Record-breaking snowfall at the Klamath Basin flooded 23,000 acres of the Lower Klamath and Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuges, bringing the wetlands back to near full capacity, where it has not been since 2008.
The wetlands are actively being refilled with an additional 14,000 acres of water as snow continues to melt.
"This lifeblood source of water is revitalizing a habitat that had been idle for years," an article for Western Outdoor News reported.
Even privately owned lands beyond the refuge have been flooded by local farmers, adding to the 30,000 acres of privately owned agricultural fields that provide foraging grounds for migrating waterfowl in the Pacific Flyway, which is a major north-south flyway for migratory birds in the Americas.
John Vrandenburg, the supervisory biologist for the refuges, told Western Outdoor News, "This is a fantastic water year for Lower Klamath and Tule Lake 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."
In 2025, Southern Oregon, where Klamath is based, welcomed above-average precipitation, aiding in wetting notoriously dry areas. Droughts in the past have caused havoc on the wetlands, reshaping the biodiversity that supports agriculture, in turn affecting the human food supply.
As a staging ground on the flyway, the wetlands serve to keep bird populations stable as they head to breeding grounds in Northern California and Alaska. When the wetlands are filled, they provide feeding and breeding for the waterfowl on their journey, fueling the balance of the ecosystem. However, during times of drought, less food is available, changing their flight patterns and the balance of the ecosystem along with it.
"Food is everything for waterfowl in the spring," Jeff McCreary, the director of operations for DU's Western Region, told Western Outdoor News. "What they eat in the Central Valley's wetlands and rice fields, and now here in Klamath, fuels epic flights."
Klamath's rebound is indicative of the life source of water. With healthy water levels come healthy ecosystems for wildlife and humans.
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