In 1992, the USGS began studying possible causes for the change in trophic status of Upper Klamath Lake. Since then research has expanded to include groundwater, geomorphology, streamflow forecasting, and fish ecology.
Upper Klamath Lake is a large, shallow lake in southern Oregon that feeds the Klamath River, which flows through California into the Pacific Ocean. The lake is naturally rich in nutrients (i.e., eutrophic), but has become hypereutrophic during the 20th century. Nutrient levels have been high enough to cause annual, extensive blue-green algae blooms each summer since the 1930's. Generally, a eutrophic lake can support diverse plant and animal communities.
Water-quality problems that coincide with the blooms and subsequent decay of dead algae include foul odors, increased acidity, dissolved oxygen concentrations that fluctuate from supersaturation to depletion, elevated ammonia concentrations, and occasionally extensive fish kills. The degraded water quality is a contributing factor in the decline in populations of the shortnose sucker, Chasmistes brevirostris, and the Lost River sucker, Deltistes luxatus, both listed as Federally Endangered Species.
Research by USGS and others continues to monitor and assess conditions in Upper Klamath Lake and the surrounding watershed.
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Water Quality in Keno Reach of the Klamath River
Vertical Hydraulic Gradient at the Sediment-Water Interface in Upper Klamath Lake
Upper Klamath River Basin Forecasts
Sediment Fingerprinting in the Upper Klamath Basin
Upper Klamath Basin Groundwater Studies
Wood River Shoreline Management Tool
Water Quality in Keno Reach of the Klamath River
Future Water Clarity and Dissolved Oxygen in Crater Lake
Geomorphology of the Sprague River Basin
Nutrient and Sediment Loading to Upper Klamath Lake
Nutrient Loading to Lost River and Klamath River Subbasins
Upper Klamath Lake at Rocky Point 11505800
Upper Klamath Lake at Rattlesnake Point 11505900
Upper Klamath Lake near Klamath Falls 11507000
Klamath River at Keno 11509500
Klamath River below Iron Gate Dam 11516530
Klamath River near Seiad Valley 11520500
Klamath River at Orleans 11523000
Klamath River near Klamath 11530500
USGS Klamath River Basin Water-Quality Mapper
This map interface represents continuous and discrete water-quality data collected by Bureau of Reclamation and USGS at Klamath Basin sites. The USGS and Reclamation data stored in NWIS are accessible using existing tools such as NWIS-Web and the USGS Data Grapher system.
National Water Information System (NWIS) - Oregon
National Water Information System: Mapper (Oregon)
Oregon Streamflow Data by Basin
View real-time streamflow data in Oregon river basins.
Klamath River Water-Quality Sites
Klamath River water-quality monitoring -- Keno Reach monitors
Below are multimedia items associated with this project.
Below are publications associated with this project.
Effects of groundwater pumping on agricultural drains in the Tule Lake subbasin, Oregon and California
Evaluation of alternative groundwater-management strategies for the Bureau of Reclamation Klamath Project, Oregon and California
Evapotranspiration from marsh and open-water sites at Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2008--2010
Hydrological information products for the Off-Project Water Program of the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement
Groundwater simulation and management models for the upper Klamath Basin, Oregon and California
Dispersal of larval suckers at the Williamson River Delta, Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2006-09
Dependence of flow and transport through the Williamson River Delta, Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, on wind, river inflow, and lake elevation
Use of acoustic backscatter and vertical velocity to estimate concentration and dynamics of suspended solids in Upper Klamath Lake, south-central Oregon: Implications for Aphanizomenon flos-aquae
Empirical models of wind conditions on Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon
Algal toxins in Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon: Linking water quality to juvenile sucker health
Hydrologic and Water-Quality Conditions During Restoration of the Wood River Wetland, Upper Klamath River Basin, Oregon, 2003-05
Water Quality of a Drained Wetland, Caledonia Marsh on Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, after Flooding in 2006
Upper Klamath Lake at Rocky Point 11505800
Upper Klamath Lake at Rattlesnake Point 11505900
Upper Klamath Lake near Klamath Falls 11507000
Klamath River at Keno 11509500
Klamath River below Iron Gate Dam 11516530
Klamath River near Seiad Valley 11520500
Klamath River at Orleans 11523000
Klamath River near Klamath 11530500
USGS Data Grapher
This is a data graphing utility that allows the user to build graphs of data from selected USGS stations. Select the station, the type of graph, the parameter(s) to plot, and the starting and ending dates for the graph.
