The Klamath Tribes have monitored water quality conditions in Upper Klamath Lake since 1990 and major tributaries including the Sprague, Williamson, and Wood Rivers since 2001. The monitoring program includes sampling water nutrients, water chemistry, algal toxins, and aquatic biota at up to 11 lake sites and water nutrients, water chemistry, and stream discharge at up to 20 river and stream sites.
The Klamath Tribes overall water quality monitoring program goals are to characterize baseline conditions and long-term trends in Upper Klamath Basin water bodies including Upper Klamath Lake and major tributaries. Monitoring is key in prioritizing areas for restoration activities and for analyzing trends associated with climate change and ongoing aquatic and riparian restoration work. This data is extremely valuable to restoration practitioners, researchers, and regulatory agencies in the basin. Currently, all water quality technicians associated with the monitoring program are members of The Klamath Tribes; the program provides permanent and stable employment in our rural indigenous community.
Upper Klamath Lake sampling occurs every two weeks from May through October. Data collected at 10 sites includes zooplankton, phytoplankton, depth, water temperature, conductivity, pH, dissolved oxygen, oxidative reduction potential, water clarity and collection of water samples for lab analyses of 9 analytes. These include: total phosphorus (TP), soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP), ammonia (NH3), nitrate+nitrite (NO3+NO2), nitrate (NO3), silicon dioxide (SiO2), Chlorophyll-a, Phaeophytin-a, and microcystin toxin. From October through May Upper Klamath Lake is sampled at one station near the outlet of the lake.
The Klamath Tribes also conducts biweekly nutrient loading monitoring throughout the year in tributaries to Upper Klamath Lake including several in the Wood River watershed and 10 sites in the Williamson/Sprague River watershed. Sample parameters include: water depth, temperature, conductivity, pH, DO, discharge, and velocity. Water chemistry samples are tested for TP, SRP, NH3, NO3+NO2, NO3, SiO2, Chlorophyll-a, Phaeophyton-a, total suspended solids, and turbidity.
The Klamath Tribes developed Standard Operating Procedures for all aspects of water sampling including: Upper Klamath Lake Field Sampling; Tributary Field Sampling; Processing, Preparation, Preservation, and Spiking Field Samples; and Sample Receipt and Control. Further, the Tribes follow quality assurance and quality control procedures describing methods and procedures to ensure well-documented data of known quality. The Klamath Tribes Quality Assurance Project Plan was accepted and approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (Region 10 Quality Assurance Manager). We calibrate meters before each monitoring day and check their accuracy after monitoring to ensure our data is accurate. For more information on methods, please see the SOPs and QAPP documents in the reference library associated with this app or contact Mark Buettner at mark.buettner@klamathtribes.com.
The Klamath Tribes
Water Quality Monitoring Program
Water Quality Monitoring Program
The Klamath Tribes have monitored water quality conditions in Upper Klamath Lake since 1990 and major tributaries including the Sprague, Williamson, and Wood Rivers since 2001. The monitoring program includes sampling water nutrients, water chemistry, algal toxins, and aquatic biota at up to 11 lake sites and water nutrients, water chemistry, and stream discharge at up to 20 river and stream sites.
The Klamath Tribes overall water quality monitoring program goals are to characterize baseline conditions and long-term trends in Upper Klamath Basin water bodies including Upper Klamath Lake and major tributaries. Monitoring is key in prioritizing areas for restoration activities and for analyzing trends associated with climate change and ongoing aquatic and riparian restoration work. This data is extremely valuable to restoration practitioners, researchers, and regulatory agencies in the basin. Currently, all water quality technicians associated with the monitoring program are members of The Klamath Tribes; the program provides permanent and stable employment in our rural indigenous community.
Upper Klamath Lake sampling occurs every two weeks from May through October. Data collected at 10 sites includes zooplankton, phytoplankton, depth, water temperature, conductivity, pH, dissolved oxygen, oxidative reduction potential, water clarity and collection of water samples for lab analyses of 9 analytes. These include: total phosphorus (TP), soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP), ammonia (NH3), nitrate+nitrite (NO3+NO2), nitrate (NO3), silicon dioxide (SiO2), Chlorophyll-a, Phaeophytin-a, and microcystin toxin. From October through May Upper Klamath Lake is sampled at one station near the outlet of the lake.
The Klamath Tribes also conducts biweekly nutrient loading monitoring throughout the year in tributaries to Upper Klamath Lake including several in the Wood River watershed and 10 sites in the Williamson/Sprague River watershed. Sample parameters include: water depth, temperature, conductivity, pH, DO, discharge, and velocity. Water chemistry samples are tested for TP, SRP, NH3, NO3+NO2, NO3, SiO2, Chlorophyll-a, Phaeophyton-a, total suspended solids, and turbidity.
The Klamath Tribes developed Standard Operating Procedures for all aspects of water sampling including: Upper Klamath Lake Field Sampling; Tributary Field Sampling; Processing, Preparation, Preservation, and Spiking Field Samples; and Sample Receipt and Control. Further, the Tribes follow quality assurance and quality control procedures describing methods and procedures to ensure well-documented data of known quality. The Klamath Tribes Quality Assurance Project Plan was accepted and approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (Region 10 Quality Assurance Manager). We calibrate meters before each monitoring day and check their accuracy after monitoring to ensure our data is accurate. For more information on methods, please see the SOPs and QAPP documents in the reference library associated with this app or contact Mark Buettner at mark.buettner@klamathtribes.com.