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Groundwater levels, trends, and relations to pumping in the Bureau of Reclamation Klamath Project, Oregon and California

Open-File Report 2015-1145
Prepared in cooperation with the Klamath Water and Power Agency and the Oregon Water Resources Department
By:  and 
https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20151145

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Abstract

The use of groundwater to supplement surface-water supplies for the Bureau of Reclamation Klamath Project in the upper Klamath Basin of Oregon and California markedly increased between 2000 and 2014. Pre-2001 groundwater pumping in the area where most of this increase occurred is estimated to have been about 28,600 acre-feet per year. Subsequent supplemental pumping rates have been as high as 128,740 acre-feet per year. During this period of increased pumping, groundwater levels in and around the Bureau of Reclamation Klamath Project have declined by about 20-25 feet. Water-level declines are largely due to the increased supplemental pumping, but other factors include increased pumping adjacent to the Klamath Project and drying climate conditions. This report summarizes the distribution and magnitude of supplemental groundwater pumping and groundwater-level declines, and characterizes the relation between the stress and response in subareas of the Klamath Project to aid decision makers in developing groundwater-management strategies.

Suggested Citation

Gannett, M.W., and Breen, K.H., 2015, Groundwater levels, trends, and relations to pumping in the Bureau of Reclamation Klamath Project, Oregon and California: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2015-1145, 19 p., http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/ofr20151145.

ISSN: 2331-1258 (online)

Study Area

Table of Contents

  • Abstract
  • Introduction 
  • Groundwater Pumping
  • Groundwater-Level Changes 
  • Relation between Pumping and Groundwater-Level Changes 
  • Anticipated Effects of Groundwater Pumping 
  • Summary and Discussion 
  • Acknowledgments
  • References Cited
Publication type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Title Groundwater levels, trends, and relations to pumping in the Bureau of Reclamation Klamath Project, Oregon and California
Series title Open-File Report
Series number 2015-1145
DOI 10.3133/ofr20151145
Year Published 2015
Language English
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Publisher location Reston, VA
Contributing office(s) Oregon Water Science Center
Description iv, 19 p.
Time Range Start 2000-01-01
Time Range End 2014-12-31
Country United States
State California, Oregon
Other Geospatial Klamath Valley, Tule Lake subbasin
Online Only (Y/N) Y
Additional Online Files (Y/N) N
Google Analytic Metrics Metrics page
Additional publication details