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New Science Documents

Scientific knowledge of Klamath River water quality, nutrient pollution processes, fish health and the role played by Klamath Hydroelectric Project reservoirs has increased rapidly since the KHP relicensing process began in February 2004. Learn about the health risks posed by a toxic blue-green algae and its potential effects on Tribes and the Lower Klamath River. A key U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service fish health report indicates that a Klamath River juvenile chinook salmon epidemic in 2004 likely had equal effects on future escapement to the September 2002 adult fish kill. Scientists can now measure the concentration of fish parasite spores in water samples.

Text blocks below citations are excerpts.

Toxic Algae and Microcystis

Kann, J. and S. Corum. 2009. Toxigenic Microcystis aeruginosa bloom dynamics and cell density/chlorophyll a relationships with microcystin toxin in the Klamath River, 2005-2008. Aquatic Ecosystem Sciences LLC. and Karuk Tribe Department of Natural Resources. 46 p.

Although somewhat lower than 2005-2007, the 2008 sampling program demonstrated widespread and high abundance of toxigenic Microcystis aeruginosa (MSAE) blooms in Copco and Iron Gate reservoirs from July-September, continuing to exceeded public health thresholds by numerous times during these months.

Similar to previous years MSAE was not detected and microcystin was detected at low levels upstream of the reservoirs at Klamath River above Copco. Downstream of the reservoir complex at station Klamath River below Iron Gate and below to Orleans (OR), levels of both MSAE and toxin were elevated relative to Klamath River above Copco; however, none of these river samples taken in the mixed portion of the channel exceeded the threshold guideline values of 40,000 cells/ml MSAE or 8 μg/L microcystin in 2008. This was in direct contrast to surface samples taken in areas of low velocity in Klamath River edge habitat that showed MSAE cell density and microcystin concentration exceeded (often by over 10x) the 40,000 cells/ml MSAE and 8 μg/L microcystin public health guideline values, even when open water samples did not. From a public health perspective these data illustrate that low MSAE or toxin values in open-water higher velocity Klamath River samples often translates to values exceeding public health thresholds in river-edge areas.

For information on Microcystis/microcystin in Iron Gate and Copco reservoirs in 2005 and 2006, see Kann and Corum (2006) and Kann and Corum (2007).

Kann, J. 2008. Microcystin Bioaccumulation in Klamath River Fish and Freshwater Mussel Tissue: Preliminary 2007 Results. Aquatic Ecosystem Sciences LLC, Ashland, OR. 48 p.

The following memorandum provides a preliminary presentation of microcystin tissue analyses performed … on Klamath River fish and freshwater mussels in 2007 … Microcystin analyses were performed on composite (consisting of 6 yearling fall Chinook) liver, stomach, and fillet samples collected from the Iron Gate Hatchery … , a composite mussel sample … collected from the Klamath River in the Seiad Valley area… ; individual Klamath River mussel samples… ; and yellow perch (both individual fillets and liver composites) collected from Copco and Iron Gate Reservoirs...

Tissue concentration results for various microcystin congeners showed some level of bioaccumulation in the majority (85%) of samples tested in July and September. … Evaluation of bioaccumulation in yellow perch fillets and freshwater mussels with respect to public health guidelines indicates that all TDI guideline levels as defined by Ibelings and Chorus (2007) were exceeded to varying degrees in tested Klamath River organisms, including several observations of values exceeding Acute TDI thresholds ... In light of these bioaccumulation data, public health advisories should include warnings for ingestion of fish and freshwater mussels

Yurok Tribe Environmental Program. 2008. Final 2007 Klamath River Blue-Green Algae Summary Report. By Ken Fetcho, Yurok Tribe Environmental Program, Klamath, California. 27 pp.

Microcystis aeruginosa (MSAE) was first detected on July 24th, 2007 at the Klamath River at Weitchpec sampling site. MSAE continued to be present in the Klamath River at multiple monitoring sites through October 2, 2007.

