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Bulletin 160-98 Public Review Draft 003338 Chapter 7. Coastal Regions completed, at which time the study's recommendations would be implemented. Currently, the USFWS administrative review draft of the Trinity River flow evaluation report recommends that 537,000 af, 480,000 af, and 365,000 afbe released in the Trinity River during normal, dry, and critically dry years, respectively. IlFPhoto: Trinity Dam from USSR Local Water Resources Management Issues Klamath River Fishery Issues The primary water issue in the Klamath River basin is the restoration of fish populations listed under the ESA. The Lost River and shortnose suckers have been listed under the ESA. The Lost River sucker is native to Upper Klamath Lake and its tributaries, and the shortnose sucker is found in the Lost River, Clear Lake, and Tule Lake. Both species spawn during the spring. Higher water levels in Klamath Lake may be a goal to aid recovery of these fisheries. Coho and steelhead were recently listed under the ESA. Water supply implications of the listing decisions will not be known until instream flow studies are completed and recovery goals are established. To address competing water needs for irrigation and fishery purposes, USBR began preparing a Klamath Project Operations Plan in 1995. This planning process was originally scheduled to reach consensus on drought-year water allocation by 1996, but the difficult and complex nature of the KPOP process have delayed plan preparation. The Klamath River Basin Compact Commission is attempting to assist in developing a project operations plan. This three-member commission was established by an interstate compact ratified by Congress in 1957 to facilitate integrated management of interstate water resources and to promote intergovernmental cooperation on water allocation issues. Members include a representative from the Department, the Director of the Oregon Water Resources Department, and a presidentially-appointed federal representative. Operation of the Klamath Project is presently in a state of flux. In 1996, USSR set an advisory water allocation schedule to maintain higher lake levels, and at the same time increased releases from Upper Klamath Lake to 1,000 cfs (290 cfs above the required minimum FERC releases of710 cfs.) The purpose of higher Upper Klamath Lake levels was to protect the Lost 7-7 DRAFT