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79-415: In the early 20th century, most of the wetlands and marshes surrounding the lake were drained for agricultural purposes, damaging the larger habitat. The lake's water has been used to support the federal Klamath Project for irrigation by local farmers for a century. The lake depth fluctuates due to regulation of its water supply, averaging between 8 and 50 feet (2.4 and 15.2 m) deep. The lake level

158-498: A cutoff of irrigation water to local farmers on April 6, 2001. After many protests by farmers and concerned citizens alike, the decision was reversed the next year. The impact of the salmon kill was detailed in the book Salmon is Everything . A 2002 report by the National Research Council however, determined that the decision to stop delivery of irrigation water in 2001 was not scientifically justified and that

237-400: A food source for zooplankton . Thus a self-sustaining biological process can take place to generate primary food source for the phytoplankton and zooplankton depending on the availability of adequate dissolved oxygen in the water body. Enhanced growth of aquatic vegetation, phytoplankton and algal blooms disrupts normal functioning of the ecosystem, causing a variety of problems such as

316-550: A healthy norm of living, some of which are as follows: There are multiple different ways to fix cultural eutrophication with raw sewage being a point source of pollution. For example, sewage treatment plants can be upgraded for biological nutrient removal so that they discharge much less nitrogen and phosphorus to the receiving water body. However, even with good secondary treatment , most final effluents from sewage treatment works contain substantial concentrations of nitrogen as nitrate, nitrite or ammonia. Removal of these nutrients

395-437: A lack of oxygen which is needed for fish and shellfish to survive. The growth of dense algae in surface waters can shade the deeper water and reduce the viability of benthic shelter plants with resultant impacts on the wider ecosystem. Eutrophication also decreases the value of rivers, lakes and aesthetic enjoyment. Health problems can occur where eutrophic conditions interfere with drinking water treatment . Phosphorus

474-599: A large portion of the present farmland. There are also many minor streams in the area. Lost River historically drained into Tule Lake, an endorheic lake . The project now diverts excess Lost River water to the Klamath River, allowing portions of Tule Lake to be reclaimed. Some 225,000 acres (91,000 ha) of rangeland have been transformed into active farmland through the Klamath Project. Of that total, 80,000 acres (32,000 ha) were recovered by draining

553-798: A local village, killing fourteen people. As more settlers entered the region, the Modoc people resisted by raiding parties along the South Emigrant Trail, which passed through the Klamath River Valley south of Upper Klamath Lake. In 1873, the Native Americans were defeated in the Modoc War , and were relocated to a reservation on the north side of the lake. Being naturally eutrophic , the lake has been known since early times for its poor water quality. Frémont noted

632-441: A natural process and occurs naturally through the gradual accumulation of sediment and nutrients. Naturally, eutrophication is usually caused by the natural accumulation of nutrients from dissolved phosphate minerals and dead plant matter in water. Natural eutrophication has been well-characterized in lakes. Paleolimnologists now recognise that climate change, geology, and other external influences are also critical in regulating

711-463: A normally limiting nutrient . This process causes shifts in the species composition of ecosystems. For instance, an increase in nitrogen might allow new, competitive species to invade and out-compete original inhabitant species. This has been shown to occur in New England salt marshes . In Europe and Asia, the common carp frequently lives in naturally eutrophic or hypereutrophic areas, and

790-733: A portion of Lower Klamath Lake, a shallow marsh straddling the Oregon-California border between the California towns of Dorris and Tulelake . Tule Lake was also reduced in size by diverting water from Lost River to the Klamath River. Farmers in the project raise barley, alfalfa hay, and other hay, oats, potatoes, and wheat. The Klamath Basin is on the Pacific Flyway and the Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuges Complex

869-505: A set of tools to minimize causes of eutrophication. Nonpoint sources of pollution are the primary contributors to eutrophication, and their effects can be minimized through common agricultural practices. Reducing the amount of pollutants that reach a watershed can be achieved through the protection of its forest cover, reducing the amount of erosion leeching into a watershed. Also, through the efficient, controlled use of land using sustainable agricultural practices to minimize land degradation ,