These results indicate that MSAE was present in the Klamath River within the Yurok Indian Reservation (YIR) for over two months, with cell density and microcystin levels peaking near the middle of September. The timing is of significance because of the presence of adult salmon and steelhead migrating upstream during this time period. This is also a time of increased cultural and recreational use of the Klamath River by both Tribal Members and sport fishermen.

For information on Microcystis/microcystin in the YIR in 2005 and 2006, see Fetcho (2006) and Fetcho (2007).

Nutrient Loading

Kann, J., and E. Asarian. 2007. Nutrient Budgets and Phytoplankton Trends in Iron Gate and Copco Reservoirs, California, May 2005 - May 2006. Final Technical Report to the State Water Resources Control Board, Sacramento, California. 81pp + appendices.

During the algal growing season, total nitrogen retention was higher overall than total phosphorus retention, and showed more consistently positive retention, while total phosphorus oscillated between negative and positive retention. Negative retention values can denote a source from within a reservoir (nitrogen fixation or nutrient release from sediments), while positive retention reflects net losses from the water column resulting from sedimentation or denitrification.

Although periods of net negative retention were not as extreme in the 2005-2006 study compared to a previous analysis of 2002 data (Kann and Asarian 2005), overall net retention accounted for a relatively low (<20%) percentage of inflow on an annual basis (11.9% for total phosphorus, and 18.1% for total nitrogen). These observed values were generally within the range predicted using models developed from a broad range of lakes and reservoirs that incorporate inflow loading and other hydraulic characteristics.

For nutrient budgets of Iron Gate and Copco reservoirs for 2002, see Kann and Asarian (2005).

Asarian, E. and J. Kann. 2006. Klamath River Nitrogen Loading and Retention Dynamics, 1996-2004. Kier Associates Final Technical Report to the Yurok Tribe Environmental Program, Klamath, California. 56pp + appendices.

The analyses presented here investigated the nitrogen dynamics of the Klamath River with particular regard to quantifying the relative retention of the free-flowing river reaches between Iron Gate Dam, 190 miles upstream from the ocean, and Klamath Glen, which is near the river's mouth.

A comparison of temporal variability of river retention to reservoir retention [for 2002] showed that the river consistently provides moderate positive retention, while the combined retention of Iron Gate and Copco reservoirs alternates between positive and negative values. Thus, although overall reservoir nitrogen retention was positive for the entire evaluated period there were two significant periods in 2002 when the reservoirs were releasing nitrogen (i.e., retention was negative).

Fish Health and Disease

Nichols, K. and J.S. Foott. 2005. Health Monitoring of Juvenile Klamath River Chinook Salmon, FY 2004 Investigational Report. USFWS California-Nevada Fish Health Center, Red Bluff, CA.

Between 11 May and 27 July 2004, seven hundred and forty- five juvenile fall-run Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) were collected for pathogen and physiological assays at 4 general locations in the lower Klamath River. .....Expanding from trap efficiency data, we estimated that 45% of the population was infected with Ceratomyxa shasta and 94% of the population was infected with Parvicapsula minibicornis.

The high incidence of dual myxozoan infection (98% of Ceratomyxa infected fish), and associated pathology suggests that the majority of the C. shasta infected juvenile Chinook would not survive. The prognosis for P. minibicornis infection by itself is not well understood. Depending on the juvenile Klamath River salmon population size and smolt to adult return ratio, the effective number of adult salmon lost to C. shasta as juveniles could rival the 33,000+ adult salmon lost in the 2002 Klamath River Fish Dieoff.

Bartholomew, J. 2008. Ceratomyxa shasta 2007 Study Summary. Prepared for Klamath River Fish Health Symposium. Funded by BOR and OR sea Grant. Department of Microbiology, OSU, Corvallis, OR. 13 p.

...samples collected at each site were tested for inhibition/Parvicapsula minibicornis (combined multiplex QPCR) followed by Ceratomyxa shasta (singleplex QPCR).

The threshold for mortality in Chinook salmon appears to be around the 10 spore/L mark; when less than this number are detected, cumulative mortality is 10% or less, whereas when this value is exceeded, cumulative mortality is 30% and above.

