Update: The Phase 3 Draft IFRMP document will be released early February 2021, planning effort now moves into Phase 4

We are sincerely grateful to and commend the 116 participants who contributed to the development of the Integrated Fisheries Restoration and Monitoring Plan (IFRMP). Thank-you for your patience and dedication. The data, advice and tools that you helped to develop have been invaluable. Since we embarked on Phase 1 of the IFRMP in 2016, these 100+ individuals have devoted many hundreds of person hours to the development and review of the IFRMP. The level of collaboration sustained 2016-present is exceptional, particularly noteworthy in light of the ongoing global Coronavirus pandemic.

The focus of Phase 3 of IFRMP development has been on iterative application of a structured method for restoration action prioritization, including refining Core Performance Indicators that can be applied at both the sub-basin and basin-wide scales. ESSA recently completed a draft report, which will soon be released for further stakeholder and expert peer review. During the latest round of work in 2020 that included physically situating restoration projects (at the HUC12 scale), we heard numerous comments related to needing an easier way to interact with maps to facilitate participant input on the Plan. Specifically, how a more interactive mapping tool would better facilitate peer review by making it easier to view mapped results and identify inadvertent spatial errors in HUC12s included in project or species range maps.

Having consulted with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on the current Phase 3 draft, it was agreed that an interactive mapping feature would provide important value-added support during the upcoming participant review of the numerous restoration projects in the draft phase 3 Plan. ESSA has been asked by the Service to add enhanced mapping features to the Klamath Basin Restoration Prioritization Tool (http://klamath.essa.com)

Overview Video

At this time, we anticipate that the draft IFRMP and updated Klamath Restoration Prioritization Tool (including the new mapping feature) will be released together in early February 2021. Additional details on peer review will be emailed to sub-basin working group participants and also posted on this website.

Thanks again so much for your patience and your input and feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions (contact us via email at: klamath-ifrmp@essa.com).

Previously Completed Plan Components:
Klamath IFRMP Restoration Prioritization Tool (Phase 3) – June 2020
Guest, read-only access:
username: ifrmpguest
password: ifrmp2020

Prioritization methods explainers (Phase 3) – Feb 2020
Accessible with sub-basin team logins
Provisional Draft Klamath IFRMP Document (Phase 2) - Oct 15, 2019 (8MB PDF)
Klamath IFRMP Synthesis Report (Phase 1)- Aug 14, 2017 (20MB PDF)

Background

The intent of the IFRMP is not to replace other existing planning efforts, but to address key gaps and strategically bring existing plans and planning efforts together using an adaptive management framework. The vision of the Klamath Basin IFRMP is to provide a unifying framework for planning the restoration and recovery of native fish species from the headwaters to the Pacific Ocean, while improving flows, water quality, habitat and ecosystem processes. The IFRMP (or Plan) will serve as a blueprint that describes the highest priority watershed process and habitat restoration and monitoring actions that in combination with related restoration initiatives can help reverse the declines of multiple native Klamath Basin fish populations. The Plan will provide an answer to the basic question: given all we know; which habitat and watershed process restoration actions will provide the broadest possible benefits to native Klamath Basin fish species– throughout the Basin and within each sub-basin watershed. The IFRMP will also help inform the wise allocation of funds for restoration and monitoring work in the Klamath Basin. Funding to do broad scale restoration and monitoring work is limited so it is imperative to ensure that funds are used as strategically as possible to maximize the value of restoration efforts in the Basin. Please note: the IFRMP is a planning document that will help inform and guide restoration practitioners and agency resource managers alike. However, nothing in the IFRMP constitutes an official federal agency position or obligation for current or future action. Implementation of any restoration activity depends on future appropriation of necessary funds, as well as cooperation and support of private landowners, states, Tribes, local governments and other organizations that call the Klamath Basin home.

Lastly, we continue to collect contemporary documents, plans, studies, and data related to fish habitat restoration and monitoring (including innovative concepts and approaches from similar planning efforts such as the Elwha). Documents and data collected during this process will be catalogued in the searchable Document Library on this website.

If you have relevant information you think should be included please contact us via email at: klamath-ifrmp@essa.com