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948-498: A simple reversal of inputs since there are sometimes several stable but very different ecological states. Recovery of eutrophicated lakes is slow, often requiring several decades. In environmental remediation , nutrient removal technologies include biofiltration , which uses living material to capture and biologically degrade pollutants. Examples include green belts, riparian areas, natural and constructed wetlands, and treatment ponds. The National Oceanic Atmospheric Admiration in

1027-497: A supply of lake waters for their operations. As of 2003, the FWS was monitoring the lake regularly due to water shortfalls, which endangered both fish in the lake and salmon in the Klamath River. The future uses of Klamath Lake are of national interest because of competing claims between farmers' property rights (supported by federal subsidies and programs) and larger environmental goals. Klamath Project The Klamath Project

1106-421: A threat to humans. An example of algal toxins working their way into humans is the case of shellfish poisoning. Biotoxins created during algal blooms are taken up by shellfish ( mussels , oysters ), leading to these human foods acquiring the toxicity and poisoning humans. Examples include paralytic , neurotoxic, and diarrhoetic shellfish poisoning. Other marine animals can be vectors for such toxins, as in

1185-895: Is a water-management project developed by the United States Bureau of Reclamation to supply farmers with irrigation water and farmland in the Klamath Basin . The project also supplies water to the Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge , and the Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge . The project was one of the first to be developed by the Reclamation Service, which later became the Bureau of Reclamation. The two main water supply sources for

1264-403: Is a general term describing a process in which nutrients accumulate in a body of water, resulting in an increased growth of microorganisms that may deplete the oxygen of water. Eutrophication may occur naturally or as a result of human actions. Manmade, or cultural, eutrophication occurs when sewage , industrial wastewater , fertilizer runoff , and other nutrient sources are released into

1343-667: Is a multi-party legal agreement determining river usage and water rights involving the Klamath River, the Klamath Project, and the Klamath Basin, within the states of California and Oregon. Among the more notable signatories to the agreement were the Governors of California and Oregon, and the Chairman of the Klamath Tribes . As opposed to the government-owned irrigation dams of the Klamath Project on upper tributaries,

1422-420: Is a scarcity. The technology to safely and efficiently reuse wastewater , both from domestic and industrial sources, should be a primary concern for policy regarding eutrophication. There are many ways to help fix cultural eutrophication caused by agriculture. Some recommendations issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture include: The United Nations framework for Sustainable Development Goals recognizes

1501-491: Is accumulating inside freshwater bodies. In marine ecosystems , nitrogen is the primary limiting nutrient; nitrous oxide (created by the combustion of fossil fuels ) and its deposition in the water from the atmosphere has led to an increase in nitrogen levels, and also the heightened levels of eutrophication in the ocean. Cultural or anthropogenic eutrophication is the process that causes eutrophication because of human activity. The problem became more apparent following

1580-445: Is adapted to living in such conditions. The eutrophication of areas outside its natural range partially explain the fish's success in colonizing these areas after being introduced. Some harmful algal blooms resulting from eutrophication, are toxic to plants and animals. Freshwater algal blooms can pose a threat to livestock. When the algae die or are eaten, neuro - and hepatotoxins are released which can kill animals and may pose

1659-442: Is an expensive and often difficult process. Laws regulating the discharge and treatment of sewage have led to dramatic nutrient reductions to surrounding ecosystems. As a major contributor to the nonpoint source nutrient loading of water bodies is untreated domestic sewage, it is necessary to provide treatment facilities to highly urbanized areas, particularly those in developing countries , in which treatment of domestic waste water

