Work Advances on Major Wetland Restoration Project in Klamath Basin

The historic breach of a levee on the Agency Barnes project site reconnected nearly 14,000 acres of wetlands with Upper Klamath Lake and will revitalize culturally important habitats for endangered fish.

Ducks Unlimited, in partnership with the Klamath Tribes and US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), is pleased to announce a historic breach at the Agency Barnes restoration project in Chiloquin, Oregon. The breach reconnected nearly 14,000 acres of wetlands with Upper Klamath Lake and will revitalize culturally important habitats for endangered fish.

On December 20, BCI Contracting, Inc. breached the levee surrounding the project site, allowing water to flow past the dikes for the first time in over 60 years and restoring the connection between wetlands and Upper Klamath Lake.

"This breach is tremendously important for fish, wildlife, and people. DU is proud to have helped make this day a reality for the Klamath Basin," said Jeff McCreary, director of operations in DU's Western Region. "Reconnecting and restoring wetlands is key to the watershed's health and a brighter future for the Basin."

In addition to helping endangered fish species, the project area is an important stopover for thousands of migrating waterfowl in the Pacific Flyway. "As one of the largest wetland restoration efforts in the western United States, the reconnection of the 14,356-acre Agency Barnes wetland on Upper Klamath National Wildlife Refuge to Upper Klamath Lake is a pivotal milestone in restoring c'waam and koptu sucker habitat, improving water quality, and increasing water storage capacity in Upper Klamath Lake," said Paul Souza, Pacific Southwest Regio director with the USFWS. "This effort is a unique win-win-win for the Klamath. It restores a massive wetland that is sacred to the Klamath Tribes. It improves the habitat of endangered fish and birds on our refuge and in Upper Klamath Lake. And it increases water storage by over 70,000 acre-feet, which will help farmers and other refuges. We care deeply about our Tribal Trust responsibilities, conserving endangered species, birds, and refuges and supporting thriving agriculture. We are grateful to be a partner in this work."

The breach concludes the first of three phases of the Agency Barnes project. The Department of the Interior and USFWS recently announced $46 million in new funding, a significant portion of which will be used to complete the second and third phases of this project.

"Agency Barnes is a key step for watershed partners, coming together to accomplish long-term, multi-beneficial solutions for the health of the Basin," said Amelia Raquel, DU's regional biologist overseeing this project. "The scale of this project represents meaningful change for the people and species at the heart of it."