205 Riverside Drive, Suite C
Klamath Falls, OR  97601
Phone:  541-850-1717
Fax:  541-850-8001

General email:  info@klamathpartnership.org

Interim Executive Director:  Nathan Jackson
E-mail: njackson@klamathpartnership.org  

Website: www.klamathpartnership.org/ 

The Klamath Watershed Partnership Board holds quarterly board meetings that are open to the public, the third Thursday of January, April, July and October from 6:30 – 8:30 in the evening.  The Partnership rotates the meetings throughout the Basin in order to make our meetings more accessible to local landowners, and to allow board members to get to know the local communities.  Contact the Partnership office for location of meetings.

The Mission:  To conserve, enhance and restore the natural resources of the Klamath Basin, while ensuring the long-term sustainability of the regional economy and local communities.

In July 2007, the Klamath Watershed Council and the Klamath Basin Ecosystem Foundation (KBEF), both community based organizations joined forces to form the Klamath Watershed Partnership.  The primary goal of combining the two organizations was to facilitate “one-stop shopping” for people interested in restoration in the Upper Basin, particularly landowners interested in doing work on their property.  The merger also allows for cost savings and combines the experiences and expertise of both organizations.

The Partnership is involved from start to finish in a wide range of large and small voluntary restoration projects throughout the Basin.  The project begins when a landowner contacts the Partnership with an interest in restoration work, such as riparian fencing to help reduce stream bank erosion, screening diversions, or a new irrigation system that uses water and power more efficiently.  Staff from the Partnership then works closely with them to design a project that fits with their values and also pencils out economically for them.  Next, the Partnership applies for grants to help underwrite the project, in order to minimize the cost of landowners, who often end up contributing only a small portion of the labor or the use of their equipment.  The Partnership will then manage the on-the-ground work, whether that be their own employees or private contractors.  Monitoring is completed on all projects to document effectiveness and allow us to continually improve our strategies and methods.

In addition to these on-the-ground projects, the Partnership also coordinates Watershed Assessments, which are in-depth reports that bring community members and scientists together to identify natural resource concerns and set restoration priorities.

One project we are most proud of is on the South Fork of the Sprague River, one of the most degraded areas in the system due to channelization and grazing.  We installed three miles of fence to protect the riparian areas, an off-stream watering system for livestock, and a water gap for access.  During installation, we found much of the fence line deep in mud, making transport of materials impossible with our truck.  We needed an ATV, but rental was expensive.  Thanks to donations from three local businesses, we were able to purchase an ATV.  The project was completed in a timely manner, landowners were pleased with the results, and the Partnership will have an ATV to assist in projects for years to come.

Three miles of fence protect a degraded riparian area on the South Fork of the Sprague River.