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1738-778: Is bioremediation involving cultured plants and animals. Nutrient bioextraction or bioharvesting is the practice of farming and harvesting shellfish and seaweed to remove nitrogen and other nutrients from natural water bodies. It has been suggested that nitrogen removal by oyster reefs could generate net benefits for sources facing nitrogen emission restrictions, similar to other nutrient trading scenarios. Specifically, if oysters maintain nitrogen levels in estuaries below thresholds, then oysters effectively stave off an enforcement response, and compliance costs parties responsible for nitrogen emission would otherwise incur. Several studies have shown that oysters and mussels can dramatically impact nitrogen levels in estuaries. Filter feeding activity

1817-612: Is caused by excessive concentrations of nutrients, most commonly phosphates and nitrates , although this varies with location. Prior to their being phasing out in the 1970's, phosphate-containing detergents contributed to eutrophication. Since then, sewage and agriculture have emerged as the dominant phosphate sources. The main sources of nitrogen pollution are from agricultural runoff containing fertilizers and animal wastes, from sewage, and from atmospheric deposition of nitrogen originating from combustion or animal waste. The limitation of productivity in any aquatic system varies with

1896-439: Is commonly applied in the surface of the water body and it sinks to the bottom of the lake reducing phosphate, such sorbents have been applied worldwide to manage eutrophication and algal bloom (for example under the commercial name Phoslock ). In a large-scale study, 114 lakes were monitored for the effectiveness of alum at phosphorus reduction. Across all lakes, alum effectively reduced the phosphorus for 11 years. While there

1975-452: Is considered beneficial to water quality by controlling phytoplankton density and sequestering nutrients, which can be removed from the system through shellfish harvest, buried in the sediments, or lost through denitrification . Foundational work toward the idea of improving marine water quality through shellfish cultivation was conducted by Odd Lindahl et al., using mussels in Sweden. In

2054-629: Is direct injection of compressed air, a technique used in the restoration of the Salford Docks area of the Manchester Ship Canal in England. For smaller-scale waters such as aquaculture ponds, pump aeration is standard. Removing phosphorus can remediate eutrophication. Of the several phosphate sorbents, alum ( aluminium sulfate ) is of practical interest. ) Many materials have been investigated. The phosphate sorbent

2133-577: Is kept within 4,137 to 4,143 ft (1,261 to 1,263 m) above sea level to ensure a viable fishery in the lake and to protect coho salmon in the Klamath River below the lake. Upper Klamath Lake is fed by a watershed of 3,768 square miles (9,760 km) including the Williamson and Wood Rivers , and is drained by the Klamath River (known here as the Link River ), which issues from

2212-619: Is often regarded as the main culprit in cases of eutrophication in lakes subjected to "point source" pollution from sewage pipes. The concentration of algae and the trophic state of lakes correspond well to phosphorus levels in water. Studies conducted in the Experimental Lakes Area in Ontario have shown a relationship between the addition of phosphorus and the rate of eutrophication. Later stages of eutrophication lead to blooms of nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria limited solely by

2291-501: Is responsible for protecting and maintaining sucker populations in the lake. In 1988, the FWS placed the Lost River sucker and the shortnose sucker ( Catostomidae ) on the federal endangered species list; the numbers of the two formerly abundant Upper Klamath Lake fish species had sharply fallen due to the decline in water quality. As a result, the government abandoned a planned dredging project, which would have further damaged

2370-422: Is that the natural process is very slow, occurring on geological time scales. Eutrophication can have the following ecological effects: increased biomass of phytoplankton , changes in macrophyte species composition and biomass , dissolved oxygen depletion, increased incidences of fish kills , loss of desirable fish species. When an ecosystem experiences an increase in nutrients, primary producers reap

2449-497: Is the rapid growth of microscopic algae, creating an algal bloom . In freshwater ecosystems , the formation of floating algal blooms are commonly nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria (blue-green algae). This outcome is favored when soluble nitrogen becomes limiting and phosphorus inputs remain significant. Nutrient pollution is a major cause of algal blooms and excess growth of other aquatic plants leading to overcrowding competition for sunlight, space, and oxygen. Increased competition for

