Klamath Basin Water Update and Operations Planning Meeting March - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

R E C L A M A T I O N M a n a g i n g Water i n t h e W e s t Klamath Basin Water Update and Operations Planning Meeting March 22, 2019 Jeff Nettleton, Klamath Basin Area Office Manager

Overview 1. Introductions & Opening Statements 2. Current Water Conditions, Operational Parameters, & Anticipated Klamath Project Water Allocations 3. Status on Endangered Species Act (ESA) Section 7 Reinitiation of Consultation (ROC) on Klamath Project Operations 4. Status on National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Analysis on Klamath Project Operations 5. Next Steps 6. Public Statement Session 7. Closing & Adjourn

Introductions / Opening Statements ● Bureau of Reclamation ○ Ernest Conant, Mid - Pacific Regional Director ○ Jeff Nettleton, Klamath Area Manager ● U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ○ Paul Souza, Southwest Regional Director ○ Dan Blake, Klamath Field Supervisor ○ Greg Austin, Klamath Basin Refuge Complex Project Leader ● National Marine Fisheries Service ○ Barry Thom, West Coast Regional Administrator

~ ' ■ ma.•I ~ ■· Current Water Conditions Temperature Outlook Precipitation Outlook (8-14 Days) (8-14 Days) • ··· 1' .. ' ,, ·.I ·11 • ,. • . ! • . . 1• I : • • I '" ... I I •· ,1•, I', • I', ", • I',

~ ~ Current Water Conditions April – June (3 Month Outlook) ( . ✓ . d ~ THREE-MONTH OUTLOOK P R E C I P I T A T l O N P R O B A B I L I T Y 0 . 5 M O N T H LEAD VALlD AHJ 20]9 HADE 21 MAR 2019 Precipitation Temperature

~ ■ ■ Current Water Conditions .. Seasonal Drouaht , Outloo , k Val . id for March 21 - June 30, 20 19 Dro u gh t Tende n cy Du1 r in g · ffi 1 e Va lid Per i od R eleased ar ch 21 Oeplct!I lsgiMca l!! IN!encs bl!!-te,d an 111bjiidiv11ly dEri ed prob&b -litm ll',l il;ll;<;i by • ~- :a ni;I I Q1111 9- rig,;, sla is tio::al a nd dyn a mi c:a 'I · ~i::asts._ !JI• caution l'a appllCllllora t t. t ain b1u 1 111ict at livli'd ev by ~ ~ i;,ing"<;i'n;>l,lliJ ...-- ..,..,. based on th e U.S . Drought Mon ~ or 1!11 JU ( Int 111 i ti al" D1 ID 04 ) _ ti;,n slfel;i$ i~ y ~t ~ t NO TE: a 1- C211...gory ~ gnenJt in the OrOI.IQ IDl"lb- ln t m:11ily 1 ~ • 11 blj' 1h 11 ·e nd d t h& iod, aticug go gf, t wi II m,, ,- in. Thi;' gn.e s e as i ~y , JO L-'-l hl re 1R>V al by t he Aurlihor; l!!l\d or locl ( 00 o,r non tM Brad Pugh NOAAINWS/N CE P/Climate Pr ed elion Ce nter Oro 1,1 gi ht.p ers i sts Drot1g1 hl 11emai ns bu t i pr,oves. Dr 01,1ght r, emov al l'ike ly ,, 0 Dro u gi ht d, eve l opmen li1 ke ly http -J ig o .u s a.g ov/3 e 27 3

Current Water Conditions Upper Klamath Basin Snowpack Snow Water Equivalent in KLAMATH BASIN Apr July WY Station Li st 121 % of 30 Median Peak SWE median -- Max Current as of 03 / 20 / 20 1 9: Median (POR) 25 % of Median - 121% snowpack Median ('81- '1 0) % Median Peak - 117% ,....., Days Since Median Peak - 6 Min c: Percentile - 74 Stats. Shad ing 20 +.I - 2019 (15 siites C: 100% of Q) -- 2018 (15 siites l'C > water year -- 2017 (15 siites :J 15 CJ" w - 2016 (15 sites to date L -- 2015 (15 sites .E:l l'C -- 2014 (15 sites 5 precipitation 10 -- 2013 (15 sites $'. 0 2012 (15 sites - C: (/) - 2011 (15 sites 5 - 2010 (15 sites 2009 (15 sites -- 2008 (15 sites -- 2007 (15 sites

Current Water Conditions Forecasted inflow % of historical Update Forecast period (TAF) avg Jan 2019 Apr-Sept 360 75 mid-Jan 2019 Apr-Sept 330 69 NRCS Feb 2019 Apr-Sept 390 81 Inflow mid-Feb 2019 Apr-Sept 460 96 Forecast – Upper Mar 2019 Apr-Sept 550 115 Klamath mid-Mar 2019 Apr-Sept 585 122 Lake % of historical Data type Time period Inflow (TAF) avg mid-March 2018 forecast Apr-Sept 270 56 2018 observed Apr-Sept 327 68 mid-March 2019 forecast Apr-Sept 585 122

o~ ~ ~-~-~-~-~ Current Water Conditions UKL Inflow by Water Year 1800 -.------------------------------------------------- 10/1 11/1 12/1 1/1 2/1 3/1 4/1 5/1 6/1 - 1981 - 1982 - 1983 - 1984 - 1985 - 1986 - 1987 - 1988 - 1989 - 1990 • • • • • • 1991 • • • • • • 1992 -- 1993 - - - 1994 -- 1995 -- 1996 -- 1997 -- 1998 - 1999 -- 2000 - - - 2001 - 2002 - 2003 - 2004 - 2005 - 2006 - 2007 - 2008 - 2009 - 2010 - 2011 2012 2013 - 2014 2015 - 2016 - 2017 - 2018 - 2019

