The Klamath River Basin stretches from the mountains and inland basins of south-central Oregon and northern California to the Pacific Ocean, spanning multiple climatic regions and encompassing a variety of ecosystems. Water quantity and water quality are important topics in the basin, because water is a critical resource for farming and municipal use, power generation, and for the support of wildlife, aquatic ecosystems, and endangered species. Upper Klamath Lake is the largest freshwater lake in Oregon (112 square miles) and is known for its seasonal algal blooms. The Klamath River has dams for hydropower and the upper basin requires irrigation water to support agriculture and grazing. Multiple species of endangered fish inhabit the rivers and lakes, and the marshes are key stops on the Pacific flyway for migrating birds. For these and other reasons, the water resources in this basin have been studied and monitored to support their management distribution.
Citation Information
| Publication Year | 2018 |
|---|---|
| Title | Klamath River Basin water-quality data |
| DOI | 10.3133/fs20183031 |
| Authors | Cassandra D. Smith, Stewart A. Rounds, Leonard L. Orzol |
| Publication Type | Report |
| Publication Subtype | USGS Numbered Series |
| Series Title | Fact Sheet |
| Series Number | 2018-3031 |
| Index ID | fs20183031 |
| Record Source | USGS Publications Warehouse |
| USGS Organization | Oregon Water Science Center |