TNC Sycan Marsh Field Trip

July 15, 2003

Bill Ransom, Jacqui Krizo, and I were invited to take a tour of the Sycan Marsh today with two employees of the Nature Conservancy.  Along with us was Dan Keppen from KWUA and Dave Solem, manager of the Klamath Irrigation District.  Dan and Dave got to ride with TNC employees so they got to ask many more questions.

The marsh has been owned and controlled by the Nature Conservancy since 1981 when they purchased the major portion from the privately held ZX Ranch  (Simplot bought the ZX in 1994).  They own 30,000 acres surrounded by Forest Service, US Timberlands land and privately held property.

The Sycan Marsh is a huge flat area covered with all types of vegetation from stands of pine trees around the outer boundaries, dry sagebrush flats to the north, and cattle grazing grasslands to flooded marsh grass lands in the middle and south.  At the far north east of the Marsh is the "sump" or "Tule" area (lowest elevation on the marsh, approximately 3 feet lower in elevation).  Our tour did not include a drive by this area.

We were told to meet at the concrete bridge over the Sycan River on the 27 road.  This is just south of the Nature Conservancy's Sycan Marsh.

Below, looking west from the concrete bridge, no flowing water just a dead pool and a stream bed choked with vegetation.

Further west - no water flowing just a dry stream bed choked with vegetation.



Bill Ransom said that for many years, he'd come here to fish.  He and some friends had planned to raft down the Sycan 3 or 4 years ago, but he sure couldn't do it now.  I can't say how disgusted Bill was to see this portion of the Sycan dry when for years it would be full bank to bank.

From now on, I will let the pictures and information given us speak for it's self.  

We followed our TNC guides to the southern end of the marsh and again passed over the Sycan River.



Again, no water flow, just a dead pool on each side of the bridge and a vegetation choked stream bed in both directions.

When the ZX Ranch owned the marsh, they diverted most of the Sycan's flow south out of the marsh at Weir #1 which is no longer in operation.  Though we were told that TNC has fewer water control structures and is not diverting and spreading as much water as ZX used to.

We then were taken to Weir #2 where the Sycan enters the marsh from the East and water is diverted into two other canals that send water north, west and a bit south into the marsh.  The TNC is trying to restore the marsh to it's natural hydrology; as they put it, to "beaver dam water height."



Sycan River above Weir #2



The actual weir or dam.  According to Mark Stern of TNC, the boards are put in in late March and taken out during October to control water into the Sycan Marsh.



Main channel of the Sycan River just past Weir #2.



Gate structure to Chocktoot diversion canal ahead of Weir #2.  The water in this canal goes to the upper marsh.

TNC says they irrigate approximately 7000 acres off the Sycan River alone.  And they use 3 1/2 acre feet of water per acre or approximately 55,000 acre feet of water..  During discussions at Weir #2, it was stated by either Keppen or Solem that the Wood River Ranch takes 5 acre feet of water per acre.

TNC must deal with Red Band Trout and critical habitat for Bull Trout.

The Sycan comes into the marsh from the East and on the West side, is Long Creek and Coyote Creek; both supposedly dried up this year.  No verification, we didn't get to see them.

Due to time constraints, it was decided to drive down the old Weyerhaeuser Woods Railroad bed that runs north and south down the middle of the marsh.

We left Weir #2 and headed for the top of the marsh, driving through forest land.  Off to the left we could see the green marsh dotted with grazing cattle.  According to TNC, they run between 50 and 60% of the cattle herds the ZX ran on the Marsh.  And changing the number of cattle and the way they manage the grazing from fenced field to fenced field, has changed the vegetation on the marsh.

Klamath Indians lived on the Sycan Marsh before and after the tribe was terminated.  After termination, the government had planned to give the Indians living there allotments but never got around to it.  In some ditches along the old Weyerhaeuser Woods Railroad bed, we saw wocus growing and blooming their great bright yellow flowers.



Upper end of the marsh looking east:  dry, dry, dry.  This picture and the ones to come show the vastness of the flat marsh.



It was a bright sunny day today and this picture is a bit washed out, but you can still see the vastness of the marsh.  This was taken from the old WeyCo RR bed headed south.



The farther south we drove, the greener the land became and we saw more and more water.  This is looking west.



A sea of grass, looking west.  Most of the grazing cattle herds were to the east of the road.



More water, more marsh grass.



Again, looking west.  This was near where we saw the most water. 

Unfortunately, my camera batteries decided to die after I took this picture but we were almost to the South end of the marsh.

We were informed that TNC monitors water flow and oxygen levels in the water.  These reports will be made available to us.  The USFS has a gauging station at the concrete bridge on the 27 road, on Long Creek, and on Coyote Creek, and in and out flow data at Weir #2; and those records should be available to us also.  The Oregon State Water Resource department has flow data back to the early 1900s also.

We were told that TNC has done water flow comparisons and they say that the flow in and out of the marsh hasn't changed that much since it's been under their control.  Their latest hydrology report was done in 2001 and they offered to give us that report.

They are also working on a new report covering the evaporation levels but it's only in the beginning stages.

Most of the surface water that flows into the marsh from the West (Long and Coyote Creeks) comes off Yamsi Mountain --  they think.

Flooding of the marsh happens between January and May from snowmelt.  Peak flow was late this year, especially on the West side.

Sorry there wasn't more time for questions and more pictures but we learned a lot.

Barbara Hall

The Klamath Bucket Brigade

July, 2003