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Restoring Balance to the Klamath Basin
Oregon Wild's Klamath Basin Campaign seeks to restore balance to one of the United State's most important areas for fish and wildlife.
UPDATE: Latest News from the Klamath Basin
ODFW's draft plan to restock anadromous fish above Upper Klamath Lake could mean bad things for wild salmon. Read about our concerns in our letter to ODFW.
Salmon Biologist, Steven R. Beissinger voices grave concerns about the state of salmon in California.
Some of the most important features of the Klamath Basin that could be affected by the Klamath Settlement Agreement are the National Wildlife Refuges. Check out why the Settlement Agreement is particularly bad for these treasured and scenic areas in our Refuge Fact Sheet.
Read the articulate Op-Ed from the Times-Standard (3/20/08) by Northcoast Environmental Center's Executive Director, Greg King. King speaks to a number of reasons why the Klamath Settlement Agreement isn't exactly an agreement.
Check out the Del Norte Triplicate's article series on the Klamath: "The Future of the Klamath," by writer Michelle Ma. The first four installments of the series can be found here.
Latest report from the EPA concludes that Klamath Lake is still battling toxic algae blooms. Algae toxins in Iron Gate and Copco reservoirs cause big problems for water quality in Klamath Lake and River. Read the whole story here.
Stretching from the high desert in southern Oregon to the redwood forests of northern California, the Klamath Basin covers a vast area (map). It once contained over 350,000 acres of marshes, wet meadows and shallow lakes, major runs of salmon and steelhead, and enormous numbers of migratory birds.
But the natural resources of the Klamath Basin have suffered decades of abuse and 
mismanagement. A massive federal irrigation project drained eighty percent of the region's wetlands, and the once-mighty fish runs have collapsed. A series of aging dams on the Klamath River block salmon and steelhead from reaching over 300 miles of historic habitat. In September of 2002 the Klamath suffered one of the worst fish kills in US history.
For nearly two decades Oregon Wild has been the leading voice for conservation and balance to this important region. Learn more about the Klamath Basin and our work by exploring the links below.
Additional Recent News:
Bush administration's Klamath settlement plan prioritizes agribusiness over salmon and wildlife. Read an analysis of the plan here, or Oregon Wild's views on what a truly balanced settlement should include.
Northern California fish and wildlife advocates reject settlement deal. (Press release). Scientists say proposed settlement is bad for fish.
Hoopa Valley Tribe press release on Klamath settlement plan. Click here to read their analysis if flaws in the deal.
No dam deal in Bush Klamath "settlement."
New National Research Council (NRC report) backs more water for salmon. Read selected text, or the full report here
Drain the Klamath of Its Ugly Politics - an Oregonian opinion column by Oregon Wild
More Klamath Basin news
Leaving No Tracks: Dick Cheney and the Klamath Fish Kill - ground breaking Washington Post investigation
Watch the video!
An overview of the Klamath Basin. (Flash media player required. If the video does not appear below click here.)
Klamath River Dams:
Discord threatens Klamath River water talks
Bush Administration Threatens to Derail Klamath Dam Talks. Wildlife advocates forced out of dam settlement talks.
Klamath River dams home page
Photo gallery -- toxic algae blooms
sparked by Klamath Dams.
Wildlife Refuges and Wetlands:
Restoring and protecting the Klamath's National Wildlife Refuges
Refuges in Peril - explore the history of these vital wildlife area, and what can be done to preserve them. Adobe Acrobat reader required to view.
Resolving the Conflict Over Water:
2002 Klamath River fish kill, and the ongoing kills of baby salmon in the Klamath River.
Fighting wasteful water use with the free market--ending the Klamath power subsidy.
Explore the history of the Klamath Basin
Scientific reports and background information on the Klamath
