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<\/p>\nThe Bureau of Reclamation proposal faces opposition from the Klamath Tribes over fish survival.<\/p>\n
The Klamath Tribes are opposing a new federal water plan they say risks killing off endangered fish.<\/p>\n
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The Lost River sucker is one of two species of suckers that are endangered in the Klamath Basin.<\/p>\n
Brandon Swanson \/ OPB<\/p>\n
The Bureau of Reclamation\u2019s proposal would send up to 38,000 additional acre-feet of water \u2014 roughly 12.4 billion gallons \u2014 to Klamath Project irrigators in southern Oregon and northern California.<\/p>\n
The bureau\u2019s Annual Operations Plan<\/a>, which covers April 1 to Sept. 30, initially allocated 277,000 acre-feet from Upper Klamath Lake.<\/p>\n An additional 53,000 acre-feet of water could come from deferred project supply, water banked when irrigators postpone use for later.<\/p>\n But the Klamath Tribes said in an email that the additional 38,000 acre-feet would not come from the designated excess water supply.<\/p>\n The Tribes said the allocation would lower lake levels.<\/p>\n As of April 7, Upper Klamath Lake had an elevation of 4,143 feet, according to the bureau. The Tribes say the proposed allocation would drop it to 4,139 feet.<\/p>\n Klamath Tribal Council Chairperson William Ray, Jr. said the fluctuation in water levels would harm the endemic fish populations.<\/p>\n \u201cAll the restoration of the aquatic species of plants that we rely on for our culture is adversely impacted,\u201d he said. \u201cWithout that, the juvenile fish can\u2019t hide and have a source of food to grow into adult size. That is the biggest obstacle that we have.\u201d<\/p>\n C\u2019waam and koptu<\/a>, also known as the Lost River sucker and shortnose sucker, are only found in Upper Klamath Lake. Both are culturally significant to the Klamath Tribes.<\/p>\n Both species were listed as endangered in 1988, and their populations have continued to decline due to water pollution, algae blooms and decreased water levels.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have a viable population of less than 5,000 at Barkley Springs,\u201d Ray said. \u201cEvery bit of water to support their viability is critically important to us.\u201d<\/p>\n Emma J. Nelson is a reporter with the JPR newsroom<\/a>. This story comes to you from the Northwest News Network, a collaboration between public media organizations in Oregon and Washington.<\/p>\n