Klamath Nonuse Valuation Survey

Restoring a U.S. River Basin: What Is Your Opinion?

Across the United States, many river systems are under stress from population growth, pollution, and competing demands for water. These stressors often harm the rivers’ fish and wildlife populations, as well as the people who value these river resources. Addressing these problems is an important local and national issue, but sometimes the solutions require big changes that can be costly.

This survey focuses on one river system in particular: the Klamath River Basin. The federal government is considering different plans for restoring this river basin and its fish populations. These plans would improve how water in the river is managed but they would also cost U.S. households more money. Understanding the views of households like yours will help the government choose the best option.

Upper Klamath Basin (Oregon)

Iron Gate Dam on the
Klamath River

Klamath River Estuary at the
Pacific Ocean (California)

Your participation in this survey is voluntary. The reports prepared for this study will summarize findings across the sample and will not associate responses with a specific individual. We will not provide information that identifies you to anyone outside the study team, except as required by law. Your responses will be stored separately from your name and address, and when analysis of the questionnaire is completed, all name and address files will be destroyed.

A Federal agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

Burden estimate statement: Public reporting for this form is estimated to average 30 minutes per

response. Direct comments regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of this form to:

Ben Simon, MS3530-MIB, 1849 C Street N.W., Washington, DC 20240 or [email protected].

OMB Control #1090-0010

Expiration Date:

Cover photos courtesy of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS)

Page 8 illustrations by Joseph R. Tomelleri (Lost River sucker and shortnose sucker) and Timothy Knepp (coho salmon) courtesy of FWS

Page 10 photos: © Steven Holt/stockpix.com

About the Survey

In this survey, we will first describe the Klamath River Basin and the problems it is facing. We will then describe possible plans for changing (or not changing) how the Klamath River Basin is managed. We will describe how these plans would affect the basin and what the added cost to your household would be. You will be asked how you would vote on the different plans. Finally, we will ask for your opinions on some of the topics covered in the survey and some information about your household.

Why we need you to fill out this survey

• If one of these plans goes forward, the federal government and the states of California and Oregon will be involved in restoring the Klamath River Basin and its fish populations.

• The Klamath River Basin is one of the 50 largest river basins in the United States.

• As with many rivers, the water of the Klamath River Basin is used by many people for many different activities. Hard choices must be made about how to use the water.

• The Klamath River Basin is home to agriculture, commercially important salmon, dams that produce hydroelectric power, and endangered fish species.

In today’s economic times, resources are limited. Federal, state, and local governments face difficult decisions about how to best manage, protect, and restore rivers. The information collected from this survey will help these decision makers know what you would like to see happen. This is your chance to provide input on this important decision.

Introduction to the Klamath River Basin

A river basin is the area of land where water drains into a specific river. The Klamath River Basin is shown on the map included with this survey.

Geography

• The basin starts in the mountains of southern Oregon. The streams flow into Upper Klamath Lake, the largest natural lake in Oregon.

• The Klamath River flows from the lake, through Oregon and northern California, and into the Pacific Ocean.

• The basin occupies over 10 million acres. It is twice the size of Massachusetts.

People

• About 125,000 people live in the basin. Klamath Falls, Oregon, is the largest city, with a population of roughly 20,000.

• The basin is home to about 14,000 members of Indian tribes, including the Klamath Tribes in Oregon and the Yurok, Karuk, Hoopa Valley, Quartz Valley and Resighini tribes in California.

Fish and Other Wildlife

• The basin contains over 80 fish species, including many different types of salmon, trout, and suckers. Six National Wildlife Refuges in the basin provide stopover habitat for over 1 million migrating birds each year.

1. Before you started this survey, had you ever heard of the Klamath River Basin?

• Yes

• No

• I don’t know

2. Have you ever visited the Klamath River Basin?

• Yes

• No

• I don’t know

Human Uses of the Klamath River Basin Water

People use the water in the basin in many ways. Like other big rivers, it is difficult to balance how much water should go to each different activity. The following are some of the main uses:

• Commercial Fishing. The Klamath River is an important source of salmon for commercial fishermen in both the river and the Pacific Ocean. For most of the twentieth century, the Klamath River was the third largest producer of salmon on the U.S. West Coast.