Below are news stories associated with this project.
A Warming Climate Could Alter the Ecology of the Deepest Lake in the United States
Warming air temperature is predicted to change water temperature and water column mixing in Oregon’s Crater Lake over the next several decades, potentially impacting the clarity and health of the iconic lake, according to a U.S. Geological Survey report released today.
Below are partners associated with this project.
- Overview
In 1992, the USGS began studying possible causes for the change in trophic status of Upper Klamath Lake. Since then research has expanded to include groundwater, geomorphology, streamflow forecasting, and fish ecology.
Upper Klamath Lake is a large, shallow lake in southern Oregon that feeds the Klamath River, which flows through California into the Pacific Ocean. The lake is naturally rich in nutrients (i.e., eutrophic), but has become hypereutrophic during the 20th century. Nutrient levels have been high enough to cause annual, extensive blue-green algae blooms each summer since the 1930's. Generally, a eutrophic lake can support diverse plant and animal communities.
Water-quality problems that coincide with the blooms and subsequent decay of dead algae include foul odors, increased acidity, dissolved oxygen concentrations that fluctuate from supersaturation to depletion, elevated ammonia concentrations, and occasionally extensive fish kills. The degraded water quality is a contributing factor in the decline in populations of the shortnose sucker, Chasmistes brevirostris, and the Lost River sucker, Deltistes luxatus, both listed as Federally Endangered Species.
Research by USGS and others continues to monitor and assess conditions in Upper Klamath Lake and the surrounding watershed.
- Science
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Water Quality in Keno Reach of the Klamath River
The Klamath River from Link River to Keno Dam experiences poor water-quality conditions on a seasonal basis, creating inhospitable conditions for fish and other aquatic organisms. These problems led the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality to prepare a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan to bring the river into compliance with water-quality standards. This study uses a hydrodynamic and...Vertical Hydraulic Gradient at the Sediment-Water Interface in Upper Klamath Lake
"The goal of this project is to characterize the vertical hydraulic gradient at the sediment-water interface in Upper Klamath Lake."Upper Klamath River Basin Forecasts
"Determining water availability in the Upper Klamath Basin has always had a degree of uncertainty as a result of the complex hydrology and geology in the region and limited streamflow data."Sediment Fingerprinting in the Upper Klamath Basin
Sediment fingerprinting has been used successfully to identify land uses that are the major sources of sediment. This study will apply these techniques in a predominantly rural, volcanic landscape.Upper Klamath Basin Groundwater Studies
Since the late 1990s the USGS has worked to characterize the regional groundwater hydrology of the upper Klamath Basin. Research focuses on collecting data to help evaluate the state of the groundwater system and its response to external stresses, and to develop computer models to provide insights useful for water management. These efforts build on earlier USGS studies in the basin going back to...Wood River Shoreline Management Tool
The Shoreline Management Tool is a geographic information system (GIS) based program developed to assist water- and land-resource managers in assessing the benefits and effects of changes in surface-water stage on water depth, inundated area, and water volume. Additionally, the Shoreline Management Tool can be used to identify aquatic or terrestrial habitat areas where conditions may be suitable...Water Quality in Keno Reach of the Klamath River
The Klamath River from Link River to Keno Dam experiences poor water-quality conditions on a seasonal basis, creating inhospitable conditions for fish and other aquatic organisms. These problems led the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality to prepare a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan to bring the river into compliance with water-quality standards. This study uses a hydrodynamic and...Future Water Clarity and Dissolved Oxygen in Crater Lake
Warming air temperature may change water temperature and water column mixing in Oregon’s Crater Lake over the next several decades, potentially impacting the clarity and health of the iconic lake.Geomorphology of the Sprague River Basin
