The Klamath Basin provides the largest bald eagle wintering ground in the continental United States, attracting as many as 1,100 birds a year that prey on millions of migrating waterfowl on the Pacific Flyway, which stretches from Alaska to Chile. Aerial surveys in mid- February found 442 bald eagles in the Klamath Basin, along with 71,660 mallards, 168,500 pintails and 25,200 wigeons. Nationwide, bald eagles have rebounded from a low of 417 nesting pairs in 1963 to 5,748 nesting pairs in the continental U.S. in 1999.

In addition, as farming largely replaced wetlands on 22,000 acres of the Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge, waterfowl stopped coming and so did bald eagles, reducing the Klamath Basin's traditional winter feeding grounds from three to two. And with endangered fish first in line to receive water -- and refuges last -- Fish and Wildlife predicts that in up to half of all future winters, the remaining two feeding areas at Lower Klamath National Wildlife refuge and nearby private grain fields may not receive enough water to attract the waterfowl needed to feed eagles.

In addition, as farming largely replaced wetlands on 22,000 acres of the Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge, waterfowl stopped coming and so did bald eagles, reducing the Klamath Basin's traditional winter feeding grounds from three to two. And with endangered fish first in line to receive water -- and refuges last -- Fish and Wildlife predicts that in up to half of all future winters, the remaining two feeding areas at Lower Klamath National Wildlife refuge and nearby private grain fields may not receive enough water to attract the waterfowl needed to feed eagles.

As many as 950 threatened bald eagles that nest from Arizona to Canada's Northwest Territories but spend their winters in the Klamath River Basin wildlife refuges could be harmed if drought and irrigation diversions leave marshes dry and free of waterfowl.

Last week, citing potential harm to eagles ranging from reduced reproduction to outright starvation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for the first time mandated annual water deliveries from the Bureau of Reclamation's Klamath Project to Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge to attract and hold at least 125,000 mallards, pintails and wigeons to feed wintering eagles.

In drought years such as this one, when such water diversions threaten the survival of Upper Klamath Lake's endangered Lost River and shortnose suckers and the Klamath River's threatened coho salmon, Fish and Wildlife ordered Reclamation to artificially feed the raptors with dead native waterfowl or fish.

"They should have been factored in years ago," said Phil Norton, manager of the Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge complex. "It's certainly an issue that must be addressed. It cannot be ignored."

The Klamath Basin provides the largest bald eagle wintering ground in the continental United States, attracting as many as 1,100 birds a year that prey on millions of migrating waterfowl on the Pacific Flyway, which stretches from Alaska to Chile. Aerial surveys in mid- February found 442 bald eagles in the Klamath Basin, along with 71,660 mallards, 168,500 pintails and 25,200 wigeons. Nationwide, bald eagles have rebounded from a low of 417 nesting pairs in 1963 to 5,748 nesting pairs in the continental U.S. in 1999.

But in most of the 34 years since the bald eagle became the nation's first officially endangered species, the winter food needs of the birds were largely ignored as biologists scrambled to identify and protect the nesting and roosting habitat deemed critical to the species survival.

Birds fail test for "recovered"

All that changed in 1999, when the Interior Department announced plans to remove the bald eagle from the endangered species list on July 4, 2000. Biologists who dusted off the bald eagle recovery plan discovered that in the seven-state Pacific Recovery Area the birds fail two of the four tests for judging a species as "recovered." The current 61 percent success rate for reproduction falls short of the 65 percent goal, and biologists could not confirm that the Klamath Basin's wintering population was either "stable or increasing."

"It helped postpone the final decision because we need to think about life after de-listing," said Ralph Opp, a retired biologist for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife who represented the state on the Bald Eagle Recovery Team. "We don't want to put the eagle back in trouble again. What would our grandkids think of us?"

Biologists such as Opp and conservationist groups such as the Oregon Natural Resources Council for years had been pushing both Reclamation and Fish and Wildlife to take into account bald eagles when assessing wildlife needs and divvying up water between endangered fish, Native American tribes, irrigated agriculture and wildlife refuges.

During the past year, as the two federal agencies worked together to develop a long-term plan for endangered species-friendly operation of the massive Klamath Project, which irrigates 240,000 acres of farmland and 19,000 acres of wildlife refuge wetlands, officials took another look at bald eagles.

"This was a baseline review of what the status really was," said Jean Elder of Fish and Wildlife's Klamath Basin Ecological Services office. "Our office has not pulled that detailed information together before."

Food source removed

Fish and Wildlife found that the crash in Pacific Coast salmon runs has removed a once-dependable source of food for the region's wintering bald eagles.

