May 1997
The following narrative is largely paraphrased from the "Annual Narrative Report for Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge Complex, Tulelake, California" (1993) and "Factual Data on the Klamath Project" (1992).
The Klamath Project on the Oregon-California border was one of the earliest federal reclamation projects. In 1905, Oregon and California state legislatures ceded title in Lower Klamath and Tule lakes to the United States for project development under provisions of the Reclamation Act of 1902. Project works, authorized in 1905, drained and reclaimed lakebed lands of the Lower Klamath and Tule Lakes, stored waters of the Klamath and Lost rivers, diverted irrigation supplies, and controlled flooding of the reclaimed lands. Project costs were to be repaid by the sale of water rights to homesteaders on the reclaimed Project lands.
By relinquishing state title to Project lands, Oregon and California made it possible to dispose of reclaimed lands for homesteading. These lands were subject to water right charges designed to repay Project costs. The first public lands were opened for homesteading in 1917. In 1922, land openings were contingent on the landowners forming an irrigation district to assume joint liability for construction costs.
As Tule Lake receded, reclaimed lands were leased for farming before opening to homestead. The practice of leasing aided in developing and improving the land during the construction of irrigation and drainage facilities to serve farm units and permit homestead entry. To protect developed homestead lands from flooding, areas at lower elevations were designated as sumps and reserved for flood control and drainage. Some of the marginal sump acreage subject to less frequent flooding was made available for leasing, but retained in federal ownership. In addition to providing flood control, the reserved sump areas also preserved existing marsh habitat that has subsequently been included within the basin's national wildlife refuges.
Lower Klamath and Tule Lake NWRs are located in the Klamath Basin of southern Oregon and northern California, near the towns of Klamath Falls, Oregon and Tulelake, California (see Figure 1 (120K)). The Klamath Basin contained over 350,000 acres of wetlands prior to 1900 (Adkins 1970). The region provided rich and abundant habitat for the 6 million waterfowl that gathered here in the spring and fall to restock their reserves for migration along the Pacific Flyway. The basin provided vital nesting habitat for waterfowl and colonial nesting pelicans, cormorants, egrets, and herons.
The basin lost its capacity to support historic populations of waterfowl with the diversion and redistribution of water to farmland irrigation. Waterfowl numbers now total about 1 million. Less than 25 percent of the historic wetland acreage of the basin remains today, nearly all of it in the Clear Lake, Tule Lake, Lower Klamath, and Upper Klamath NWRs.
In spite of habitat losses, the Klamath Basin supports tremendous bird life including the largest wintering population of bald eagles in the lower 48 states and migrating waterfowl. The refuges provide visitors with the opportunity to view and study wildlife, and to hunt, fish, and canoe in the area. In addition, the refuges reduce crop depredation in California's Central and Imperial valleys by attracting and delaying migrating birds during harvest of rice and other valley crops.
These wildlife refuges were basically superimposed over the Klamath Project. Water within the refuges is provided in conjunction with agricultural diversions and irrigation deliveries. Water rights within the basin are currently being adjudicated; adjudication could affect water supplies both to agricultural users and to the refuges.
Lower Klamath NWR was set aside by President Theodore Roosevelt as the "Klamath Lake" on August 8, 1908, by Executive Order No. 924. Two subsequent executive orders (No. 2202 on May 14, 1915, and No. 3422 on March 28, 1921) reduced the original 81, 619 acres to the present 46, 912 acres. Refuge lands were ceded to the United States for reclamation purposes by the states of California and Oregon as part of the Klamath Reclamation Project, and became dependent upon the Project for water.
Lower Klamath NWR was the first waterfowl refuge and first large area of public land to be reserved as a National Wildlife Refuge. As such, it was listed in the National Registry on October 15, 1966, as both a National Historic Landmark and a National Natural Landmark.
The management objectives on Lower Klamath NWR focus on the preservation and enhancement of wetland habitat and associated wildlife species. The specific objectives (validated during 1988 programmatic evaluation by the Service) are:
At this time, Lower Klamath NWR covers 46,912 acres of open water, berms, and cropland. About 7,100 acres are leased by farmers under a program administered by Reclamation for the Service. Refuge personnel or Service permittees farm another 4,099 acres of cereal grain and alfalfa under cooperative agreements.
The following narrative is based largely on the "Annual Narrative Report for Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge Complex" (1993).
Tule Lake NWR is located about 6 miles west of the town of Tulelake, California. It was created by Executive Order No. 4975 on October 4, 1928, and amended by two subsequent executive orders (No. 5945 on November 3, 1932, enlarging it to 11,000 acres and No. 7341 on April 10, 1936, enlarging it to 30,000 acres).
The management objectives on the Tule Lake NWR focus on the preservation and enhancement of wetland habitat and associated wildlife species. The specific objectives are:
Today, Tule Lake NWR covers 39,116 acres of open water, wetlands, berms, and cropland. About 15,500 acres are leased by farmers under a program administered by Reclamation via a cooperative agreement with the Service. Refuge personnel or Service permittees farm another 1,948 acres of cereal grain and alfalfa. These crops, together with potatoes from the leased land program, provide a major food source for migrating and wintering waterfowl.
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