Upper Klamath Lake - Misplaced Pages Continue

2528-569: Is visited by migratory game birds every year. The project can be distinguished the Klamath River Hydroelectric Project , which is a set of hydro dams on the mainstem of the Klamath operated by for-profit energy company PacifiCorp . The Link River Dam belongs to both. Construction began on the project in 1906 with the building of the main "A" Canal. Water was first made available May 22, 1907. The Clear Lake Dam

2607-538: The United States Bureau of Reclamation (BOR)'s Link River Dam as part of the Klamath Reclamation Project , to supply irrigation waters to support agriculture in the upper Klamath Basin. The original timber crib dam was replaced by a more permanent concrete structure in 1921. Prior to the 20th century, the lake was surrounded by widespread marshes and wetlands, which supported fish, birds and wildlife, as well as protecting water quality in

2686-407: The open waters of the continental shelf. Phytoplankton productivity in coastal waters depends on both nutrient and light supply, with the latter an important limiting factor in waters near to shore where sediment resuspension often limits light penetration. Nutrients are supplied to coastal waters from land via river and groundwater and also via the atmosphere. There is also an important source from

2765-465: The "often foul smelling waters" of the lake, and the Applegate Trail was purposely routed away from the lake because the water was "so bad that it might be too dangerous for livestock to drink late in the season". Starting in the mid-1800s, the valleys both north and south of Upper Klamath were settled and developed for agriculture. Since 1917, the water level in the lake has been regulated by

2844-445: The 2002 fish kill was caused by a combination of natural factors. A massive die off of salmon occurred in 2002 due to low water and high temperatures in the lower reaches of the river during the salmon migration. Studies showed that drought conditions and low flow from the entire drainage were among the factors that caused a unique mix of conditions to allow a gill rot disease to attack the salmon population. The conflict in balancing

2923-695: The Klamath Project. The canals transport irrigation water from Klamath Lake and the Klamath River, Clear Lake and the Lost River, and Tule Lake. There are two tunnels: the "A" Canal (the main canal that starts just above the Link River Dam) has an underground section as it flows through Klamath Falls, and the Tule Lake Tunnel. There are almost 728 miles (1,172 km) of drainage canals in the Klamath Project which allow land that would otherwise be wetlands to be farmed. The Lower Klamath Lake

3002-641: The United States has created a forecasting tool for regions such as the Great Lakes, the Gulf of Maine, and The Gulf of Mexico. Shorter term predictions can help to show the intensity, location, and trajectory of blooms in order to warn more directly affected communities. Longer term tests in specific regions and bodies help to predict larger scale factors like scale of future blooms and factors that could lead to more adverse effects. Nutrient bioextraction

3081-456: The United States, shellfish restoration projects have been conducted on the East, West and Gulf coasts. Studies have demonstrated seaweed's potential to improve nitrogen levels. Seaweed aquaculture offers an opportunity to mitigate, and adapt to climate change. Seaweed, such as kelp, also absorbs phosphorus and nitrogen and is thus helpful to remove excessive nutrients from polluted parts of

3160-482: The added nutrients can cause potential disruption to entire ecosystems and food webs, as well as a loss of habitat, and biodiversity of species. When overproduced macrophytes and algae die in eutrophic water, their decompose further consumes dissolved oxygen. The depleted oxygen levels in turn may lead to fish kills and a range of other effects reducing biodiversity. Nutrients may become concentrated in an anoxic zone, often in deeper waters cut off by stratification of

3239-547: The amount of soil runoff and nitrogen-based fertilizers reaching a watershed can be reduced. Waste disposal technology constitutes another factor in eutrophication prevention. Because a body of water can have an effect on a range of people reaching far beyond that of the watershed, cooperation between different organizations is necessary to prevent the intrusion of contaminants that can lead to eutrophication. Agencies ranging from state governments to those of water resource management and non-governmental organizations, going as low as