The USGS documents historical and current channel and floodplain processes and conditions to assist management and regulatory agencies in evaluating restoration proposals and designing effective restoration and monitoring strategies for the Sprague River and its principle tributaries. The study involves multiple analyses, including assessments of historical channel change, riparian and floodplain...Nutrient and Sediment Loading to Upper Klamath Lake
The USGS employs state-of-the-science techniques to estimate nutrient and suspended-sediment loads to Upper Klamath Lake.Nutrient Loading to Lost River and Klamath River Subbasins
The USGS has characterized nutrient concentrations in the Klamath River and Lost River drainages over multiple years, identified spatial and temporal patterns in nutrient and organic carbon concentrations, and quantified surface water nutrient loads entering and exiting the Klamath Project. - Data
Upper Klamath Lake at Rocky Point 11505800
Upper Klamath Lake at Rattlesnake Point 11505900
Upper Klamath Lake near Klamath Falls 11507000Klamath River at Keno 11509500
Klamath River below Iron Gate Dam 11516530
Klamath River near Seiad Valley 11520500
Klamath River at Orleans 11523000
Klamath River near Klamath 11530500USGS Klamath River Basin Water-Quality Mapper
This map interface represents continuous and discrete water-quality data collected by Bureau of Reclamation and USGS at Klamath Basin sites. The USGS and Reclamation data stored in NWIS are accessible using existing tools such as NWIS-Web and the USGS Data Grapher system.
National Water Information System (NWIS) - Oregon
National Water Information System: Mapper (Oregon)
Oregon Streamflow Data by Basin
View real-time streamflow data in Oregon river basins.
Klamath River Water-Quality Sites
Klamath River water-quality monitoring -- Keno Reach monitors
- Multimedia
Below are multimedia items associated with this project.
- Publications
Below are publications associated with this project.
Filter Total Items: 29Effects of groundwater pumping on agricultural drains in the Tule Lake subbasin, Oregon and California
Since 2001, irrigators in the upper Klamath Basin have increasingly turned to groundwater to compensate for reductions in surface-water allocation caused by shifts from irrigation use to instream flows for Endangered Species Act listed fishes. The largest increase in groundwater pumping has been in and around the Bureau of Reclamation’s Klamath Irrigation Project, which includes the Tule Lake subbEvaluation of alternative groundwater-management strategies for the Bureau of Reclamation Klamath Project, Oregon and California
The water resources of the upper Klamath Basin, in southern Oregon and northern California, are managed to achieve various complex and interconnected purposes. Since 2001, irrigators in the Bureau of Reclamation Klamath Irrigation Project (Project) have been required to limit surface-water diversions to protect habitat for endangered freshwater and anadromous fishes. The reductions in irrigation dEvapotranspiration from marsh and open-water sites at Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2008--2010
Water allocation in the Upper Klamath Basin has become difficult in recent years due to the increase in occurrence of drought coupled with continued high water demand. Upper Klamath Lake is a central component of water distribution, supplying water downstream to the Klamath River, supplying water for irrigation diversions, and providing habitat for various species within the lake and surrounding wHydrological information products for the Off-Project Water Program of the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement
The Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement (KBRA) was developed by a diverse group of stakeholders, Federal and State resource management agencies, Tribal representatives, and interest groups to provide a comprehensive solution to ecological and water-supply issues in the Klamath Basin. The Off-Project Water Program (OPWP), one component of the KBRA, has as one of its purposes to permanently provideGroundwater simulation and management models for the upper Klamath Basin, Oregon and California
The upper Klamath Basin encompasses about 8,000 square miles, extending from the Cascade Range east to the Basin and Range geologic province in south-central Oregon and northern California. The geography of the basin is dominated by forested volcanic uplands separated by broad interior basins. Most of the interior basins once held broad shallow lakes and extensive wetlands, but most of these areasDispersal of larval suckers at the Williamson River Delta, Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2006-09
