Study Shows 25' Drop in Klamath Basin Groundwater Levels Since 2001

A new report by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) links a 15-year, 25-foot decline in groundwater levels in the Klamath River Basin to farm irrigation pumping by Klamath Project water users, as well as natural and climatic stressors. However, the relative contribution of each of those stressors is more difficult to discern. Declines in the water table can create increased stress on the overall water supply, which can in turn result in more demand on surface water on which migrating salmon rely. In response to the report, water officials have suggested that groundwater pumping in the Basin should not exceed 40,000 acre-feet per year.