• Farmland Irrigation. Since 1905, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation has provided water for farms in the basin. It currently supplies water to about 200,000 acres of farmland (1,400 farms).

• Hydroelectric Power. From 1909 to 1962, several dams were built on the Klamath River near the Oregon-California border. They are operated by the power company PacifiCorp (also known as Pacific Power). Together, these dams can produce enough electricity to power about 70,000 homes.

• Recreation and Tourism. The basin supports a wide range of water-based recreation activities, including fishing, boating, and swimming. It contains blue ribbon trout streams and highly rated whitewater rapids for rafting. Salmon from the basin also support recreational fishing in the Pacific Ocean.

• Tribal Cultural Practices. For thousands of years, several Indian tribes have lived in the basin. Some of these tribes, including the Klamath, Yurok, Karuk, and Hoopa have relied on the river’s salmon and other fish for food, for cultural and ceremonial activities, and for their economic well-being.

3. People use rivers for many different purposes. We are interested in how you use rivers. From the list below, please check off all the ways that you use rivers in your area.

• Recreational boating or rafting

• Transportation

• Swimming

• Near-shore recreation (such as hiking, picnicking, or bird watching)

• Recreational fishing

• Commercial fishing

• Irrigating farmland

• Drinking water

• Spiritual or ceremonial purposes

• My electric power comes from a hydroelectric-power dam

• Other: ______________________________

• None of the above

Declining Fish Populations in the Klamath River Basin

Restoring wild fish populations in the Klamath River Basin is one of the main goals of the plans being considered by the government. This page and the next page describe problems faced by different fish in the basin.

Chinook salmon and steelhead trout are two important fish found in the basin. They spend most of their lives in the Pacific Ocean, but they return to rivers and streams to spawn.

Their numbers have declined significantly since the early 1900s. At one time, between 600,000 and 1 million of these fish returned to the basin each year. Now, only 100,000 to 200,000 fish return and many of these are bred in a hatchery rather than in the wild.

The reasons for declining fish populations include the following:

• Dams on the Klamath River. Before the dams were built, the fish migrated into streams in both the pink and blue areas shown on the map on the next page. Today they migrate only into the pink area. They are blocked from the blue area by Iron Gate Dam and the other hydroelectric dams shown on the map.

• Water Use for Farm Irrigation. The use of water for crops, especially around Upper Klamath Lake, has reduced the amount of water that remains for fish downstream.

• Water Quality. When water flows are low, the water in the river basin warms up. Algae that grow in the warm water can kill fish. Different human activities in the basin, including forestry, agriculture, and mining, also affect water quality. Despite efforts to better manage these human uses, water quality is still a problem for fish.

• Overfishing. In the past, ocean and river fishing in the Klamath area contributed to the decline in fish numbers. In recent years, these activities have been more carefully managed.

4. Please rate how much you agree or disagree with the following statement.

I am concerned about declines in the number of Chinook salmon and steelhead trout that return to the Klamath River each year.

• Strongly agree

• Agree

• Disagree

• Strongly disagree

• No opinion

Historical vs. Present Range of Returning Salmon and Steelhead Trout

Threatened and Endangered Fish in the Klamath River Basin

Some fish in the basin are at risk of becoming extinct because of water problems.

Three species have been listed as either endangered (very high risk) or threatened (high risk) under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. They are described in the table below.

