TMDL Title: Upper Klamath Lake Drainage: Sprague, Upper Klamath Lake and Williamson Subbasins TMDL and WQMP
Water Quality Limited Parameters: Temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, and chlorophyll-a
Pollutants: Heat, total phosphorus, and algal biomass
Status: DEQ Issued May 2002, and EPA approved on Aug. 7, 2002
Project summary
DEQ works with partners in the Klamath Basin to protect and restore the health of local waterways. When rivers and streams exceed water quality standards set to protect people and aquatic life, DEQ develops a pollution reduction plan called a Total Maximum Daily Load, or TMDL. The Upper Klamath Lake Drainage TMDL and Water Quality Management Plan, or WQMP, addresses impairments of temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, and chlorophyll-a in these subbasins.
The water quality standard and pollutant addressed by the TMDL is location dependent. See specific locations below for additional information.
Temperature: Anthropogenic heat loading is the identified pollutant that causes critical temperature conditions from June through October. Modeling shows that a comprehensive restoration approach that focuses on the protection and recovery of land cover and channel morphology, and increases of instream flow volume during low flow periods is necessary to attain temperature standards during most periods.
Dissolved oxygen and pH: Algal biomass is the identified pollutant that causes critical dissolved oxygen and pH conditions in late summer. Achieving the temperature loading allocations in the TMDL will lead to attainment of the water quality standards for dissolved oxygen and pH.
Total phosphorus from external sources is the identified pollutant that causes critical pH, dissolved oxygen, and chlorophyll-a conditions from June through October. A 40% reduction of total phosphorous from external sources is targeted to attain the water quality standards for pH, dissolved oxygen, and chlorophyll-a.
Anthropogenic heat loading is the identified pollutant that causes critical temperature conditions from June through October. Modeling shows that a comprehensive restoration approach that focuses on the protection and recovery of land cover and channel morphology, and increases of instream flow volume during low flow periods is necessary to attain temperature standards during most periods.