This proposal represents the seventh phase in a continuous effort to conserve critical habitat for wetland migratory birds in the lake county closed basin project area of the southern oregon…

This $1,361,425 federal Project Grant awarded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under the North American Wetlands Conservation Fund (CFDA 15.623) will support the conservation, restoration, and enhancement of 3,600 acres of wetland habitat in the Southern Oregon Northeastern California (SONEC) region. The project aims to increase the carrying capacity for migratory waterfowl, such as Northern Pintail, dabbling ducks, geese, and swans, by restoring critical wetland areas that have experienced declines in water availability. The funding will enable Ducks Unlimited, the non-profit awardee, to implement habitat improvements across four priority closed basin areas: Silver Lake, Chewaucan Lake Albert, Goose Lake, and the Warner Basin. This effort is expected to increase waterfowl use by an estimated 2.7 million duck use days, offsetting losses from the diminished water supply at the nearby Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge. The project will run from July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2028, contributing to long-term wetland conservation priorities in the Pacific Flyway.

This proposal represents the seventh phase in a continuous effort to conserve critical habitat for wetland migratory birds in the lake county closed basin project area of the southern oregon northeastern california (sonec) region as defined by the intermountain west joint venture (iwjv) implementation plan (2013). The sonec region is recognized by the iwjv as one of the two most important geographic priorities for wetland dependent birds in the intermountain west (donnelly and vest 2012).the sonec region supports 30% of the continental northern pintail population during spring migration. In fact, 70% if all pacific flyway waterfowl stage in sonec during spring, including nearly 5 million dabbling ducks. Spring goose populations in sonec exceed 500,000 birds, 200,000 of which are greater white-fronted geese. Nearly 70,000 tundra swans migrate through sonec as well. Beyond its migration role, sonec supports 20% of north america s entire breeding population of cinnamon teal and 18% of the pacific flyway s population of breeding mallards and redheads. Eight out of eighteen key shorebird sites identified by the iwjv occur in sonec. Seven of those areas surpass the western hemispheric shorebird reserve network criteria for regional significance. Because of the importance to breeding and migrating wetland dependent bird populations in the pacific flyway, the project area identified as a continental priority area for all four major bird plans. The 2013 iwjv implementation plan assumed that the lower klamath NWR would meet 25%of the food energy needs of spring migrating waterfowl in sonec, while flood-irrigated habitats would meet the rest. This resulted in a habitat objective for flood-irrigated meadows of about 67,000 acres. Lower klamath NWR now receives only 10% of the water IT needs, greatly diminishing its capacity to support spring migrating waterfowl. This decline will have to be offset by flood irrigated meadows, which will elevate habitat resource demand well beyond that of iwjv projections of 67,000 acres. The conservation, restoration and enhancement of 3,600 wetland acres in this proposal is estimated to increase waterfowl carrying capacity by 2.7MILLION duck use days while increasing water use efficiency in four sonec priority closed basins: silver lake, chewaucan lake albert, goose lake, and the warner basin.