Work Plan for Adaptive Management Klamath River Basin Oregon and California

The Klamath Basin Conservation Districts in Oregon and California requested Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) assistance in developing a strategy to mitigate the impacts of drought on agriculture in the Klamath Basin. The request for planning assistance was triggered by a drought in 2001, impacts of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) listings, and the ensuing elimination of irrigation water during the growing season to over 1,300 farmers.

To mitigate the effects of the drought on agriculture, Conservation Districts throughout the 10-million acre Klamath Basin have focused on four resource concerns: (1) decreasing the amount of water needed for agricultural, (2) increasing water storage, (3) improving water quality, and (4) developing fish and wildlife habitat. To achieve these objectives, the Conservation Districts need timely, quality resource information with which to make decisions, set priorities, and determine the best conservation activities.