Upper Klamath Lake - Misplaced Pages Continue

3318-481: The benefits first. In aquatic ecosystems, species such as algae experience a population increase (called an algal bloom ). Algal blooms limit the sunlight available to bottom-dwelling organisms and cause wide swings in the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water. Oxygen is required by all aerobically respiring plants and animals and it is replenished in daylight by photosynthesizing plants and algae. Under eutrophic conditions, dissolved oxygen greatly increases during

3397-414: The case of ciguatera , where it is typically a predator fish that accumulates the toxin and then poisons humans. Eutrophication and harmful algal blooms can have economic impacts due to increasing water treatment costs, commercial fishing and shellfish losses, recreational fishing losses (reductions in harvestable fish and shellfish ), and reduced tourism income (decreases in perceived aesthetic value of

3476-431: The catchments. A third key nutrient, dissolved silicon , is derived primarily from sediment weathering to rivers and from offshore and is therefore much less affected by human activity. These increasing nitrogen and phosphorus nutrient inputs exert eutrophication pressures on coastal zones. These pressures vary geographically depending on the catchment activities and associated nutrient load. The geographical setting of

3555-782: The coastal zone is another important factor as it controls dilution of the nutrient load and oxygen exchange with the atmosphere. The effects of these eutrophication pressures can be seen in several different ways: Surveys showed that 54% of lakes in Asia are eutrophic; in Europe , 53%; in North America , 48%; in South America , 41%; and in Africa , 28%. In South Africa, a study by the CSIR using remote sensing has shown more than 60% of

3634-516: The company to construct the Link River Dam for the benefit of the project and for the company's use, and in particular extended to the water users of the Klamath Project certain preferential power rates. The dam was completed in 1921. In more recent times, the Klamath Project has been the focus of nationwide controversy. The Lost River and Shortnose suckers were listed as endangered in 1988. This, as well as concerns for salmon runs, led to

3713-560: The damaging effects of eutrophication for marine environments. It has established a timeline for creating an Index of Coastal Eutrophication and Floating Plastic Debris Density (ICEP) within Sustainable Development Goal 14 (life below water). SDG 14 specifically has a target to: "by 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution". Policy and regulations are

3792-526: The day, but is greatly reduced after dark by the respiring algae and by microorganisms that feed on the increasing mass of dead algae. When dissolved oxygen levels decline to hypoxic levels, fish and other marine animals suffocate. As a result, creatures such as fish, shrimp, and especially immobile bottom dwellers die off. In extreme cases, anaerobic conditions ensue, promoting growth of bacteria. Zones where this occurs are known as dead zones . Eutrophication may cause competitive release by making abundant

3871-460: The economic and ecological concerns of the region was the focus of the 2006 book River of Renewal: Myth and History in the Klamath Basin . Today, there is still much antagonism between opposing sides on this issue. The Klamath Project contains seven dams, all of them on tributaries of the Klamath River itself. In chronological order of completion, they are: There are over 717 miles (1,154 km) of canals , laterals and diversion channels in

3950-400: The environment. Such nutrient pollution usually causes algal blooms and bacterial growth, resulting in the depletion of dissolved oxygen in water and causing substantial environmental degradation . Approaches for prevention and reversal of eutrophication include minimizing point source pollution from sewage and agriculture as well as other nonpoint pollution sources. Additionally,

4029-584: The interface between freshwater and saltwater, can be both phosphorus and nitrogen limited and commonly exhibit symptoms of eutrophication. Eutrophication in estuaries often results in bottom water hypoxia or anoxia, leading to fish kills and habitat degradation. Upwelling in coastal systems also promotes increased productivity by conveying deep, nutrient-rich waters to the surface, where the nutrients can be assimilated by algae . Examples of anthropogenic sources of nitrogen-rich pollution to coastal waters include sea cage fish farming and discharges of ammonia from

