Klamath Area from the air at sunset.
KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – Anticipated water demands for Klamath Project water contractors are likely to be met as the Klamath Basin hydrology pivots from consecutive years of drought. Described in the 2025 Klamath Project Annual Operations Plan today’s initial water supply allocations from the Bureau of 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. 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 was 182 percent of median with total precipitation at 140 percent of median.
“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,” added Nickels. “We remain committed to maximizing water supplies to the Klamath Project while working with our partners to adjust operations as necessary throughout the season.”
Today’s allocations are anticipated to fulfill typical demand in similar water year types for Project contractors. Reclamation will continue to monitor hydrology and may increase basin-specific allocations if conditions warrant with final adjustments made in June.
Reclamation will manage Project deliveries throughout the irrigation season to meet regulatory and all other legal and contractual obligations.
The Project’s 2025 Operations Plan is available online at https://www.usbr.gov/mp/kbao/docs/2025-klamath-project-annual-operation-plan.pdf. If you encounter problems accessing the document, please call 916-978-5100 (TTY 800-877-8339) or email mppublicaffairs@usbr.gov.
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The Bureau of Reclamation is a federal agency under the U.S. Department of the Interior and is the nation's largest wholesale water supplier and second largest producer of hydroelectric power. Our facilities also provide substantial flood control, recreation opportunities, and environmental benefits.
