Critical water year on tap for Klamath Basin
If 2020 was a difficult water year for the Klamath Basin, then 2021 is likely to be even more challenging. With record-low inflows coming into Upper Klamath Lake, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation anticipates it will not have anywhere near enough water this summer to meet minimum requirements for endangered fish — let alone enough water to meet irrigation demands for farmers and ranchers. Jeff Payne, deputy regional director for the bureau, said the basin in Southern Oregon and Northern California appears to be entering a second consecutive year of extreme drought, exacerbating what was already a critical situation.