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4108-798: The introduction of bacteria and algae-inhibiting organisms such as shellfish and seaweed can also help reduce nitrogen pollution, which in turn controls the growth of cyanobacteria , the main source of harmful algae blooms . The term "eutrophication" comes from the Greek eutrophos , meaning "well-nourished". Water bodies with very low nutrient levels are termed oligotrophic and those with moderate nutrient levels are termed mesotrophic . Advanced eutrophication may also be referred to as dystrophic and hypertrophic conditions. Thus, eutrophication has been defined as "degradation of water quality owing to enrichment by nutrients which results in excessive plant (principally algae) growth and decay." Eutrophication

4187-588: The introduction of chemical fertilizers in agriculture (green revolution of the mid-1900s). Phosphorus and nitrogen are the two main nutrients that cause cultural eutrophication as they enrich the water, allowing for some aquatic plants, especially algae to grow rapidly and bloom in high densities. Algal blooms can shade out benthic plants thereby altering the overall plant community. When algae die off, their degradation by bacteria removes oxygen, potentially, generating anoxic conditions. This anoxic environment kills off aerobic organisms (e.g. fish and invertebrates) in

4266-431: The lake (largely Aphanizomenon flos-aquae ). The algae blooms turn the water an opaque green in the summer and reduce the opportunity for recreational uses of the lake. State standards for dissolved oxygen are routinely violated, meaning that fish are endangered. The lake is still a vital stop for waterfowl along the Pacific Flyway , and is known for its rainbow trout fishery. The US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS)

4345-593: The lake were originally inhabited by the Klamath people . The Modoc people inhabited the lands to the south of Upper Klamath Lake, around the Lower Klamath and Tule lakes. The first recorded persons of European descent to visit Upper Klamath Lake were a party of Hudson's Bay Company fur trappers commanded by Peter Skene Ogden in December 1826. Ogden called the lake "Dog Lake", after obtaining nine dogs from

4424-457: The lake. Much of these important habitats were drained to be converted to cultivated farmland, as farmers did not understand the value of the wetlands for the environment. The lake is naturally eutrophic , due to a high concentration of nutrients. In the 20th century, the augmentation of nutrients by agricultural runoff from the surrounding farming valley has caused the lake to become hypereutrophic , resulting in blue-green algae blooms over

4503-510: The local Klamaths for food. They explored the lake and the Klamath River headwaters, helped by native guides. However, they did not stay in the area for long, instead moving south to tributaries of the Klamath River in search of beaver. Animosity between American immigrants and Native Americans led to armed conflicts. In 1846, a military expedition led by John C. Frémont and Kit Carson were attacked by Native American warriors near Upper Klamath Lake. In revenge, Frémont and Carson's party attacked

4582-494: The local population, are responsible for preventing eutrophication of water bodies. In the United States, the most well known inter-state effort to prevent eutrophication is the Chesapeake Bay . Reducing nutrient inputs is a crucial precondition for restoration. Still, there are two caveats: Firstly, it can take a long time, mainly because of the storage of nutrients in sediments . Secondly, restoration may need more than

4661-527: The major wetlands in the upper Klamath River basin, into a contiguous body of water. The lake was more than ten times the size of present-day Upper Klamath Lake and sat nearly 100 feet (30 m) higher in elevation. Lake Modoc disappeared at the end of the Pleistocene due to a warming and drying climate. The region around Upper Klamath Lake and the Williamson, Sprague and Wood rivers to the north of

4740-426: The most susceptible. In shore lines and shallow lakes, sediments are frequently resuspended by wind and waves which can result in nutrient release from sediments into the overlying water, enhancing eutrophication. The deterioration of water quality caused by cultural eutrophication can therefore negatively impact human uses including potable supply for consumption, industrial uses and recreation. Eutrophication can be

