Integrated Water Science in the Klamath River Basin, Diagram

Water availability in the Klamath Basin is shaped by three interconnected factors, like overlapping circles in a Venn diagram. First, upper basin controls—such as groundwater, snowpack, and runoff—determine how much water is available. Second, biological opinions set flow requirements to protect endangered fish and habitats, including flushing and geomorphic flows. Third, dam removal changes the river’s sediment transport and ecology, which in turn requires updated biological opinions. These opinions link upstream water availability with downstream environmental needs, influencing how much water must flow through the system.