In addition, as farming largely replaced wetlands on 22,000 acres of the Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge, waterfowl stopped coming and so did bald eagles, reducing the Klamath Basin's traditional winter feeding grounds from three to two. And with endangered fish first in line to receive water -- and refuges last -- Fish and Wildlife predicts that in up to half of all future winters, the remaining two feeding areas at Lower Klamath National Wildlife refuge and nearby private grain fields may not receive enough water to attract the waterfowl needed to feed eagles.

Earlier this week Reclamation's computer simulations using water available in the Klamath Basin this year -- just half of the amount available in an average water year -- confirmed the problem.

"It shows that basically for the months of April through September there would be severe cutbacks on deliveries to the refuge if we operate according to the recommended water management," said Bob Davis, chief of Klamath Project's natural resources division. "It's certainly another component to keep track of."

The bad news about the Klamath Basin's bald eagles is actually good news for the wildlife refuges, which in recent years have struggled to find a dependable source of water.

Although the water available in test wells looks promising, refuge officials say it won't be enough to flood all of the wetlands eagles need. But with an endangered species now officially in harm's way, they're hoping the water needs of bald eagles will have priority.

"It's a high card, not a trump," Norton said. "It's certainly an issue, and it has to be addressed." You can reach Beth Quinn at 541- 474-5926 or by e-mail at bquinn@terragon.com. A21

in 1963 to 5,748 nesting pairs in the continental U.S. in 1999.

But in most of the 34 years since the bald eagle became the nation's first officially endangered species, the winter food needs of the birds were largely ignored as biologists scrambled to identify and protect the nesting and roosting habitat deemed critical to the species survival.

Birds fail test for "recovered" All that changed in 1999, when the Interior Department announced plans to remove the bald eagle from the endangered species list on July 4, 2000. Biologists who dusted off the bald eagle recovery plan discovered that in the seven-state Pacific Recovery Area the birds fail two of the four tests for judging a species as "recovered." The current 61 percent success rate for reproduction falls short of the 65 percent goal, and biologists could not confirm that the Klamath Basin's wintering population was either "stable or increasing."

"It helped postpone the final decision because we need to think about life after de-listing," said Ralph Opp, a retired biologist for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife who represented the state on the Bald Eagle Recovery Team. "We don't want to put the eagle back in trouble again. What would our grandkids think of us?"

Biologists such as Opp and conservationist groups such as the Oregon Natural Resources Council for years had been pushing both Reclamation and Fish and Wildlife to take into account bald eagles when assessing wildlife needs and divvying up water between endangered fish, Native American tribes, irrigated agriculture and wildlife refuges.

During the past year, as the two federal agencies worked together to develop a long-term plan for endangered species-friendly operation of the massive Klamath Project, which irrigates 240,000 acres of farmland and 19,000 acres of wildlife refuge wetlands, officials took another look at bald eagles.

"This was a baseline review of what the status really was," said Jean Elder of Fish and Wildlife's Klamath Basin Ecological Services office. "Our office has not pulled that detailed information together before."

Food source removed Fish and Wildlife found that the crash in Pacific Coast salmon runs has removed a once-dependable source of food for the region's wintering bald eagles.

In addition, as farming largely replaced wetlands on 22,000 acres of the Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge, waterfowl stopped coming and so did bald eagles, reducing the Klamath Basin's traditional winter feeding grounds from three to two. And with endangered fish first in line to receive water -- and refuges last -- Fish and Wildlife predicts that in up to half of all future winters, the remaining two feeding areas at Lower Klamath National Wildlife refuge and nearby private grain fields may not receive enough water to attract the waterfowl needed to feed eagles.

Earlier this week Reclamation's computer simulations using water available in the Klamath Basin this year -- just half of the amount available in an average water year -- confirmed the problem.

"It shows that basically for the months of April through September there would be severe cutbacks on deliveries to the refuge if we operate according to the recommended water management," said Bob Davis, chief of Klamath Project's natural resources division. "It's certainly another component to keep track of."

The bad news about the Klamath Basin's bald eagles is actually good news for the wildlife refuges, which in recent years have struggled to find a dependable source of water.

Although the water available in test wells looks promising, refuge officials say it won't be enough to flood all of the wetlands eagles need. But with an endangered species now officially in harm's way, they're hoping the water needs of bald eagles will have priority.

"It's a high card, not a trump," Norton said. "It's certainly an issue, and it has to be addressed." You can reach Beth Quinn at 541- 474-5926 or by e-mail at bquinn@terragon.com.