BOTH OF THE LARGE wetlands at Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge are filled to their 12,000-acre capacity. PHOTO COURTESY DUCKS UNLIMITED
“This is a fantastic water year for Lower Klamath and Tule Lake Refuges,” said John Vradenburg, supervisory biologist for the refuges. “Where else in the Intermountain West can you find over 80,000 acres of contiguous wetlands and habitat? That’s the Klamath Basin, and it’s why this landscape is so critical to the Pacific Flyway.”
Each spring, the Klamath Basin serves as a critical launching point for the northern migration of waterfowl headed to breeding ground in northern Canada and western Alaska. In February, Vradenburg estimated that one million ducks, including 500,000 pintails, stopped in Lower Klamath alone. Those numbers remain high, though now many ducks have departed, making way for waves of geese arriving from California’s Central Valley.
“Food is everything for waterfowl in the spring,” said Jeff McCreary, director of operations for DU’s Western Region. “What they eat in the Central Valley’s wetlands and rice fields, and now here in Klamath, fuels epic flights. Our pintails are on their way now, making a 2,000-mile non-stop flight over the Pacific Ocean to western Alaska’s Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge. That’s over 1.2 million wing beats. Amazing!”
The importance of a well-flooded Klamath Basin doesn’t stop at migration. Last year’s unexpected water brought a welcome resurgence in local waterfowl production, and this year, with even more water and improved habitat conditions, the outlook is even better. Lush wetlands filled with cover and forage promise strong breeding and brooding conditions for waterfowl and other species.
This important comeback has only been possible thanks to the coordinated efforts of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Reclamation, and local water districts, all working together to make this habitat revival a reality.
This year’s water shows what’s possible when the Klamath Basin receives the resources it needs, benefiting the waterfowl that depend on it and the communities rooted here.
