The critically endangered fish are called C’waam and Koptu in the native tongue of the Klamath Tribes in Southern Oregon. While the entire population of these two species of fish is imperiled, a stranded population disconnected from their home waters was in particular danger. Without intervention, hundreds of fish would certainly perish.
Enter RES. As part of the Klamath River dam removal and restoration project, our team was entrusted to lead a complex rescue and relocation effort for these increasingly rare species of suckers—including the C’waam or Lost River sucker (Deltistes luxatus), Koptu or shortnose sucker (Chasmistes brevirostris), and Klamath largescale sucker (Catostomus snyderi).
Daniel Chase, Director of Fisheries, Aquatics and Design for RES’ Western Region, supervised an intense operation that spanned weeks. RES was supported by a broad team that included representatives from the Klamath Tribes, the Karuk Tribe, River Design Group, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Bureau of Land Management, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in carrying out the important effort.
It is hard to overstate just how important the C’waam and Koptu are to tribal people in the Upper Klamath Basin. Since time immemorial, the fish had always returned to the same streams and springs. They always arrived just in time to save the community from starvation after the harsh winter exhausted other food supplies. The return of the c’waam and koptu meant life—immediate protein in staggering abundance—a gift from the hand of the Creator. Ceremonies were built around these prized fish.
Today, for numerous reasons that include the loss of wetlands and resulting degradation in water quality, the fish are critically endangered. In normal circumstances, the C’waam and Koptu are naturally found in a few water bodies in the Upper Klamath Basin, remnants of ice age lakes in Southern Oregon. But these are not normal circumstances.
Hundreds of the fish were found in places they do not belong and cannot long survive – in hydroelectric reservoirs downstream of their native habitat. These reservoirs are scheduled to soon be drained as part of the Klamath River dam removal and restoration project.
On a cool evening in late April, just as the sun began to set, three boats were launched into Iron Gate Reservoir in far Northern California for the first in a series of nighttime operations to rescue and relocate C’waam and Koptu. A similar effort was launched in May in an Oregon Reservoir behind J.C. Boyle Dam.
This rescue and relocation plan had been in development for over a decade, having been identified as a required task before the dams could be taken down. With more than 40 people and a dozen organizations involved, the overall effort caught more than 520 suckers by setting more than 350 nets and fishing more than 270 cumulative boat hours. RES had staff onsite 24/7, and our rescue team often included up to 12 people working on boats in the middle of the night, yet everyone worked safely and efficiently. RES coordinated the rescue plan and operations, with our role ending as the suckers were loaded onto transport trucks and into the custody of USF&WS and Klamath Tribes. The work across multiple reservoirs enabled the relocation of approximately 390 rare and imperiled suckers that will now have the opportunity to contribute to recovery and management actions.
The team was exhausted, but proud of the epic effort and outstanding result. “Our sucker rescue team was so heartened by the appreciation and affirmation we received from Alex Gonyaw, senior biologist in the Klamath Tribes Aquatics Department, who played a key role in this operation,” Dan noted. “Dr. Gonyaw, who kept members of the Klamath Tribes informed during the entire undertaking, relayed to us the positive reactions from tribal members who were closely following our progress.”
“We received resoundingly positive feedback on the professionalism and work ethic of the team from KRRC, the agencies, and the Tribes that participated in or observed the operation. We were encouraged by the response from the different constituencies who voiced their appreciation for the substantial effort and resources brought to bear by our team. The team was collaborative, inclusive, and demonstrated the RES approach to the Klamath Project that has helped us navigate a challenging landscape for several years.”
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