4819-462: The natural productivity of lakes. A few artificial lakes also demonstrate the reverse process ( meiotrophication ), becoming less nutrient rich with time as nutrient poor inputs slowly elute the nutrient richer water mass of the lake. This process may be seen in artificial lakes and reservoirs which tend to be highly eutrophic on first filling but may become more oligotrophic with time. The main difference between natural and anthropogenic eutrophication

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4898-447: The open ocean, via mixing of relatively nutrient rich deep ocean waters. Nutrient inputs from the ocean are little changed by human activity, although climate change may alter the water flows across the shelf break. By contrast, inputs from land to coastal zones of the nutrients nitrogen and phosphorus have been increased by human activity globally. The extent of increases varies greatly from place to place depending on human activities in

4977-557: The phosphorus concentration. Phosphorus-base eutrophication in fresh water lakes has been addressed in several cases. Eutrophication is a common phenomenon in coastal waters , where nitrogenous sources are the main culprit. In coastal waters, nitrogen is commonly the key limiting nutrient of marine waters (unlike the freshwater systems where phosphorus is often the limiting nutrient). Therefore, nitrogen levels are more important than phosphorus levels for understanding and controlling eutrophication problems in salt water. Estuaries , as

5056-459: The production of coke from coal. In addition to runoff from land, wastes from fish farming and industrial ammonia discharges, atmospheric fixed nitrogen can be an important nutrient source in the open ocean. This could account for around one third of the ocean's external (non-recycled) nitrogen supply, and up to 3% of the annual new marine biological production. Coastal waters embrace a wide range of marine habitats from enclosed estuaries to

5135-460: The project are Upper Klamath Lake and the Klamath River . The main bodies of water in the Klamath Project are Clear Lake Reservoir , Klamath River , Link River , Lost River , Lower Klamath Lake , Tule Lake , and Upper Klamath Lake. The project fills these reservoirs from the spring runoff , peaking generally in March and April, and keeps the runoff from flooding the historical marshes that are

5214-504: The rate of supply (from external sources) and removal (flushing out) of nutrients from the body of water. This means that some nutrients are more prevalent in certain areas than others and different ecosystems and environments have different limiting factors. Phosphorus is the limiting factor for plant growth in most freshwater ecosystems, and because phosphate adheres tightly to soil particles and sinks in areas such as wetlands and lakes, due to its prevalence nowadays more and more phosphorus

5293-622: The reservoirs surveyed were eutrophic. The World Resources Institute has identified 375 hypoxic coastal zones in the world, concentrated in coastal areas in Western Europe, the Eastern and Southern coasts of the US, and East Asia , particularly Japan . As a society, there are certain steps we can take to ensure the minimization of eutrophication, thereby reducing its harmful effects on humans and other living organisms in order to sustain

5372-754: The river, and two species of endangered sucker fish in Upper Klamath Lake. In 2001, a court order withheld irrigation water from Klamath Project farmers, to comply with mandated river levels for the threatened Coho salmon and the endangered Lost River Sucker . Downstream populations of Coho salmon are within the Southern Oregon/Northern California Evolutionary Significant Unit and are listed as threatened (2011). The 2010 Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement (KBRA)

5451-425: The sea. Some cultivated seaweeds have very high productivity and could absorb large quantities of N, P, CO 2 , producing large amounts of O 2 having an excellent effect on decreasing eutrophication. It is believed that seaweed cultivation in large scale should be a good solution to the eutrophication problem in coastal waters . Another technique for combatting hypoxia /eutrophication in localized situations

5530-485: The seven dams of the Klamath River Hydroelectric Project are operated by for-profit energy company PacifiCorp . The systems share one facility, the Link River Dam , which is owned by the United States Bureau of Reclamation but operated by PacifiCorp primarily to regulate its own downstream water supply, and secondarily for power generation. 42°06′N 121°36′W  /  42.1°N 121.6°W  / 42.1; -121.6 Eutrophic Eutrophication