Species Name—Status	Species Description	Main Threats
	The shortnose sucker and Lost River sucker are found only in the areas around Upper Klamath Lake. For thousands of years, the Klamath Tribes used them as a major source of food. They were once plentiful enough to support commercial fishing, but now their numbers are greatly reduced.	Low water levels in Upper Klamath Lake due to drought and irrigation Poor water quality in Upper Klamath Lake Irrigation channels, which fish swim into and get stuck
Shortnose Sucker (Endangered)
Lost River Sucker (Endangered)
Coho Salmon (Threatened)	The Klamath coho salmon is part of a distinct coho salmon population that lives only in the Klamath River Basin and a few nearby rivers in Southern Oregon and Northern California. They were once plentiful in the basin, but now more are born in hatcheries than in the wild.	Klamath River dams blocking the river Low water flows in Klamath River due to drought and irrigation Fish raised in hatcheries compete for food and spread disease to wild coho salmon

Other species that are becoming rare in the basin include the Pacific lamprey (an eel-like fish) and the green sturgeon (a very large and prehistoric-looking fish). Both were once common in the basin and were an important food source for several tribes.

5. Please rate how much you agree or disagree with the following statement.

I am concerned about the shortnose and Lost River suckers that are at very high risk of extinction.

• Strongly agree

• Agree

• Disagree

• Strongly disagree

• No opinion

6. Please rate how much you agree or disagree with the following statement.

I am concerned about the Klamath coho salmon that are at high risk of extinction.

• Strongly agree

• Agree

• Disagree

• Strongly disagree

• No opinion

Resolving Conflicts over Water, Fish, and Dams in the Basin

The Klamath River Basin is important for many groups, but there is not always enough water for everyone, especially in drought years. Competing demands for water have been a source of conflict in the basin, especially in the early 2000s.

• 

  Drought in Klamath Basin

  2001 was a very dry year. There was not enough water for both farm irrigation and endangered fish species, so large reductions in irrigation were required. This caused crop losses and economic hardships for local farmers.

  

  Fish Kill on Klamath River

• 2002 was another dry year. This time more water was allowed for irrigation, but in late summer, over 33,000 salmon suddenly died in the Klamath River. Low water flows in the river were one of the main reasons.

• In 2006, commercial salmon harvests off the U.S. Pacific Northwest Coast were cut by 90%. The main reason was a lack of fish from the Klamath River, due in part to dams and low water flows. This caused economic hardship for fishermen.

The conflicts created by these events drew national attention and greatly increased public concern about the river basin. Lawsuits from many different parties were filed. At the same time, four dams on the river needed to be relicensed by the government. But changing the dams to allow fish to go around them would be more expensive than removing the dams and replacing their electric power.

After several years of court battles and conflict, very little progress had been made toward a solution. So the parties involved tried a different approach. Over 35 different groups agreed to work together to reach a compromise solution.

In February 2010, representatives from the Oregon and California governments, several tribes, counties, and other organizations reached an agreement. One tribe and one county in California have not signed the agreement.

7. Before taking this survey, had you read or heard about the conflicts over water in the Klamath River Basin?

• Yes

• No

• I don’t know

The Main Parts of the Agreement

The agreement defines the following three key steps for moving forward. Now the federal government must decide whether and how to implement these steps.

1. Dam Removal

• I n 2020, after several years of detailed planning, the four large hydroelectric dams would be removed from the Klamath River.

• The reservoirs created by these dams (each 4 to 7 miles long) would no longer exist after 2020. The original river channel and the areas that were underwater would gradually return to their previous conditions.

2. Fish Restoration

• T he agreement sets up a process for choosing projects to restore fish habitats in the basin. These projects would, for example, restore and protect fish spawning areas, improve water quality, remove barriers from the river, and prevent fish from swimming into irrigation channels.

• The agreement does NOT define the exact projects or exact amount of money that will be spent on fish restoration.

3. Water Sharing Agreement

• T o protect fish, the agreement would permanently set limits on the amount of irrigation water that can be taken from Upper Klamath Lake. This would ensure enough water for fish and help people who rely on these fish for commercial, recreational, subsistence, and ceremonial purposes.

• Farm irrigators have agreed to these conditions because they define a specific and permanent schedule for annual water deliveries to farmers. Each year, the amount of water available for irrigation would depend directly on the amount of rain and snowfall in the basin.

8. Before taking this survey, had you read or heard about this agreement for restoring the Klamath River Basin?

• Yes

• No

• I don’t know

How Would the Agreement’s Activities Be Paid For?

