In 1996 Senator Mark Hatfield created the Upper Basin Working Group (UBWG) to develop consensus solutions to complex agricultural and endangered species issues associated with water use and quality. The group was composed of 30 appointed individuals representing federal, state, and local governments and agencies; The Klamath Tribes; conservation organizations; farmers and ranchers; and industry and local business. The UBWG was tasked with creating a plan that focused on Upper Basin restoration, improving economic stability, and minimizing drought related impacts on all resources and stakeholders.

The efforts of the UBWG included work with the Klamath Watershed Council on community-driven watershed assessments as well as work with the US Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Reclamation and other partners to help implement restoration projects on the ground. Removal of the Chiloquin dam and restoration of the Williamson River Delta were two key goals, both of which were implemented as part of the UBWG 5-year plan. The Hatfield Science Team and UBWG achieved many important restoration objectives in the Upper Klamath Basin prior to signing of the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreements. Their watershed assessments and restoration plans are still referenced for new collaborative efforts in the Upper Klamath Basin.

The Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board authorized the Upper Klamath Special Investment Partnership (UKSIP) in January 2012. OWEB joined with National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s (NFWF) Upper Klamath Basin Keystone Fisheries Initiative, which began in 2008. In addition to NFWF and OWEB, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), US Forest Service (USFS), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), and USFWS were important partners due to technical assistance and restoration funding provided in the Upper Basin. Other strategic partners included: Balance Hydrologics, Inc., Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), Sustainable Northwest, US Bureau of Reclamation (USBR), and the US Geological Survey (USGS).

UKCAN Restoration Partners:

Klamath Basin Rangeland Trust (now Trout Unlimited), The Nature Conservancy, Klamath Watershed Partnership, The Klamath Tribes, Upper Klamath Water Users Association, Klamath Soil and Water Conservation District, USFWS Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program.

Areas of focus:

The geographic focus necessary to address the objectives of the Upper Klamath SIP included Upper Klamath Lake, its tributaries, and Spencer Creek. UKCAN delineated the larger geographic area of the SIP into smaller, targeted geographic regions or sub-basins. Between 2013 and 2016, the Upper Klamath restoration partners focused on four sub-basins: Wood River, Cascade tributaries, Sprague Valley bottoms, and Upper Klamath Lake. There will be a renewed focus on collaborative restoration planning in 2017, with updates to geographic focus areas.