Water management in the Upper Klamath Basin

Drought pushed the Klamath Basin over the edge and into the national spotlight in 2001. Like many basins throughout the semi-arid and arid American West, generally the Klamath has over-allocated water resources and has, in many ways, been defined by the challenges of managing this scarce resource (Davis, 2001). The water resource landscape in the Klamath and throughout the West represents a labyrinth of complex water law, conflicting demands, and cultural clashes. In 2001, this rural, low-population area was forced center-stage and identified as an example of the water management policy issues faced throughout the American West.