For the agreement to move forward, money would need to come from three main sources:

• higher electricity bills for Oregon and California customers of PacifiCorp,

• Oregon and California state budget spending,

• federal government budget spending.

Under this agreement, Oregon and California residents and businesses would on average pay more than residents from other states. But households across the country would contribute to these activities through their federal taxes.

9. Do you agree or disagree that Oregon and California residents should on average pay more than residents of other states for Klamath River Basin restoration?

• Strongly agree

• Agree

• I can see both sides of the issue

• Disagree

• Strongly disagree

• No opinion

10. Is your home’s electric power provided by PacifiCorp (Pacific Power)?

• Yes

• No

• I don’t know

Weighing the Impacts of Implementing the Agreement

Because the federal government would be paying part of the cost, it must now decide whether and how to implement this agreement. The agreement is expected to improve the management of Klamath Basin resources but would also have costs and disadvantages.

The agreement is intended to

• increase the number of wild salmon and trout throughout the basin—this would increase the number of wild fish migrating to ocean waters and reduce the need for a fish hatchery on the Klamath River;

• reduce the chances of extinction for some fish species;

• improve water quality in the Klamath River and Upper Klamath Lake, where toxic blue-green algae blooms and low water oxygen levels have become common;

• create more natural free-flowing river conditions along most of the Klamath River;

• help tribes, farmers, fishermen, and other parties avoid conflicts and lawsuits over water;

• have no effect on flood control, since the dams are not used for this reason.

The agreement would also

• cost millions of dollars to deconstruct and remove the dams;

• cost millions of dollars to replace the dams’ energy, some of which may come from renewable sources like wind or solar power, and some may come from more sources like coal which can create air pollution;

• cost millions of dollars for projects that restore fish habitat and improve water quality in the basin;

• put more limits on the amount of water available for irrigation, especially during drier years;

• release large amounts of sediment into the Klamath River during dam removal, which would harm fish and water quality for 1–2 years as it flows down towards the ocean;

• eliminate activities supported by the dams’ reservoirs, like boating and fishing for non-native fish (perch and bass); about 100 homes now located near the shores of the reservoirs would lose their lakefront view.

11. Do you agree or disagree that the federal government should be involved in restoring the Klamath River Basin?

• Strongly agree

• Agree

• I can see both sides of the issue

• Disagree

• Strongly disagree

• No opinion

12. People often have different views about plans like this one. Please rate how much you agree or disagree with each of the following statements. (Circle the number that matches your answer. If you have no opinion, check the box in the No Opinion column.)

	1 Strongly Agree	2 Agree	3 See Both Sides	4 Disagree	5 Strongly Disagree	No Opinion
Some decrease in environmental quality is inevitable if we are going to continue to improve our standard of living	1	2	3	4	5
When humans interfere with nature, it often produces disastrous results	1	2	3	4	5
Humans should modify the natural environment to suit their needs	1	2	3	4	5
The balance of nature is very delicate and easily upset	1	2	3	4	5
The decision to develop natural resources should be based more on economic grounds than on environmental grounds	1	2	3	4	5
It is important to use rivers as a source of electric power	1	2	3	4	5
It is important for rivers to provide places for recreation	1	2	3	4	5
It is important for rivers to provide healthy habitat for fish	1	2	3	4	5
It is important to use rivers as a source of water for irrigation	1	2	3	4	5
It is important for rivers to provide Indian tribes with traditional fishing areas	1	2	3	4	5
It is important for rivers to support commercial fishing	1	2	3	4	5

Deciding on Future Action

To reach a decision about implementing the Klamath River Basin agreement, the federal government will need to consider different options.

• One option is to not implement the agreement. This is the NO ACTION plan.

• The other option is to implement the agreement, including dam removal, water sharing, and fish restoration. There are different possible ACTION PLANS for doing this.

