Klamath River Basin: reclamation met its water bank obligations, but information provided to water bank stakeholders could be improved
Mittal AK and Zadjura EM. 2005. Klamath River Basin: reclamation met its water bank obligations, but information provided to water bank stakeholders could be improved. GAO-05-283. U.S. Government Accountability Office
"Drought conditions along the Oregon and California border since 2000 have made it difficult for the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) to meet Klamath Project irrigation demands and Klamath River flow requirements for threatened salmon. To augment river flows and avoid jeopardizing the salmon’s existence, Reclamation established a multiyear water bank as part of its Klamath Project operations for 2002 through 2011. Water banks facilitate the transfer of water entitlements between users. This report addresses (1) how Reclamation operated the water bank and its cost from 2002 through 2004, (2) whether Reclamation met its annual water bank obligations each year, (3) the water bank’s impact on water availability and use in the Klamath River Basin, and (4) alternative approaches for achieving the water bank’s objectives. GAO recommends that Reclamation improve the information provided to stakeholders by systematically providing public information on management decisions and the water bank’s status."
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Mittal, Anu; Zadjura, Edward
- Date of Issue
- 2005-03
- Publisher
- U.S. Government Accountability Office
- Units
- CRLA , REDW
- Keywords
- Fresh Water, Hydrology, Irrigation, Klamath Basin, Klamath River, Limnology, Surface Water, Water Budget, water control, Water Issues, Water Management, Water Quality, Water Rights, Water Use, Watershed Management, Watershed planning