Oregon U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services (USFWS) is investing over $46 million into 24 projects to help boost the Klamath Basin.
12 of those projects are in Oregon, accounting for roughly $30 million of the funds.
The projects will focus on ecosystem restoration, along with enhancing water quality and reliability throughout the basin.
“The same water serves the lakes, serves the rivers, serves the ranchers, serves the fishermen, serves the farmers, and having them work together to help identify projects that will restore the ecosystem advance and improve the water supply, improve the reliability of the Klamath project, makes a tremendous amount of sense,” Merkley said.
This wave of federal funding follows the removal of the four lower Klamath Dams, allowing for fish passage along the historic Klamath River from the California coast.
Merkley says the results of that project have been astronomical.
“Personally, it was incredibly powerful to me when the first salmon passed Iron Gate Dam. Certainly, they have now traveled to places that they haven’t traveled in two generations,” Merkley said.
Of the 12 projects getting funding, the largest is the Wetland Restoration on Upper Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge Agency Lake Units Project, receiving $13 million.
The project will complete restoration of the Agency-Barnes wetland units, covering over 14,000 acres of vital habitat for waterfowl and fish.
Merkley says from the moment he came into office, he was facing the increase in droughts and tensions over diminished amounts of water.
“There is a lot going on in the Klamath Basin. I’m just hoping and praying that for the next several years we have good water years rather than the droughts we have so often had and give the basin a chance to recover,” Merkley said.
As Chairman of the Senate Interior Appropriates Subcommittee Merkley has secured $162 million to come to the Klamath Basin from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
He says the key to restoring the basin is the continuation of major federal investments.
“Even after this $162 million has been spent, they’ll be an ongoing need for projects and as long as I’m on the Interior Committee, I’m going to keep pressing for annual appropriations to help the Klamath Basin restoration continue,” Merkley said.
For a full list of projects receiving funding, head to this link.
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