A scenic and sensitive area straddling the Oregon /California state line is now going dry.
Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge Manager Ron Cole says a dry area of the marsh is normally under two to three feet of water…
“This is really only the second time in about the last 70 years that the refuge will be completely dry by summertime.”
There are still a few pockets of wetland areas, but Cole notes those are drying out quickly…
“It’s over 50,000 acres of land. Of that, about 31,000 acres are managed wetlands. And right now, we’re looking at maybe 300 acres of wetlands left.”
It’s estimated that over a million birds pass through the refuge in the fall.
Cole says the birds have less and less room as the water dries up…and having too many birds in too small of an area can result in unhealthy conditions…
“Concentrating the birds in smaller areas creates an environment where the diseases can be passed from bird to bird much more quickly.”
Cole believes the refuge reflects the general health of the Klamath Basin…
“There’s certainly a link to the economy of the Basin, and how well and how healthy the refuges are.”
Cole says he’s already seeing a reduction in the number of visitors to the refuge.
It’s estimated that 80% of the entire Pacific flyway comes through the Klamath Basin.
About half of those birds spend at least some time on the refuge.
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