The main differences between the ACTION PLANS are that they involve different types and numbers of fish restoration projects and they have different costs. Some restoration projects will have a bigger impact on Chinook salmon and steelhead trout, while other projects will have a bigger impact on coho salmon or the shortnose and Lost River suckers.

On the next two pages, we will ask you to compare NO ACTION and ACTION PLAN A.

On the page after that, we will ask you to consider what you would do if you had the opportunity to VOTE for the option you prefer.

Please examine the options carefully and think about how you would actually vote in this situation. Some people are more willing to vote for a plan when payment is not collected than when payment is real. Therefore, we urge you to consider your vote as though the costs for your household really would go up by the amount stated if the plan were implemented. Knowing how you would vote on these options is very important to the people who have to make decisions about this plan.

13. Have you ever personally had the opportunity to vote on a similar type of government natural resource management program?

• Yes

• No

• I don’t know

NO ACTION Plan

U

Number of Chinook Salmon and Steelhead Trout Returning to the Klamath River Each Year

nder this option, there would be NO DAM REMOVAL, NO FISH RESTORATION, and NO WATER SHARING AGREEMENT. This would lead to:

DECLINING NUMBERS OF WILD CHINOOK SALMON AND STEELHEAD TROUT The dashed line shows the current average number of wild fish returning to the Klamath River each year. The red line shows what would happen over the next 50 years. Scientists expect that by 2060, there would be 30% fewer wild fish than today.
	Change in Risks of Extinction for Suckers and for Coho Salmon
SAME RISK OF EXTINCTION FOR SUCKERS AND COHO SALMON Suckers would stay at VERY HIGH RISK (more than 50% chance of extinction by 2060). Coho salmon would stay at HIGH RISK (25%–50% chance of extinction by 2060).
NO ADDED COST TO YOUR HOUSEHOLD: There would be no increase in your household’s taxes or electricity rates because the agreement would not be implemented.

ACTION PLAN A

T

Number of Chinook Salmon and Steelhead Trout Returning to the Klamath River Each Year

his option includes dam removaL, a specific set of FISH RESTORATION projects, and the water sharing agreement. These actions would lead to:

INCREASING NUMBERS OF WILD CHINOOK SALMON AND STEELHEAD TROUT The number of wild fish returning to the Klamath River each year would increase after the dams are removed in 2020 (see green line in graph). Scientists expect that by 2060, there would be 100% more wild fish than today.
	Change in Risks of Extinction for Suckers and for Coho Salmon
LOWER RISK OF EXTINCTION FOR SUCKERS AND COHO SALMON Suckers would improve from VERY HIGH RISK to HIGH RISK. Coho salmon would improve from HIGH RISK to LOW RISK.
ADDED COST TO YOUR HOUSEHOLD: This plan would be paid for by a combination of higher power bills for Oregon and California PacifiCorp customers, state taxes from Oregon and California residents, and federal taxes from all U.S. residents. Assume that for your household (and similar households in your area) the plan would cost you an additional $48 per year for the next 20 years (beginning in 2012). That is the same as $4 per month for the next 20 years.

Choice 1: Which Option Do You Prefer?

Please imagine that all U.S. residents were presented with two options—NO ACTION and ACTION PLAN A—and asked to vote for the one they prefer. The one with the most votes would be implemented.

Ask yourself whether you believe the improvements offered under ACTION PLAN A are worth $48 each year to your household. Voting for PLAN A would mean that you would have $48 less each year to spend on other things. You would be making a commitment to pay this additional amount each year for the next 20 years. There may be good reasons for you to vote for PLAN A and good reasons to vote for NO ACTION. Only you know what is best for you and your household.

14. Which option would you vote for?

• NO ACTION

• ACTION PLAN A

15. How certain do you feel about the choice you made above?

• Very certain

• Somewhat certain

• Not at all certain

Now consider a different choice…

We would now like to know how you would vote if you were presented with a completely different action plan.

For this next choice, please imagine that ACTION PLAN A is NOT an option.

Instead, the next two pages will describe ACTION PLAN B and compare it to the NO ACTION plan. Action Plan B includes a different set of fish restoration projects than Action Plan A.

