Klamath Tribes sue over Upper Klamath Lake management

KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. (AP) – The Klamath Tribes are suing federal regulators, claiming they failed to keep a southern Oregon lake full enough to ensure the survival of sucker fish.

The tribes filed the lawsuit in federal court Wednesday calling on the Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service to take “immediate, emergency measures” to protect the two endangered fish species in the Upper Klamath Lake.

Tribes’ biologist Mark Buettner says lake levels are vital for fish habitat and water quality. He says few young fish make it to adulthood and the problem is expected to worsen.

The Bureau of Reclamation manages water in the Klamath Basin. A bureau spokesperson says the agency cannot comment on ongoing litigation, but it has worked with the tribes to address the concerns.