Redwood Reader

A new study by the feds show what seemed obvious through local history-steelhead and salmon roamed far inland b3efore the dams were built. This study was done as part of informantion gather ing for FERC for basing a decision on license renewals for four dams in the Basin. THe dams have choked off hundreds of miles of spawning habitat since 1917. We note this is a peer reviewed paper from US Fish and Wildlife, BLM and NOAA, all DOI agencies. The dams provide enough power for 75000 homes. The Klamath was the third largest salmon run in the US after the Colombia and Sacramento Rivers before the upper reaches were truncated as spawning habitat. Many of the lakes problems are the result of poor management of glomalin in their watersheds. I found this report just hours after yeasterdays article about the Klamath.

By JEFF BARNARDAssociated Press WriterApril 1, 2005, 9:21 PM ESTGRANTS PASS,
Ore. -- Based on a review of historical and archaeological evidence, a group of
federal biologists has concluded that salmon definitely spawned in waters far
above a series of hydroelectric dams on the Klamath River that have blocked fish
since 1917. The report comes as the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
considers whether to grant the utility Pacificorp a new license to operate four
dams straddling the Oregon-California border as they are, or go along with
Indian tribes, commercial fishermen and conservationists who want the dams
removed or altered to open access to hundreds of miles of spawning habitat.
Besides being the focus of intense political battles over allocations of water
between fish and farms, the Klamath River is a keystone for setting annual
salmon harvests in the Pacific Ocean. The need to protect weak Klamath runs this
year is forcing sharp reductions in the commercial chinook harvest off Oregon
and California. Allen Foreman, chairman of the Klamath Tribes, said he hoped the
report would increase pressure to restore salmon to the upper Klamath Basin by
settling any doubts that salmon were once plentiful in rivers flowing into Upper
Klamath Lake, the source of the Klamath River. "If more people recognized"
salmon had been in the upper basin "the willingness (to restore salmon) will
come then," Foreman said. The peer-reviewed report, "Distribution of Anadramous
Fishes in the Upper Klamath River Watershed Prior to Hydropower Dams," was
compiled by biologists from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Bureau of
Land Management, and a hydraulic engineer from NOAA Fisheries. The report will
be included in Fish and Wildlife recommendations to the Interior Department,
which will decide whether to demand fish passage as part of a new operating
license for the dams, said John Hamilton, a Fish and Wildlife Service biologist
who was lead author on the report. PacifiCorp wants to relicense four dams built
between 1917 and 1962 that produce 147.2 megawatts, enough for 75,000 homes and
1.7 percent of its total output for 1.6 million customers in six Western states.
PacifiCorp has put the cost of fish ladders and fish screens on the dams at $100
million. The report was based on historical newspaper articles and photos, and
fisheries, ethnographic and archaeological reports. The greatest amount of
evidence was for chinook salmon, both the spring runs that were once a leading
source of food for tribes, and fall runs that are key to setting ocean fishing
seasons. The report cited historical accounts, fisheries reports and salmon
bones excavated from an Indian village to establish chinook clearly spawned in
the Sprague River. Historical accounts and fisheries reports were cited for the
Williamson River. Substantial information also showed that steelhead, a prized
sport fish, reached the upper basin and spawned in the Sprague, Williamson and
Wood rivers. Coho salmon, a threatened species figuring in water allocation
battles, spawned in tributaries above Iron Gate Dam, but not as far as Upper
Klamath Lake, the report said. "It confirms what we have been saying all along
-- the Klamath was the No. 3 salmon-producing river in America historically, and
the Klamath dams divided it in two and killed all the salmon that once spawned
in abundance above the dams," said Glen Spain of Pacific Coast Federation of
Fishermen's Associations, which represents California commercial fishermen.
Pacificorp feels chances of restoring salmon to the upper basin are low due to
poor water quality in Upper Klamath Lake and degraded habitat in the Sprague
River, said spokesman Jon Coney. "If Upper Klamath Lake were in the same shape
it was in 1850, I think it would be a different ball game," Coney said.
"Unfortunately, the lake has degenerated so much in the last 100 years, that
from our research fish passage wouldn't necessarily lead to a sustainable
population of oceangoing fish." Most salmon passing through the lake would miss
the summer months when water quality is worst, said Curtis Knight of California
Trout. The world-class trout fishing in the Williamson and Wood rivers shows
they have lots of prime habitat, and the Sprague is benefiting from several
restoration projects.
Copyright 2005 Newsday Inc.