On the page after that, we will ask you to consider what you would do if you had the opportunity to vote for the plan you prefer. When making this choice, please imagine that the ONLY two options are NO ACTION and ACTION PLAN B.

NO ACTION Plan

U

Number of Chinook Salmon and Steelhead Trout Returning to the Klamath River Each Year

nder this option, there would be NO DAM REMOVAL, NO FISH RESTORATION, and NO WATER SHARING AGREEMENT. This would lead to:

DECLINING NUMBERS OF WILD CHINOOK SALMON AND STEELHEAD TROUT The dashed line shows the current average number of wild fish returning to the Klamath River each year. The red line shows what would happen over the next 50 years. Scientists expect that by 2060, there would be 30% fewer wild fish than today.
	Change in Risks of Extinction for Suckers and for Coho Salmon
SAME RISK OF EXTINCTION FOR SUCKERS AND COHO SALMON Suckers would stay at VERY HIGH RISK (more than 50% chance of extinction by 2060). Coho salmon would stay at HIGH RISK (25%–50% chance of extinction by 2060).
NO ADDED COST TO YOUR HOUSEHOLD: There would be no increase in your household’s taxes or electricity rates because the agreement would not be implemented.

ACTION PLAN B

T

Number Chinook Salmon and Steelhead Trout Returning to the Klamath River Each Year

his option includes dam removaL, a specific set of FISH RESTORATION projects, and the water sharing agreement. These actions would lead to:

INCREASING NUMBERS OF WILD CHINOOK SALMON AND STEELHEAD TROUT The number of wild fish returning to the Klamath River each year would increase after the dams are removed in 2020 (see green line in graph). Scientists expect that by 2060, there would be 30% more wild fish than today.
	Change in Risks of Extinction for Suckers and for Coho Salmon
LOWER RISK OF EXTINCTION FOR COHO SALMON Suckers would stay at VERY HIGH RISK. Coho salmon would improve from HIGH RISK to MODERATE RISK.
ADDED COST TO YOUR HOUSEHOLD: This plan would be paid for by a combination of higher power bills for Oregon and California PacifiCorp customers, state taxes from Oregon and California residents, and federal taxes from all U.S. residents. Assume that for your household (and similar households in your area) the plan would cost you an additional $24 per year for the next 20 years (beginning in 2012). That is the same as $2 per month for the next 20 years.

Choice 2: Which Option Do You Prefer?

Please imagine that all U.S. residents were presented with two options—NO ACTION and ACTION PLAN B—and asked to vote for the one they prefer. The one with the most votes would be implemented.

Ask yourself whether you believe the improvements offered under ACTION PLAN B are worth $24 each year to your household. Voting for PLAN B would mean that you would have $24 less each year to spend on other things. You would be making a commitment to pay this additional amount each year for the next 20 years. There may be good reasons for you to vote for PLAN B and good reasons to vote for NO ACTION. Only you know what is best for you and your household.

16. Which option would you vote for?

• NO ACTION

• ACTION PLAN B

17. How certain do you feel about the choice you made above?

• Very certain

• Somewhat certain

• Not at all certain

18. Thinking about the two choices you just made, please rate how much you agree or disagree with each of the following statements. (Circle the number that matches your answer.)

	1 Strongly Agree	2 Agree	3 Neither Agree nor Disagree	4 Disagree	5 Strongly Disagree
My choices would have been different if the economy in my area were better.	1	2	3	4	5
It is important to restore the Klamath River Basin, no matter how much it costs.	1	2	3	4	5
I do not think I should have to contribute to the restoration of the Klamath River Basin.	1	2	3	4	5
I am concerned that the plans would hurt the economy in the Klamath River Basin.	1	2	3	4	5
The descriptions of the plans were hard to understand.	1	2	3	4	5
I do not believe that the plans will actually increase the number of fish as described.	1	2	3	4	5
Removing the dams from the Klamath River is a bad idea.	1	2	3	4	5
Some of the plans cost too much compared to what they would deliver.	1	2	3	4	5
The changes offered by the plans happen too far in the future for me to really care.	1	2	3	4	5
The survey provided me with enough information to make a choice between the options shown.	1	2	3	4	5

19. If you voted for NO ACTION in either of the two choices, please rate how much you agree or disagree with each of the following statements. If not, skip to Q20.

