Klamath Basin will receive $162 million over five years

REDDING, Calif — Rep. Jared Huffman announced how President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law allocated for Klamath Basin restoration projects will continue to receive funding of $162 million over the span of five years on Thursday.

The funding will focus on the restoration of the regional ecosystem of the Klamath Basin and work to repair the local economies.

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will make a $1.4 billion down payment to manage outdoor spaces and habits in America’s public land for future generations.

Klamath Basin will receive $26 million in total for the restoration project, where $16 million will just be for the restoration of the basin and the other $10 million will be put towards expanding the Klamath Falls National Fish Hatchery.

“These funds will be used to prepare the Klamath River for one of our best opportunities to restore the Basin: dam removal. By making sure the river is primed for restoration once the dams come out, we can ensure the project will be as effective as possible. I’m pleased to see DOI recognize the incredible stewardship of the tribes in my congressional district and the hard work of many state and local agencies that are committed to reviving the river” Rep. Huffman stated in a press release.

Two federally listed fish the Lost River and the shortnose sucker (C’waam and Koptu) are struggling to survive and they can only live in the Klamath Basin.

With the funding of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the fish will have the chance to increase its capacity to 60,000 fish which could potentially support and stabilize the declining populations of both sucker species found in Upper Klamath Lake.

According to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Klamath Hatchery produces about 3 million fish each year. The fish raised at the Klamath Hatchery are usually rainbow, cutthroat, brook and brown trout.

“Clean water, healthy forests and fertile land made the Klamath Basin and its surrounding watershed home to Tribal communities, productive agriculture, and abundant populations of migratory birds, suckers, salmon and other fish. But recent water scarcity has had a tremendous impact on the area’s fishing, farming and ecosystems,” Secretary Deb Haaland said in a press release.

The investments for the Klamath Basin will increase restoration and a continuous effort of planning will resume in 2023 working closing with Tribes, localities and stakeholders. A workshop will be hosted in the fall to refine the draft Klamath Basin Integrated Fisheries Restoration and Monitoring Plan.

More information about the Klamath and Trinity River Programs can be found here.