Upper Klamath Basin Studies and Data Collection

The Klamath River Basin stretches from the mountains and valleys of south-central Oregon and northern California to the Pacific Ocean, spanning multiple climatic regions and a variety of ecosystems. Water quantity and quality are important topics in the basin. Water is a critical resource for farming and human needs, wildlife, aquatic ecosystems, and endangered species. USGS’s scientists and technicians study and monitor water resources in the basin to support Tribes, local and federal resource managers, and conservation needs.  

The earliest studies on water resources by the USGS in the Klamath Basin go back to the early mid-twentieth century. The first stream gage in the area was installed in 1917 on the Williamson River, below Sprague River (11502500). USGS built upon these earlier efforts, with research and monitoring expanding rapidly since the 1990s. USGS research in the Klamath Basin spans many science topics related to surface-water quantity and quality, groundwater, sediment and nutrient transport, and geomorphology. 

See the science tab for other related project web pages.