Klamath Basin Tribal Water Quality Work Group

NEW Klamath River Scientific 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 newly discovered toxic blue-green algae and its potential effects on Tribes and the Lower Klamath River. Scientific studies published or commissioned by Tribes show PacifiCorp's hypothesis that reservoirs are nutrient sinks is not upheld and shed light on how nutrients from the Project cycle (or spiral) and foster pollution and fish health problems 100 miles downstream of the Project. 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. Lack of access to traditional food sources, such as salmon, was found to have negative health effects on Karuk Tribe members and that study is also included.

Kann, J., and E. Asarian. 2005. 2002 Nutrient and Hydrologic Loading to Iron Gate and Copco Reservoirs, California. Kier Associates Final Technical Report to the Karuk Tribe Department of Natural Resources, Orleans, California. 59pp + appendices.

These preliminary analyses indicate that for the Copco/Iron Gate Reservoir system, the April-November period is characterized by periods of positive and negative retention for both phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N). Net positive values denote a sink for these nutrients and net negative values denote a source. Despite acting as net sinks for P and N over the entire April through November period, both Copco and Iron Gate Reservoirs can act as a nutrient source during critical periods (e.g., June through September), making nutrients available at such periods for downstream growth of algae and macrophytes.

The more robust seasonal analysis presented here does not support an earlier PacifiCorp (2004a; 2005b) broad postulation that the reservoirs benefit water quality by processing organic matter and nutrients from upstream sources. With the given data set, there is a clear indication that the reservoirs periodically increase nutrient loading downstream. Likely pathways for this increased load include internal sediment loading and nitrogen fixation by Cyanobacteria.

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 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).

Kann, J. and S. Corum. 2006. Summary of 2005 Toxic Microcystis aeruginosa Trends in Copco and Iron Gate Reservoirs on the Klamath River, CA. Aquatic Ecosystem Sciences, Ashland Oregon and the Karuk Tribe DNR, Orleans, CA. 35 p.

Copco and Iron Gate Reservoirs (the lowermost projects of PacifiCorp’s Klamath Hydropower Project-- KHP) experienced toxic blooms of the CyanobacteriaMicrocystis aeruginosa (MSAE) in 2004 and 2005.

The results of the 2005 sampling program demonstrate widespread and high abundance of toxigenic MSAE blooms in Copco and Iron Gate reservoirs from July-October. MSAE cell density exceeded the World Health Organization (WHO) Level for Moderate Probability of Adverse Health Effects (MPAHEL) of 100,000 cells/ml by 10 to over 1000 times during these months. Likewise, Microcystin toxin concentration exceeded the 20 µg/L MPAHEL by 10 to over 100 times.

The MSAE non-detects at above Copco reservoir, even when reservoir stations showed substantial concentrations of both toxin and MSAE cell density, clearly indicate the role of the reservoirs in providing ideal habitat conditions for MSAE.

Moreover, as indicated by cell count and toxin data below Iron Gate Dam, the potential exists for export of both cells and toxin to downstream environments. In areas where turbulent diffusivity may decrease as the river widens or such as would occur in backwater areas, the potential exists for high concentrations to occur downstream. In fact, MSAE cells and toxin were detected as far down river as the Klamath River estuary.

Yurok Tribe Environmental Program. 2006. Klamath River Blue-Green Algae Bloom Report. By Ken Fetcho, YTEP, Klamath, CA. 19 p.

The presence of the Microcystis aeruginosa bloom was documented in the Klamath River within the Yurok Reservation boundaries beginning on August 24, 2005 and extended until approximately September 21, 2005.

These results indicate that the blue-green algae bloom was a relatively short event on the Lower Klamath River, peaking sometime in the early to middle part 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 Yurok Tribal members and sport fisherman.

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.

Norgaard, K.M. 2004. The Effects of Altered Diet on the Health of the Karuk People: A Preliminary Report. Written under contract to the Karuk Tribe of California: Department of Natural Resources Water Quality Program, Orleans, CA. 75 p.

The Karuk people are currently denied access to a significant percentage of their traditional foods. If these foods are obtainable they are available in reduced quantity and quality. Most glaring is the loss of several entire runs of salmon and the considerable decrease in all salmonid populations. Salmon, eel, sturgeon, steelhead trout, acorns, wild plants, nuts, seeds and game were a plentiful and healthy source of food for generations.

• There is overwhelming evidence that the elimination of traditional foods has had adverse health, social, economic, and spiritual effects on Native American people.
  
• Whereas historic fish consumption for the Karuk Tribe is estimated at 450 pounds of salmon per person per year or 1.2 pounds per day, fish consumption for the Tribe in 2004 is estimated at less than 5 pounds per person per year.
• A significant percentage of tribal members rely on commodity foods in lieu of salmon and other traditional foods. These foods are of much less nutritional value.
• The estimated diabetes rate for the Karuk Tribe is 12%, nearly twice the U.S. average.
  
• The estimated rate of heart disease for the Karuk Tribe is 39.6%, three times the U.S. Average

Graphic from Gathard Engineering in sediment study of KHP reservoirs funded by the California Coastal Conservancy.

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.

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.

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.