Levels of C. shasta were already around 10 spores/L at some mainstem sites when sampling commenced in May, 2007. Basin-wide, levels generally peaked at the end of May/beginning of June... then decreased by September... Only low levels were recorded in the tributaries at any time of year.

In June, the highest quantities of spores in the lower Klamath River were observed at Beaver Creek and Seiad Valley, and this is again reflected in the highest mortalities in Chinook.

Other

California Coastal Conservancy. 2006. FERC Docket P-2082: Klamath River Project reservoirs: Interim state-agency sediment study results critical to relicensing. Appendices include Gathard Engineering. 2006. Klamath River Sediment Study. Memo from Sam Schuchat, CCC to Magalie R. Salas, FERC. California Coastal Conservancy, Oakland, CA. 104 p. VERY LARGE FILE (18.1 Mb)

By this letter, the California State Coastal Conservancy, an agency of the State of California, requests that the enclosed results of its recently conducted sediment study pertaining to the potential decommissioning of the Klamath River Project be evaluated in the environmental documents under preparation in connection with relicensing of the Klamath River Project, FERC Docket P-2082.

Findings regarding sediment size and character demonstrate that dam removal is feasible and affordable under a variety of scenarios now under consideration by the Conservancy and its contractors. Collectively, the attached studies and summaries find that:

  1. The toxicity of the sediment in the four lowermost reservoirs is very low, and will not affect the method or cost of dam decommissioning;
  2. That ample information exists to accurately predict the amount of sediment that would erode downstream in the event of decommissioning, and;
  3. Sediment transport below Iron Gate, even under the most conservative estimates, would be unlikely to cause flooding.

The study findings must be prominently considered in the environmental review process for license renewal--with respect both to determining feasible alternatives and to determining the environmental effects and costs of those alternatives.

Asarian, E. and J. Kann. 2006. Technical Memorandum: Evaluation of PacifiCorp's Klamath River Water Quality Model Predictions for Selected Water Quality Parameters. Prepared by Kier Associates and Aquatic Ecosystem Sciences for the Yurok Tribe Environmental Program, Klamath, California. 32 pp.

The purpose of this technical memorandum is to provide a brief assessment of how nutrient concentrations and nutrient loads predicted by the PacifiCorp water quality model fit available observed field data for the years 2000-2004. The parameters examined here include nitrogen, phosphorus, chlorophyll, and organic carbon.

Overall, the model poorly predicts nutrient dynamics in the Klamath River. Not only was the magnitude of predicted nutrient concentrations typically either consistently under- or over-predicted relative to observed data, but the modeled data showed strong consistent spatial bias that was absent in the field data.

Given the substantial discrepancies between modeled and measured data, until model performance can be improved, model results for nutrient-dependent parameters (dissolved oxygen, pH, nutrients, phytoplankton, and attached algae) that show substantial bias cannot be used to make objective management decisions.

Kann, J and E. Asarian. 2006. Technical Memorandum: Longitudinal Analysis of Klamath River Phytoplankton Data 2001-2004. Prepared by Kier Associates and Aquatic Ecosystem Sciences for the Yurok Tribe Environmental Program, Klamath, California. 36 pp.

The purpose of this memo is to analyze and summarize PacifiCorp's 2001-2004 dataset, including the description of seasonal, annual, and longitudinal patterns in algal species composition and biovolume.

In conclusion, these analyses show that although the Klamath River receives a large loading of algal biomass (made up largely of the cyanophyte, Aphanizomenon flos-aquae) from Upper Klamath Lake, the analyzed data provide clear evidence that Copco and Iron Gate Reservoirs are providing habitat conditions that foster increased overall phytoplankton biovolume comprised largely of nitrogen-fixing cyanophyte species as well as toxigenic Microcystis aeruginosa. The relative increase in nitrogen-fixing species is important ecologically because these species have the potential to introduce additional nitrogen into the Klamath River system.