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Sclonrlfic r'.Valu:ul0n of R101081ca1 OpinlonR on rndrtn8crnd and Thmarcncd rlchca In the Klamath Wwr Racin: Tntcrl m Rcport (2002) <br />hap:: �. nap. odwpan��knninnKtyuuhmirthen� .rniy'tphr�ri� i171WNnclnanlnoadcmyn * s.on .clldgkmw4ma <br />ENDANGERED AND THAPATENED FISH &$'IN THE KLAMATH GIVER BASIN <br />suckers would be in jeopardy under USSR's proposed Klamath Project operations_ The <br />USFWS proposed a reasonable and prudent alternative (RPA) for operation of the <br />Klamath Projcct. The RPA requires screening of water - management structures to prevent <br />entrainment of suckers, adequate dam passage facilities, habitat restoration, adaptive <br />management of water quality, interagency coordination in the development plans for <br />operating the Klamath Project during dry years, further studies of the sucker populations, <br />and a schedule of lake levels higher than those recommended by the USBR in its <br />assessment. <br />The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), which assumes responsibility for <br />the coho because it is anadromous, issued a biological opinion in April 2001 indicating <br />that the operation of the Klamath Project as proposed by the USBR assessment of <br />January 2001 would leave the coho population in jeopardy. The NMFS formulated an <br />RPA incorporating reduced rates of change in flow tramping rates) below main -stem <br />dams to prevent stranding of coho, interagency coordination intended to optimize use of <br />water for multiple purposes, and minimum flows in the Klamath River main stem higher <br />than those proposed by USSR. <br />using 2001, a severe drought occurred in the Klamath River Basin. The U.S. <br />Departm t of the Interior (DOI) determined that the newly issued biological opinions <br />and the' RDAs must prevail; thus, water that would have gone to irrigators was directed <br />almost titely to attempts to maintain minimum lake levels and minimum flows as <br />prescrib in the two RPAs. The severe economic consequences of this change in water <br />minas <br />nit <br />led DOI to request that the National Research Council (NRC) independently <br />review scientific and technical validity of the government's biological opinions and <br />their RP s_ The NRC Committee on Endangered and Threatened Fishes in the Klamath <br />River B was formed in response to this request. The committee was charged with <br />filing an interim report after approximately 2 months of study and a final report after <br />about 18 months of study (See statement of task, Appendix). The interim report, which is <br />summar' ed here, focuses on the biological assessments of the USBR (2001) and the <br />USFWS �d NNTS biological opinions of 2001 regarding the effects of Klamath Project <br />operations on the three listed fish species. The committee has provided in the report a <br />preliminary assessment of the scientific information used by the agencies and other <br />relevant scientific information, and has considered the degree to which the biological <br />opinionsare supported by this information. During November and early December 2001, <br />the co flee tudied writt documentation, heard briefings from experts, and received <br />oral and tt testimony f m the public, and used this information as the basis for its <br />interim ort. <br />Th Committee's Principal Findings <br />c C committee ncludes that all components of the biological opinion <br />issueI b the SFWS on the endangered suckers have substantial scientific support <br />except f the commendati ns concerning minimum water levels for Upper Klamath <br />Lake. A ub tial data -col ection and analytical effort by multiple agencies, tribes, grid <br />other p es h not shown clear connection between water level in Upper Klamath <br />Lake and con 'ons that are verse to the welfare of the suckers, Incidents of adult <br />I <br />966 -d 680/910'd 962 -1 8998998808 snnos3d iV nin 100 -Woad 88:11 ZOOZ- 80 -93d <br />