Industry and development in the 20th century Klamath River

the klamath on lower klamath lake, 1908

beginning in 20th century, steamboats began operating on lower klamath lake between siskiyou county, california, , klamath falls, oregon. steamboats completed link between klamath falls , railroad branch line following mccloud river—the final part of called bartle fast freight road, after bartle, california. end of line, laird s landing, beginning of lower klamath lake steamboat line, began operating 80-foot (24 m) screw steamer in 1905. 1909, however, railroad had circumnavigated lower klamath lake directly klamath falls. steamboat line fell disuse—and of lower klamath lake later drained , filled in.

in 1910s , 1920s, logging growing industry on west side of upper klamath river valley, around upper klamath lake. great northern railway , southern pacific railroad built joint-use line running along eastern shore of lake, delivering logs north side sawmill 3 miles (4.8 km) downstream outlet of lake. many of seasonal marshlands surrounding lake , rivers diked in period host lumber operations. in 1919, first link river dam, timber crib dam, constructed @ outlet of upper klamath lake, raising 16 feet (5 m). steamboats continued mail, passenger , freight operations on upper klamath lake until 1928, in period when many of lumber companies shut down due drought.

with lumber declining industry in upper klamath basin, economy transitioned agriculture. klamath reclamation project, established bureau of reclamation in 20th century, involved construction of 2 dams on river , additional dams on many of tributaries, final draining of lower klamath , tule lakes. bureau of reclamation not user of river during period; in late 1950s pacificorp , california-oregon power company (copco) constructed 3 more dams on river downstream. these dams, however, sparked great controversy on water quality in lower section of river , dependence of river s annual salmon runs on it.