Reclamation: Klamath Water Demands Likely To Be Met

The Bureau of Reclamation announced Monday afternoon that anticipated water demands for Klamath Project water contractors are "likely to be met" as the Basin pivots from consecutive years of drought.  Described in the 2025 Klamath Project Annual Operations Plan, the initial water supply allocations from Reclamation are based on modeled estimates of water available for irrigation delivery and incorporate current reservoir storage, precipitation, and snowpack, as well as projected inflow forecasts.

“After eight years of dry hydrologic conditions and regulatory challenges, the Klamath Project water users are poised to have a full and successful water year,” said Reclamation Acting Regional Director Adam Nickels. “We are experiencing the wettest hydrologic conditions since 2017, and an extremely positive start to the 2025 irrigation season.”

The Klamath Project consists of approximately 240,000 irrigable acres, equivalent to 275 square miles, and is connected to two national wildlife refuges in Southern Oregon and Northern California.  Reclamation said the 2025 Plan is used as a planning and information tool by water users and details the volume of water available for Project irrigated agriculture as well as water reserved to meet Endangered Species Act requirements in the Klamath River and Upper Klamath Basin. As of April 1, snowpack is 182%of normal with total precipitation at 140% of average.

“Wet conditions, like we are seeing across the Klamath Basin, have been a long time coming and will reduce complexities of operating the Project post dam removal,” Nickels added. “We remain committed to maximizing water supplies to the Klamath Project while working with our partners to adjust operations as necessary throughout the season.” 

The Project’s 2025 Operations Plan is available On-line.

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