EQ #21- Why is there a Water Crisis in the Klamath Basin? A CASE STUDY OF WATER STRESS

Transcription

1 EQ #21- Why is there a Water Crisis in the Klamath Basin? A CASE STUDY OF WATER STRESS

2 Where is the Klamath Basin?

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4 Where and what is the K Basin?! It is a watershed that straddles Oregon and California near Klamath Falls.! Is a series of streams, rivers, lakes and reservoirs.! What can you infer about the climate? Population? Jobs? Demographics?

5 What does it look like?

6 What is a water stress?! Water stress Is when there isn t enough water to meet a community s demands is common throughout the US.! Too little water can lead to a water crisis!! K Basin BEFORE drought AFTER

7 What is happening in the K Basin?! In the Klamath Basin, competing needs for water have pitted community members against each other. Why not enough water?! A dry climate prone to drought! A rural community that relies heavily on agriculture for jobs and needs water to irrigate.! The Native American community there has been stripped of its land and access to resources over time.! Federal laws that protect endangered salmon.

8 Read the background about the K Basin! Read the handout (First 10 paragraphs only) describing the K Basin water crisis.! When you re done- Write a ONE paragraph summary of what you read OR FIVE fun facts in your INB on your LEFT side INB.

9 What is the Klamath Basin Water Crisis?! In the Klamath Basin, there is too little water to go around for all who want/need it = crisis!! Farmers! Native Americans! Environmentalists / Wildlife! Electric power utilities! All have a stake in using water for their interests.! How should we decide who has the right to it??

10 Use the Film Notes Grid as you watch! Record KEY information as you watch the film for each of the Bold Terms on the Film Notes Grid.! They are roughly in synch with the film

11 Watch the Film! The Klamath Basin- a Restoration for the Ages! Or try this link!

12 Stakeholder Sheet! Use the following slides to fill in any gaps on your stakeholder notes.! The Stakeholder Notes Sheet is a GRADED assignment and needed for the final activity.

13 Migratory Birds / Wetlands Issues:! 80% of original wetlands lost; many drained for farmland! Water quality degraded;! Water quantity decreased during drought! Are major migratory bird habitat; 80% of Pacific Flyway s waterfowl supported by wetlands! Wetlands provide ecological services storing and filtering water; habitat for important species

14 Farmers! Farmers lost $73-92 million in drought of alone.! 15% of jobs in the region are related to agriculture directly; more indirectly! Irrigation from the Klamath River provides over half the water for farming in the region.! Agricultural runoff causes algal blooms and depleted oxygen levels and is blamed for massive fish kills.! Many raise cattle in the area! High rates of eutrophication and contamination due to cow feces and agricultural runoff.

15 Salmon! Salmon cannot swim up river and spawn because dams block the way.! Farm runoff pollutes the water and causes algae and eutrophication. This lowers DO levels.! 85% of historic salmon population has been lost; over 60,000 died in the drought of 2002.! Native Americans rely on salmon for spiritual, cultural and food needs! Are protected by the Endangered Species Act! Drought, dams and water diversion for agriculture endanger their survival

16 Sucker Fish! Two species of sucker fish residing in Klamath Lake! Were listed for protection under the Endangered Species Act;! Listing requires more water be kept in Klamath Lake rather than being released downstream.! Klamath Native Americans rely on sucker fish for cultural, spiritual and food needs.! Bacteria from polluted Lake water were found on dead suckers.! Disease may have been caused by increased water temperatures

17 Native Americans! About five different Native peoples have lived in the K Basin area for hundreds of years! They rely on sucker fish and salmon for food and cultural needs! Both species of fish have great spiritual and cultural importance to local tribes.! The water quality and low levels are killing the fish in the rivers and lakes.! Gov t promised fishing rights to Native Americans! Many oppose dams which hurt salmon migration

18 Pacific Corps / Dams! Dams raise water temperatures and block fish passage.! PacifiCorps built FOUR dams along the Klamath River! The dams are a source of cheap hydro power for electricity in the area! Dams warm the water and block salmon migration

19 Reclamation Act! A US law passed in 1905 by Congress to manage water and electricity in the area! Law funded irrigation for farming in the Basin! Created a system for irrigation for farmers! Promised water to farmers in the K Basin area who had come after WWII to homestead the land.

20 Commercial Fishing! Fish industry is based on endangered salmon that inhabit the Klamath River.! Hatchery fish constitute a large proportion of fish in Klamath River, but might endanger wild fish.! Fish spawn in Klamath Lake, but the majority are prevented from returning there by multiple dams.! Thousands of jobs depend on the harvesting of salmon and other fish.! Hatchery fish are counted the same as wild species.

21 Migratory Birds / Refuges! The K Basin contains prime habitat for migratory birds! There are six national wildlife refuges in the area! About ¾ of all birds migrating in the Pacific Flyway stop in the K Basin refuges! Reduced water flow threatens bird habitat

22 Activity-! Finish reading the article- K Basin Water Accord Crumbles! Form a team of FIVE! Designate roles for each team member;! Native American! Farmer! Environmentalist! Commercial Fisher! Pacific Corps / Hydropower Company! You are a committee tasked with writing a plan to address the water scarcity issues in the K Basin! Form a Plan of Action that EACH group member agrees upon. Write it up. Share out.

23 Prepare your Plan and Share (1-2 ) minutes! REQUIREMENTS for your group s Plan of Action to address the Water Scarcity Crisis in the Klamath Basin! Must include 3-5 recommended actions! Include a rationale for EACH recommendation AND an explanation of what the action will achieve.! All stakeholder must agree with the plan (not embrace but agree)! Your Plan of Action must be written out with team members names on it! Be ready to read your plan to the class ! You have 30 minutes to prepare your plan. Feel free to research anything and use all members input!

24 Process Suggestions! Have each stakeholder brainstorm a list of 2-3 actions they would like to see to support their water interests and evaluate each together! Brainstorm a general list of possible actions, discuss each then modify and narrow to ones that most/all find acceptable

25 Possible Solutions! Remove some or all dams! Share water with agreed on percentages for each group! Access other water sources! Modify dams! Increase hatchery fish production! Buy some farmers out! Restore some farmland to wetlands! Farm differently modify irrigation, grow more sustainably so less water and inputs are needed