5609-542: The south end of the lake. The lake is connected by a short channel to the smaller Agency Lake to the north. The Upper Klamath National Wildlife Refuge has been established on land along the northern edge of the lake to preserve natural habitat. Upper Klamath Lake is the largest remnant of Lake Modoc , a giant pluvial lake that existed in the region until about 10,000 years ago. At its largest, Lake Modoc covered over 1,000 square miles (2,600 km), joining Upper Klamath, Lower Klamath , and Tule Lakes, as well as all of

5688-732: The water body). Water treatment costs can be increased due to decreases in water transparency (increased turbidity ). There can also be issues with color and smell during drinking water treatment. Human health effects of eutrophication derive from two main issues excess nitrate in drinking water and exposure to toxic algae. Nitrates in drinking water can cause blue baby syndrome in infants and can react with chemicals used to treat water to create disinfection by-products in drinking water. Getting direct contact with toxic algae through swimming or drinking can cause rashes, stomach or liver illness, and respiratory or neurological problems . One response to added amounts of nutrients in aquatic ecosystems

5767-695: The water body. This also affects terrestrial animals, restricting their access to affected water (e.g. as drinking sources). Selection for algal and aquatic plant species that can thrive in nutrient-rich conditions can cause structural and functional disruption to entire aquatic ecosystems and their food webs, resulting in loss of habitat and species biodiversity. There are several sources of excessive nutrients from human activity including run-off from fertilized fields, lawns, and golf courses, untreated sewage and wastewater and internal combustion of fuels creating nitrogen pollution. Cultural eutrophication can occur in fresh water and salt water bodies, shallow waters being

5846-464: The water column and may only be made available again during autumn turn-over in temperate areas or in conditions of turbulent flow. The dead algae and organic load carried by the water inflows into a lake settle to the bottom and undergo anaerobic digestion releasing greenhouse gases such as methane and CO 2 . Some of the methane gas may be oxidised by anaerobic methane oxidation bacteria such as Methylococcus capsulatus , which in turn may provide

5925-436: The water quality. The project was to dredge a deeper navigation channel from one end of the lake to the other; it was planned between several government agencies and Aqua Farm's Inc. A drought in the summer of 2001 heightened environmental concerns about the lake. The BOR stopped withdrawing irrigation water for the Klamath Project in order to protect the sucker population. The farming community protested, as they depended on

6004-404: Was 80,000 acres (32,000 ha) before it was drained and would naturally evaporate about 240,000 acre-feet (300,000,000 m ) each summer. This is roughly equivalent to the annual delivery of the A canal. There are 28 pumping stations in the Klamath Project. These pumps have a total output of over 1937 ft³/s (55 m³/s). The Bureau must consider water needs for threatened coho salmon in

6083-664: Was completed in 1910, the Lost River Diversion Dam and many of the distribution structures in 1912, and the Anderson-Rose Diversion Dam (formally Lower Lost River Diversion Dam) in 1921. The Malone Diversion Dam on Lost River was built in 1923 to divert water to Langell Valley. A contract executed February 24, 1917, between the California-Oregon Power Company (now Pacific Power ) and the United States authorized

6162-580: Was recognized as a water pollution problem in European and North American lakes and reservoirs in the mid-20th century. Breakthrough research carried out at the Experimental Lakes Area (ELA) in Ontario, Canada, in the 1970s provided the evidence that freshwater bodies are phosphorus-limited. ELA uses the whole ecosystem approach and long-term, whole-lake investigations of freshwater focusing on cultural eutrophication. Eutrophication

6241-450: Was variety in longevity (21 years in deep lakes and 5.7 years in shallow lakes), the results express the effectiveness of alum at controlling phosphorus within lakes. Alum treatment is less effective in deep lakes, as well as lakes with substantial external phosphorus loading. Finnish phosphorus removal measures started in the mid-1970s and have targeted rivers and lakes polluted by industrial and municipal discharges. These efforts have had

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