The klamath basin, historically one of the most significant producers of pacific coast salmon and other native fish, has been subject to a long history of competing resource use with often severe…

This $1,200,000 cooperative agreement, awarded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under the Fish and Wildlife Coordination and Assistance Program (CFDA 15.664), supports three key tasks in the Klamath Basin:

1. Facilitation of the Klamath Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to help signatory parties identify solutions for Klamath Basin ecosystem restoration challenges.

2. Development of a post-dam removal monitoring strategy and funding plan, in coordination with various Klamath Basin stakeholder groups.

3. Convening a Klamath Basin Science Summit to discuss the state of the basin following the largest dam removal project in history.

The Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission, an interstate agency representing several western states, will serve as the primary awardee and coordinator for these efforts, which are aimed at supporting the complex restoration and management activities underway in the historically significant Klamath Basin.

The klamath basin, historically one of the most significant producers of pacific coast salmon and other native fish, has been subject to a long history of competing resource use with often severe impacts on aquatic ecosystems and people that rely on those resources. The basin has entered a new ERA of resource management following the largest DAM removal and river restoration in history. A complex of interests and entities are currently involved in funding and conducting monitoring, research and evaluation of aquatic resources throughout the klamath basin. These activities are informed by a complex of plans and priorities that are coordinated to some degree by a variety of stakeholder-driven initiatives. The work proposed includes three separate, but related, tasks. Each task has its own performance period. The three tasks associated with this project include: task 1 klamath MOU facilitation (january 2025 to march 31, 2027), consists of writing and executing a request for proposal, evaluating proposals and working with USFWS staff to select a neutral, third-party, facilitator who will work with the klamath MOU signatory parties to achieve near-term and long-term goals. The selected facilitator shall be responsible for assisting the klamath MOU signatory parties, (current and any future signatories), in next-step discussions aimed at providing solutions to klamath basin ecosystem restoration challenges.task 2 klamath post-dams monitoring approach and strategy (january 1, 2025 to march 31, 2027), consists of organizing a working group or steering committee, consistent with federal advisory committee act, such as by having open meetings and agreeing to a charter or operating guidelines. The working group is tasked with developing a post-DAM removal monitoring strategy, including funding strategies to ensure monitoring is prioritized and funded. As appropriate, this task involves interacting with klamath MOU signatory parties, klamath basin monitoring program, klamath basin fisheries collaborative, and watershed initiative groups throughout the klamath basin (e.g., sprague, shasta, scott, trinity, upper basin, mid-basin, lower-basin groups) on related actions and activities. Task 3 klamath science summit (october 1, 2025 through march 31, 2027), this tasks consists of convening a klamath basin science summit to discuss the state of the klamath basin post-DAM removal.