Lower Klamath Refuge Reconnection Clears First Design Phase
Partners behind the Lower Klamath Lake Reconnection Project have completed its first design phase and will now evaluate five options.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Bird Watching
Live Poll
Should local governments spend public money on wetland and river restoration projects?
The Lower Klamath Lake Reconnection Project completed its first design phase, and partners are evaluating five designs before selecting one to carry forward. The concept was presented at a public meeting at Oregon Tech on Tuesday night.
Why it matters
The Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge went completely dry in 2021, prompting the Klamath Drainage District and partners to push for reconnecting the refuge with the Klamath River. The effort aims to restore habitat for thousands of migratory birds across the region.
The next design phase is estimated to cost $3 million and take about two years, with roughly $900,000 secured so far. Partners have not yet chosen among the five alternative designs under consideration.
The players
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
A federal agency that manages the Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge and is part of the project's working group.
Klamath Drainage District
A local irrigation district that has pushed for reconnecting the refuge since it went dry in 2021.
Yurok Tribe
A federally recognized tribe of northwestern California whose lidar mapping has detailed the project area.
The details
The project would let water ebb and flow between the river and refuge, emulating the ecosystem's pre-agricultural function, using existing and new infrastructure that could include a fishway for fish moving between the two. The Yurok Tribe has provided lidar-based mapping of the project area, and hydraulic modeling is helping partners understand how water would move under different conditions.
Timeline
2021: The refuge went completely dry, prompting the push for reconnection.
Tuesday night (November 2026): The concept was presented at a public meeting at Oregon Tech.
About two years: Expected duration of the next design phase.
Roadmap
The reconnection effort follows the removal of four Klamath River dams, which has already allowed salmon into irrigation infrastructure. It extends that restoration to the Lower Klamath refuge, one of several collaborative projects across the Klamath watershed.
Restoring the refuge's connection to the river would provide more reliable habitat for migratory birds visiting Oregon's wetlands. Birders may see changes to the refuge's water levels as the chosen design moves forward over the next two years.
The takeaway
Reconnecting rivers with their floodplains can restore wildlife habitat and resilience to drought at the same time. Birdwatchers in Oregon can follow the project's progress as partners move from design toward a selected plan.
Further reading
For more on the region's birdlife, explore Bird Watching resources across Oregon.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Opb.
Live Poll
Should local governments spend public money on wetland and river restoration projects?
