Krunching Klamath . . . A Numbers Game in Progress

Phil V. ^ | September 9, 2001 | Phil V.

[Phil V.]

Krunching Klamath . . .
A Numbers Game in Progress
(stay tuned)

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Last weekend I rather breathlessly reported that the Bureau of Reclamation was out of compliance with Gale Norton's July order to give the Klamath Basin farmers 75,000 acre feet of water.  I initially reported that the farmers were shorted by 35,000 acre feet . . . just over half of the promised water had actually been delivered.  I was wrong.  To this date my calculations suggest that the farmers were only screwed out of 20,000 acre feet.  (Not counting the court ordered, environmentally correct screwing administered in April)

I hate being wrong.

For the past week I have been downloading "acre feet" of data.  The Klamath River discharge as it empties into the Pacific Ocean is HUGE, and it has been way above the 63 year median flow at this location ever since  . . . in spite of this being a "drought year".

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The huge flows at the ocean began shortly after Norton ordered water released for the farmers.  Notice that shortly after this gauge (automatic sensor that takes readings every 1/4 hour) began picking up the huge flows THE DATA BECAME "TEMPORARILY UNAVAILABLE".  I have obtained the "missing data" from other sources.  The flows have at times reached 11,000 cfs.  As of this posting the flows into the Pacific Ocean are in excess of 8,000 cfs .

Curiously, there are no gauging stations upstream of this point that can account for these huge discharges.

There are three USGS stations on Upper Klamath Lake.  There is a consistent .15 foot (approx.) difference between the lake elevations reported by the station at the north end of the lake and the one at the south end.  BUT they both track the same long term trends.  Interestingly, by studying the graph that I have assembled one can see the lake "tidal flows" that result from prevailing wind conditions.   . . low at the south and high in the north and vicea versa.

I have plotted the average between the north and south station. 

The revealing data will come by determining the RATE at which the elevation drops.  It is not necessary to determine which  station is correct.  They both show the same overall trend.

There are three categories of data I need.  From the data I can compute the rate of flow out of the lake.  Flow out of the lake is the total of evaporation, discharge and inflow.

I have the data on Excel work sheets.  Any Freeper who wishes to review my work thus far may send me a FreepMail and I'll e-mail the documents.

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On this graph the magenta (Deb!) line is from the south station.  The black is from the north and the blue is the average.

I welcome all input from all sources regarding methodology aimed toward solving the puzzle, "WHERE DID (IS) ALL THE WATER GO(ING)?"

P.S. . . Thanks Ed (hubel458) for some INVALUABLE leads!

[farmfriend]

Klamath Basin Crisis bump list forming

[Humidston]

Farmfriend, thanks for the ping and, Phil V, thanks for all your valuable research. It never fails to surprise and delight me that we have such a wealth of knowledge on FR!

[hubel458]

Trinity is at about 600cfs and all other tributaries total less than 200.I called fishing promoter in Klamath and he said the water is much, much higher than in June and July.Phil and I thought perhaps guage was bad but I called to hear what eyewitnesses said. And all the responses said water is higher and fishing great. Ed Hubel

[okie01]

The Klamath's flow at its mouth could be importantly affected by releases from Lake Claire Engel on the Trinity.

The Trinity joins the Klamath about forty miles from its mouth, as it enters the Hoopa Valley Indian Reservation.

[glock rocks]

good work. information is power.

stand tall.

[Neets]

BTT Thanks for the post

[Neets]

BTT thanks for the ping

[Phil V.]

Trinity flows are going around 600 (mostly around 610) - 700 cfs.

The Shasta is running at about 22 cfs.

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

If you think what is happening in Klamath won't happen where you live read these stories that shotabug found.

San Diego County's historic 1997 deal to buy water from farmers in Imperial Valley is in danger of collapsing under the weight of environmental challenges, especially those tied to the Salton Sea, California's largest lake.

A congressional bill that would help save San Diego County's historic water-transfer deal with the Imperial Irrigation District itself appears to be in jeopardy.

PLEASE SIGN All FOUR OF THESE PETITIONS
All 4 petitions ARE IMPORTANT! Tell your family, friends, neighbors, co-workers etc about all 4.

Let the Irrigation Water Flow in the Klamath Basin of Oregon

Kill the Endangered Species Act-Firefighters have died to protect fish. Abolish the ESA!

Stop Illegal Land Grabs Petition

Sign this PETITION for the U.S. to get out of the U.N.
As we all know by now a lot of the Green Nazi stuff comes from the U.N.

[hubel458]

The only extra releases on the Trinity above the 600 it has been running and is running now; was a thousand cfs released from Engel lake for a week over the labor holiday to raise levels a little for Indian River Dance Ceremonies in Hoopa Valley.Confirmed by phone.Most out flow of that lake goes south over the hill to the Sacremento River and Southern Cal.People on Trinity upset about that ;sure gave me an earful.Ed Hubel

[Spunky]

Revolution
Against
Green
Extremism

KLAMATH WATER PETITION (click here)
STOP ILLEGAL LAND GRAB PETITION (click here)
END UNITED NATIONS TYRANNY IN THE U. S.(click here)
PEOPLE FIRST! DEFUND THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT PETITION (click here)

[Phil V.]

The Trinity and Claire Engel Lake are an interesting study. There was one brief two day slug (1610 and 1270 cfs)discharge into the Klamath on the 28th and 29th of August. Flows returned to normal releases after the Native American fish festival.

Claire Engel for the most part sends it's water east to generate Kw's and irrigation and then to a delta transfer to points south.. . .LA & SD

[Helix]

Thanks for the heads up! Interesting info.

[Ben Ficklin]

Bump for the cruncher.

Thanks farmfriend, being on the ping list is really helpful in keeping up.

[hubel458]

Phil-When does the salmon run start out there.I see the charts they have some huge flows(50,000 cfs & up) in winter.Is that from heavy rains on ocean side of Mtn range.Ed Hubel

[blackie]

Excellent Phil V., good job!!!

[Aquamarine]

I live in the southeast and a friend of mine just told me that her new neighbor is flying a U.N. flag outside their home!

[shotabug]

Thanks for the heads-up, farmfriend.

PhilV., thank you for your up date report and the enomous task you have taken on, to expose just what is happening to the WATER!!!

[AuntB]

I kind of figured you were dug in with all those graphs, etc. We missed you PhilV....Hey,speaking of missing.... I saw some road kill on the way to Klamath...do you think.....?