An advection/diffusion modeling approach was used to simulate the transport of larval suckers from spawning areas in the Williamson River, through the newly restored Williamson River Delta, to Upper Klamath Lake. The density simulations spanned the years of phased restoration, from 2006/2007 prior to any levee breaching, to 2008 when the northern part of the delta was reconnected to the lake, andDependence of flow and transport through the Williamson River Delta, Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, on wind, river inflow, and lake elevation
The hydrodynamic model of Upper Klamath and Agency Lakes, Oregon, was used to run 384 realizations of a numerical tracer experiment in order to understand the relative effects of wind, lake elevation, and Williamson River inflow on flow and transport (the movement of water and passively transported constituents) through the Williamson River Delta. Significant findings from this study include: * ThUse of acoustic backscatter and vertical velocity to estimate concentration and dynamics of suspended solids in Upper Klamath Lake, south-central Oregon: Implications for Aphanizomenon flos-aquae
Vertical velocity and acoustic backscatter measurements by acoustic Doppler current profilers were used to determine seasonal, subseasonal (days to weeks), and diel variation in suspended solids in a freshwater lake where massive cyanobacterial blooms occur annually. During the growing season, the suspended material in the lake is dominated by the buoyancy-regulating cyanobacteria, Aphanizomenon fEmpirical models of wind conditions on Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon
Upper Klamath Lake is a large (230 square kilometers), shallow (mean depth 2.8 meters at full pool) lake in southern Oregon. Lake circulation patterns are driven largely by wind, and the resulting currents affect the water quality and ecology of the lake. To support hydrodynamic modeling of the lake and statistical investigations of the relation between wind and lake water-quality measurements, thAlgal toxins in Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon: Linking water quality to juvenile sucker health
As the lead science agency for the Department of Interior, the U.S. Geological Survey is actively involved in resource issues in the Klamath River basin. Activities include research projects on endangered Lost River and shortnose suckers, threatened coho salmon, groundwater resources, seasonal runoff forecasting, water quality in Upper Klamath Lake and the Klamath River, nutrient cycling in wetlanHydrologic and Water-Quality Conditions During Restoration of the Wood River Wetland, Upper Klamath River Basin, Oregon, 2003-05
Restoring previously drained wetlands is a strategy currently being used to improve water quality and decrease nutrient loading into Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon. In this 2003-05 study, ground- and surface-water quality and hydrologic conditions were characterized in the Wood River Wetland. Nitrogen and phosphorus levels, primarily as dissolved organic nitrogen and ammonium (NH4) and soluble reactivWater Quality of a Drained Wetland, Caledonia Marsh on Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, after Flooding in 2006
The unexpected inundation of Caledonia Marsh, a previously drained wetland adjacent to Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, provided an opportunity to observe nutrient release from sediments into the water column of the flooded area and the resulting algal growth. Three sites, with differing proximity to the levee breach that reconnected the area to Upper Klamath Lake, were selected for water sample collec - Web Tools
Upper Klamath Lake at Rocky Point 11505800
Upper Klamath Lake at Rattlesnake Point 11505900
Upper Klamath Lake near Klamath Falls 11507000Klamath River at Keno 11509500
Klamath River below Iron Gate Dam 11516530
Klamath River near Seiad Valley 11520500
Klamath River at Orleans 11523000
Klamath River near Klamath 11530500USGS Data Grapher
This is a data graphing utility that allows the user to build graphs of data from selected USGS stations. Select the station, the type of graph, the parameter(s) to plot, and the starting and ending dates for the graph.
- News
Below are news stories associated with this project.
A Warming Climate Could Alter the Ecology of the Deepest Lake in the United States
Warming air temperature is predicted to change water temperature and water column mixing in Oregon’s Crater Lake over the next several decades, potentially impacting the clarity and health of the iconic lake, according to a U.S. Geological Survey report released today.
- Partners
Below are partners associated with this project.