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!

[hedgetrimmer]

Good Work! You work may set off new paths of discovery for those of us who would like to see the Klamath farmers rights protected.

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

Thanks for all your hard work!

[StriperSniper]

bttt

[Phil V.]

fyi

[marsh2]

Did you look at the Trinity River releases as well? (The Scott is about dry and the Shasta has little storage capacity.) almost dry

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

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[mfulstone]