nations for drought and ecosystem activities.
Today’s announcement builds on the Department of the Interior’s ongoing commitment to advancing collaborative efforts to restore the Klamath Basin ecosystem and improving water supply reliability for Klamath Project agriculture. Earlier this year, the Department of the Interior entered into a historic agreement with the Klamath Tribes, Yurok Tribe, Karuk Tribe and Klamath Water Users Association to advance collaborative efforts to restore the Klamath Basin ecosystem and improve water supply reliability for Klamath Project agriculture. The Department also announced in February more than $72 million in new investments – including funding from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda – for ecosystem restoration and agricultural infrastructure modernization.
“We are pleased the hydrology for the 2024 water year continues to be favorable over last year’s, but we recognize that inflows into Upper Klamath Lake have not materialized in a manner that allows all water demands to be met with this allocation,” said Reclamation Regional Director Karl Stock. “Working with the Drought Response Agency to administer the available funds will bolster the resiliency of the local communities who receive limited water supplies. Looking forward, we will use real-time monitoring and forecasting information to provide updates to the allocation as it becomes available.”
Detailed in the 2024 Annual Operations Plan, the initial Klamath Project allocation includes 230,000 acre-feet available from Upper Klamath Lake, 35,000 acre-feet from Gerber Reservoir, and 35,000 to 40,000 acre-feet from Clear Lake Reservoir. The allocation is derived from observed winter and spring runoff and anticipated remaining inflows, along with Endangered Species Act and other requirements within the river and Upper Klamath Lake.
Although the Klamath Basin received normal precipitation over the winter period, and briefly experienced limited flood operations in March and early April, conditions have not fully rebounded from consecutive years of drought, particularly given the constraints on water storage and conveyance in the Klamath Basin. The 2024 initial allocations are based on analysis of existing hydrologic conditions and inflow forecasts from the Natural Resource Conservation Service. As the water year progresses, changes in hydrology and actions that impact operations will influence future allocation announcements. Reclamation will continue to monitor hydrology and inflow forecasts and may adjust allocations if conditions warrant an update.
Today’s initial water supply allocations were determined based on management criteria outlined in the 2020 Interim Operations Plan and are consistent with applicable federal laws.
