The Bureau of Reclamation released the 2011 Operations Plan for the Klamath Project (Project) today. The plan is based upon current and expected hydrologic conditions derived from the April 1, 2011, Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) inflow forecast and current lake levels. 

The Operations Plan provides an estimate of Project water supply as well as anticipated lake elevations and river flows for the coming year.  It is used by agricultural water users, Klamath Basin Tribes, national wildlife refuges managers and others as a planning tool. 

Upper Klamath Lake is currently full and basin snowpack is above average. In addition, lake levels in Gerber and Clear Lake Reservoirs indicate full deliveries from these facilities can occur. Based on these conditions and the best available forecast, Klamath water supply contractors should receive a normal supply of water for the irrigation season.

The estimated Project irrigation water supply from Upper Klamath Lake from April 1 through September 30, 2011, is 334,000 acre-feet based on the hydrologic conditions on April 1, 2011. This amount could be affected by weather conditions and other requirements. The NRCS-estimated inflow forecast for Upper Klamath Lake is 595,000 acre-feet from April 1 through September 30. Factors that could affect the irrigation year are the current National Marine Fisheries Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Biological Opinions, actual runoff, temperature and irrigation season precipitation.

The Klamath Project 2011 Operations Plan may be viewed at http://www.usbr.gov/mp/kbao/. For more information, please contact Ryan Madsen at 541-880-2546 or rmadsen@usbr.gov.