Current Water Conditions KL Elevations 2013 4137 --------~-----------------------------------------~ 14-Sep 3-Nov 23-Dec 11-Feb 1-Apr 21-May -- UKL WY2012 -- UKL WY2013 -- UKL WY2014 -- UKL WY2015 -- UKL WY2016 -- UKL WY2017 - Hist Average (1961-Present) -- UKL WY2018 - UKLWY2019

Current Water Conditions l ear Lake Elevations 4536 ~------------------------------------------- 4534 +-------------------------------------------- 4518 +-------------------------------------------- 2016 4516 +-----~---~----~----~----~----~----~---~----~ 8/10 9/29 11/18 1/7 2/26 4/17 6/6 7/26 9/14 11/3 - - Clear Lake WY2011 - Clear Lake WY2012 - clear Lake WY2013 - Clear Lake WY2014 - clear Lake WY2015 - Clear Lake WY2016 - clear Lake WY2017 - - Medi an (1961-2018) - Clear Lake WY2018

Current Water Conditions Elevations 4837 ~------------------------------------------- 4827 +------ 2018 2013 - - - - - 2017 4807 2014 2011 - - - 4802 2016 4797 8 0 9/29 11/18 1/7 2/26 4/17 6/6 7/26 9/14 11/3 4792 - Gerber EL WY 2012 - Gerber EL WY 2013 - - Gerber EL WY 2011 - Gerber EL WY 2014 - Gerber EL WY 2015 - - Historical Average (1961-Present) Gerber EL WY 2016 - Gerber EL WY 2017 - BiOp Minimum, End of Sep - Gerber EL WY 2019 - Gerber EL WY 2018

Current 2019 Water Operational Parameters 2013 Joint Biological Opinion • End of month lake elevation thresholds on Upper Klamath Lake • Environmental Water Account – Klamath River Flows 2017 Court Injunction • Surface flushing flow of 6,030 cubic feet per second (cfs) for 72 hours (November 1 – April 30 ) (annually) • Deep flushing flow of 11,250 cfs for 24 hours (February 15 - May 31) (every other year if hydrology allows) • Reserve 50,000 acre-feet (AF) by April 1 for emergency dilution flows (April 1 - June 15 or 80% outmigration) (annually)

Klamath Project Allocations under 2013 BiOp + 2017 Court Order Source of Supply Acre-Feet 390,000 AF (100% of full supply) 50,000 - 100,000 AF (2017 Court Order) Upper Klamath 290,000 AF - 340,000 (with Court Order) Lake/Klamath River Projected Project start date unknown, possibly as late as June Lost River Diversion Range: 35,000 AF to 65,000 AF Channel Gerber Reservoir 35,000 AF (100% of full supply) Clear Lake 35,000 AF (100% of full supply)

Status on ESA ROC on Klamath Project Operations Jan. 2017: Formal ROC with National Marine Fisheries Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service July-Dec. 2017: ROC Kick-off with Tribes and Key Stakeholders Nov./Dec. 2018: Release of Proposed Action (PA) with Tribal/Key Stakeholder Technical Team Meetings Dec. 2018: Reclamation transmits 2018 Biological Assessment (BA) to the Services Feb. 2019: Reclamation transmits the modified 2018 PA March 2019: Reclamation transmits Essential Fish Habitat Assessment to the NMFS April 2019: Anticipated receipt of separate, but coordinated Biological Opinions

Anticipated 2019 Klamath Project Allocations under the Modified 2018 PA Sour urce o of f Suppl pply y Acre-Feet 325,000 AF (93% of full supply) Upper Klamath Projected Project start date is early April, Lake/Klamath River dependent on completion of ESA and NEPA compliance requirements Klamath Straits Drain & Lost River Diversion Range: 60,000 AF to 90,000 AF Channel Gerber Reservoir 35,000 AF (100% of full supply) Clear Lake 35,000 AF (100% of full supply)

Continued - Status on ESA ROC on Klamath Project Operations Ongoing Biological Opinion Development • NMFS ○ NMFS draft Biological Opinion evaluates effects of Reclamation’s proposed action on four species: southern DPS Green Sturgeon, Pacific Eulachon, Southern Oregon Northern California Coast coho salmon, and Southern Resident killer whale. ○ Our analysis includes new information regarding flow management and disease effects to coho salmon. We are also analyzing effects of the proposed action on Chinook salmon, given their importance to Southern Resident killer whales as a food source. ○ We expect to sign our BiOp by April 1.

Continued - Status on ESA ROC on Klamath Project Operations Ongoing Biological Opinion Development • USFWS ○ Under the ESA, all federal agencies have a special obligation to conserve listed plants and animals and their critical habitat ○ FWS’ draft BiOp evaluates effects of Reclamation’s proposed action on all life stages of Lost River and shortnose suckers ○ The analysis particularly focuses on adult and larval suckers critical to the continued survival of the species ○ We expect to sign the BiOp by April 1