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Upper Klamath and Lost River Subbasins Temperature Project

TMDL Title: Upper Klamath and Lost Subbasins TMDL and WQMP

Water Quality Limited Parameters: Temperature 

Pollutants: Heat

Status: DEQ Issued on Sept. 19, 2019, and EPA approved on Sept. 30, 2019

Project summary

Oregon DEQ and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have worked together to develop the Upper Klamath and Lost River Subbasins Temperature Total Maximum Daily Load.

The Upper Klamath and Lost Subbasins are within the Klamath Basin, in the southern portion of Oregon. Several stream segments of these subbasins do not currently meet state water quality standards for temperature. The federal Clean Water Act requires DEQ to develop a plan with goals and pollution control targets for improving water quality in watersheds where water quality standards are not met. DEQ is doing this in the Upper Klamath and Lost River Subbasins by establishing limits known as Total Maximum Daily Loads for heat—the pollutant identified in this TMDL to be contributing to water quality standard violations. 

Stewardship Agreement

DEQ along with the California North Coast Water Quality Control Board (NCWQCB) have an agreement to develop and implement TMDL's in their respective states. In addition both EPA Regions 9 and 10 are part of this agreement. Current planning for TMDL coordination amongst the agencies is the Lower Klamath Lake Stewardship Agreement where DEQ, NCWQCB, Bureau of Reclamation (BOR), US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Klamath Water Users Association (KWUA), Tule Lake Irrigation District (TID), Klamath Drainage District (KDD), Langell Valley Irrigation District (LVID), Horsefly Irrigation District (HID) and private land owners are all working on a collaborative plan to TMDL implementation and ultimately water quality improvements. 

TMDL advisory committee meetings

Tribal coordination meetings

​For requesting data, models or other information used in this TMDL, please complete a Public Records Request.


Contacts
Mike Hiatt 
Klamath Basin Coordinator
541-273-7002

Oliva Stoken
Klamath Basin Specialist
541-714-0034

Steve Mrazik
Watershed Management Manager
503-229-5379