Nearly $26 million from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has been allocated for restoration projects in the Klamath Basin in Oregon and California, the U.S. Department of Interior said in a news release.
The funding includes nearly $16 million for ecosystem restoration projects in the basin and $10 million to expand the Klamath Falls National Fish Hatchery, the agency said.
“Clean water, healthy forests and fertile land made the Klamath Basin and its surrounding watershed home to tribal communities, productive agriculture, and abundant populations of migratory birds, suckers, salmon and other fish," Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said in a statement. "But recent water scarcity has had a tremendous impact on the area’s fishing, farming and ecosystems.
“With millions of dollars being invested in water and habitat resilience from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, help is on the way to restore this once abundant-ecosystem for the benefit of all its inhabitants, human or otherwise," she added. "We thank [Oregon] Sens. Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden for their work to prioritize this funding for the Klamath region."
In late June, Interior Department leadership visited the Klamath Basin. Representatives of the Office of the Interior Secretary, Bureau of Reclamation and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service visited Lower Klamath and Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuges, Link River Dam, Keno Dam and the Ady Canal.
The leaders held a listening session with the Klamath Tribal Council and met with tribes from along the Klamath River, including the Karuk, Yurok, Resighini, Hoopa and Quartz Valley. The Interior Department team also talked with water users in sessions with the Klamath Water Users Association and the Klamath River Renewal Corp.
