Final plans approved for Klamath Drainage District Infrastructure Modernization Project

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Oregon has released a Final Watershed Plan-Environmental Assessment (EA) and a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the Klamath Drainage District (KDD) Infrastructure Modernization Project.

NRCS Oregon has determined that the project will not cause significant local, regional, or national impacts to the environment. With a Final Watershed Plan-EA in place, the project is now eligible for federal funding (pending Plan authorization by NRCS Chief Bettencourt) and may move forward into final design and construction.

The project will install a fish screen at the North Canal Diversion on the Klamath River; extend the North Canal and connect it to the P-1 Lateral; modify the North Canal to increase flow capacity; upgrade two pump stations for operational efficiency and to reduce water discharge to the Klamath River via the Klamath Straits Drain; and install flow monitoring and automated gates throughout the project area to improve water management.

By modernizing infrastructure, the proposed project would enable KDD to improve water management within its conveyance system and benefit fish populations in the Klamath River by preventing fish from getting trapped in KDD's canals. By reducing water use inefficiencies, the proposed project would improve water quality in the Klamath River. The project would also allow KDD to supply additional water to the Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge, which would increase critically needed habitat for wildlife.

The project is a joint effort among NRCS Oregon and KDD as the project sponsor and U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as cooperating agencies, in coordination with other agencies, stakeholders, and the public.

The Final Watershed Plan-EA and other supporting documents for the project are available at: https://watershedplans.org/klamath-dd.

The project may be partially funded through the Watershed and Flood Prevention Program, administered by NRCS and authorized by Public Law 83-566. Through this program, NRCS provides technical and financial assistance to local organizations (project sponsors) for planning and implementing projects that help solve natural resource and related economic problems in a specific watershed. These projects can include watershed protection, flood prevention, erosion and sediment control, water supply, water quality, fish and wildlife habitat enhancement, and wetlands creation.

For more information about this and other irrigation modernization efforts, visit https://watershedplans.orgor the NRCS Oregon public notice webpage.