Public/Private Partnership to Enhance Incentive Programs in the Klamath Basin

The purpose of this award is for the grantee to take the next step with Wood River Valley landowners to permanently convert their land management from irrigated to dryland grazing.Water resources in the Klamath Basin are in great demand from a variety of competing interests. This has led to frequent conflicts over how water is distributed for conservation, tribal trust obligations, recreation, farming, and ranching. In addition, some land use practices contribute to poor water quality, increased stream temperatures, and reduced Habitat for endangered and sensitive aquatic and terrestrial species. KBRT’s mission is to restore and conserve the quality and quantity of water in Oregon’s Wood River Valley and the Upper Klamath Basin in order to enhance the natural ecosystem and supply needed water for downstream native fish and wildlife populations, as well as agriculture and ranching. KBRT works with ranchers in the Wood River Valley (the headwaters of Upper Klamath Lake) encouraging the adoption of sustainable land and water management practices. KBRT’s efforts up to now have resulted in 12,000 ac of private grazing land in transition from flood irrigation to dry land grazing, over 67,000 acft of water left in stream each year, increased stream flows, improved water quality, protected riparian areas, improved pasture conditions, and the list goes on. This proposal requests support to allow KBRT to redouble its efforts to increase acreage enrolled in NRCS programs and take the landowners to the next step to assure they can fully transition from flood irrigation into permanent dry land scenarios. KBRT also aims to develop a water market or leasing program so that once the producers graduate from Federal “transition” programs they are able to lease their water in stream and assure it stays where it is needed. KBRT will continue to carry out the ecological monitoring established in 2002 to assess impacts of the management changes. Additionally, KBRT would like to share this proven approach with other NRCS offices and private groups working in high-priority areas.