    	1 Strongly Agree	2 Agree	3 Neither Agree nor Disagree	4 Disagree	5 Strongly Disagree
    I voted for NO ACTION because I am against any more taxes or government spending.	1	2	3	4	5
    I voted for NO ACTION because I believe my taxes are already too high.	1	2	3	4	5

20. If you voted for ACTION PLAN A or ACTION PLAN B, please rate how much you agree or disagree with each of the following statements. If not, skip this question.

	1 Strongly Agree	2 Agree	3 Neither Agree nor Disagree	4 Disagree	5 Strongly Disagree
I voted for the action plan because I thought it would increase the chances that the government would do the same thing in river basins closer to my home.	1	2	3	4	5
I voted for the action plan more for future generations than for myself.	1	2	3	4	5

Surveys like this are used to collect people’s opinions about policies the government is considering. Information from this survey will be summarized and presented to policy makers at the Department of the Interior. This department must make the final decision about the plans.

21. In your opinion, how likely do you think it is that policy makers will consider the results from this survey to make decisions about Klamath River Basin restoration?

• Very likely

• Somewhat likely

• Even chances

• Somewhat unlikely

• Very unlikely

• No opinion

Your Recreational Use of the Klamath River Basin

If you have not visited the Klamath River Basin for a recreation trip in the past 12 months, please turn to the next page.

Now we would like to ask a few questions about recreational trips to the Klamath River Basin—trips you took for fun and to relax, not for work.

22. How many recreation trips did you make to the Klamath River Basin in the past 12 months?

______ trips

23. What activities did you do? (Please check all the activities you did.)

___ River/stream fishing

___ Lake/reservoir fishing

___ Motorboating or jetskiing

___ Rafting

___ Canoeing or kayaking

___ Swimming

___ Camping

___ Waterfowl hunting

___ Hiking

___ Bird watching

___ Other: ______________________

24. How long does it take to travel one way from your home to the site in the Klamath River Basin that you visited most often on these trips? (Enter the number of hours plus minutes in the spaces provided below.)

_____ hours and _____ minutes

About You and Your Household

Finally, we would like to ask you a few questions about you and your household. Responses to these questions will be used only for statistical purposes and to compare respondents to this survey with the U.S. population as a whole. The reports prepared for this study will summarize findings across the sample and will not associate responses with an individual. Your answers will not be saved or stored in a way that can be associated with your name or address.

25. Are you male or female?

• Male

• Female

26. What is your age?

_________ years old

27. What is your current marital status?

• Single, never married

• Married or living with a long-term partner

• Separated or divorced

• Widowed

28. How many children under age 18 are living at your home?

____________ children

29. What was your total pre-tax household income, including all earners in your household, in 2009?

• Under $25,000

• $25,000–$34,999

• $35,000–$49,999

• $50,000–$74,999

• $75,000–$99,999

• $100,000-$199,999

• $200,000 or more

30. What is the highest degree or level of school you have completed?

• No high school diploma

• High school diploma or GED

• Some college credit or college degree

• Some graduate school or professional school credit or a graduate or professional degree

31. Which of the following best describes the home or apartment you live in?

• Owned by you or someone in your household with a mortgage or loan

• Owned by you or someone in your household without a mortgage or loan

• Rented

• Other: ____________________________________________________

32. Which of the following categories best describes your household employment status? (Please check all that apply.)

You Spouse/Partner

• Employed full time

• Employed part time

• Retired

• Student

• Full-time homemaker

• Unemployed

• Other (please specify) _______________ _______________

33. Are you of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin?

• Yes

• No

34. What is your race? (Please check one or more.)

• American Indian or Alaska Native

• Asian

• Black or African American

• Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander

• White

35. Do you or either of your parents belong to any of the following tribes in the Klamath River Basin?

• Hoopa

• Karuk

• Klamath

• Yurok

• Other: __________________________

• Neither I nor my parents belong to any of these tribes

36. Have you or any member of your family ever worked for any of the following industries or jobs? (Please check all that apply.)

