Klamath Falls News - Locally owned news brand, reporting stories affecting citizens of the Klamath Basin.
CHILOQUIN, Ore. — C’waam (Lost River sucker) and koptu (shortnose sucker) are two species of fish unique to Upper Klamath Basin, and both were once a plentiful food source for the Klamath Tribes. However, in the last 50 years, the population of these fish has been decimated from degradation of their habitat, the rivers they spawn in, and the lakes where they live.
Read MoreSALEM, Ore. – Transformation of a degraded, contaminated 45-acre landscape on the shores of Klamath Lake into wetland habitat was honored today by the State Land Board during the 18th Annual State Land Board Awards.
Read MoreWASHINGTON — Building on months of close collaboration and engagement with Klamath Basin stakeholders, Tribes, and federal, state and local leaders, the Department of the Interior today announced that nearly $26 million from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has been allocated for Klamath Basin restoration projects, including nearly $16 million for ecosystem restoration projects in the Basin and $10 million to expand the Klamath Falls National Fish Hatchery.
Read MoreCHILOQUIN, Ore.- The Klamath Tribes take zero pleasure in Reclamation’s announcement this morning that there will be no water for flushing flows to mitigate disease risk for salmon in the Klamath River.
Read MoreKLAMATH BASIN – On Friday, April 16, a coalition of three Klamath Basin Tribes joined with groups that represent conservationists and commercial fishermen to urge the Biden administration to grant significant financial relief to all Klamath Basin communities in response to what is predicted to be the driest year on record for the region.
Read MoreCHILOQUIN, Ore. - In this historically bad water year, protecting the C’waam (Lost River sucker) and Koptu (shortnose sucker) must be the first priority. That is the key message the Klamath Tribes delivered to the Bureau of Reclamation today [3/15/21] in comments on Reclamation’s initial draft management framework for Klamath Project operations this spring.
Read MoreCHILOQUIN, Ore. - The Klamath Tribes were deeply disturbed and offended to receive “notification” on a Friday before a long holiday weekend that the Bureau of Reclamation has decided to release additional water for irrigators from Upper Klamath Lake.
Read MoreKLAMATH FALLS, OR – Oregon’s U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley on Friday hosted a science summit, the Sucker Recovery Summit, to share updates on the health of the species and to discuss possible short-term options to help the Lost River (C'waam) and shortnose (Koptu) suckers survive until long-term solutions take effect.
Read MoreChiloquin, OR – The Klamath Tribes today announced the dismissal of its lawsuit against the Bureau of Reclamation. The Klamath Tribes maintain that the Bureau has failed–and continues to fail–to meet its obligations under the Endangered Species Act to prevent extinction of C’waam and Koptu (Lost River and Shortnose suckers, respectively).
Read MoreWASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today [September 5, 2018] pushed U.S. Department of Interior Sec. Ryan Zinke to reverse his decision to withhold from the Klamath Tribe almost $500,000 in already allocated funding for critical water quality research in the Upper Klamath Lake.
Read MoreChiloquin, OR – The Klamath Tribes today filed a lawsuit under the federal Endangered Species Act to protect endangered C’waam and Koptu (Lost River and Shortnose suckers, respectively) through better management of water levels, water quality and habitat protection in Upper Klamath Lake.
Read MoreOn Friday, February 9, 2018, attorneys for the Klamath Tribes sent a letter to representatives of three federal agencies requesting that Upper Klamath Lake be managed at higher levels throughout the upcoming irrigation season to protect the endangered C’waam and Koptu (Lost River and Shortnose suckers, respectively).
Read MoreAlong the banks of the Sprague River, in Chiloquin, Ore. the C'waam Ceremony is held each year after the first big Fish-Blanket snow in March when c’waam (also known as the Lost River Sucker) swim up the Sprague River to spawn. This years event will be held March 24th.
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