• Agriculture

• Commercial fishing

• Dam operations

• Electric power generation

• River guiding or rafting

• Tour guide for fishing

37. We are interested in how people are getting along financially these days. Would you say that you and your family are better off, just about the same, or worse off financially than you were a year ago?

• We are better off

• We are just about the same

• We are worse off

38. Looking ahead, do you think that a year from now you and your family will be financially better off, just about the same, or worse off financially?

• We will be better off

• We will be just about the same

• We will be worse off

39. Has someone in your household been jobless in the past year?

• Yes

• No

• I don’t know

40. During the past year, what was your highest and your lowest monthly electric bill? If you are not sure what your bills were, please give us your best estimate and check the box for “I’m not sure what my bill was, this is an estimate.” If you do not pay an electric bill, check the box by “I do not pay an electric bill.”

• I do not pay an electric bill
  
  
  

My highest electric bill was $_________ in _______________ (write name of month)

• I’m not sure what my bill was, this is an estimate

My lowest electric bill was $_________ in _______________ (write name of month)

• I’m not sure what my bill was, this is an estimate

41. Many people are looking for ways to reduce their electric bills. If your electric power company offered you a device that cost $50 and would reduce your electricity costs by $2 each month for the next 10 years, would you purchase the device?

• Yes

• No

42. Are you the adult in your household with the most recent birthday? (If not, we are still very interested in your responses and encourage you to return the survey. We would like to know this for statistical purposes.)

• Yes

• No

Thank you very much for your help.

Once you are done, please mail this completed survey back to us in the postage-paid return envelope provided. If you have any questions, please contact us toll-free at 1-866-555-6000 or e-mail us at [email protected].

If you have comments about the survey, please add them on the lines below:

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Version of survey instrument with one conjoint question

Survey pages and questions in 2-conjoint question survey instrument	Change for 1-conjoint question survey instrument
Pages 1-16	No change
Page 17	Revise text to reflect only one action plan (see below).
Pages 18-19	No change
Page 20	Delete “Choice 1” (see below)
Pages 21-24	Drop pages 21-24
Page 25 forward	Start renumbering questions on page 25: Question 18 becomes Question 15, continue renumbering to the end of the survey

Revised page 17 for version of survey with one conjoint question

Deciding on Future Action

To reach a decision about implementing the Klamath River Basin agreement, the federal government will need to consider different options.

• One option is to not implement the agreement. This is the NO ACTION plan.

• The other option is to implement the agreement, including dam removal, water sharing, and fish restoration. There are different possible ACTION PLANS for doing this. We will ask you to consider one of these options.

On the next two pages, we will ask you to compare NO ACTION and ACTION PLAN A.

On the page after that, we will ask you to consider what you would do if you had the opportunity to VOTE for the option you prefer.

Please examine the options carefully and think about how you would actually vote in this situation. Some people are more willing to vote for a plan when payment is not collected than when payment is real. Therefore, we urge you to consider your vote as though the costs for your household really would go up by the amount stated if the plan were implemented. Knowing how you would vote on these options is very important to the people who have to make decisions about this plan.

43. Have you ever personally had the opportunity to vote on a similar type of government natural resource management program?

• Yes

• No

• I don’t know

Revised page 20 for version of survey with one conjoint question:

Which Option Do You Prefer?

Please imagine that all U.S. residents were presented with two options—NO ACTION and ACTION PLAN A—and asked to vote for the one they prefer. The one with the most votes would be implemented.

Ask yourself whether you believe the improvements offered under ACTION PLAN A are worth $48 each year to your household. Voting for PLAN A would mean that you would have $48 less each year to spend on other things. You would be making a commitment to pay this additional amount each year for the next 20 years. There may be good reasons for you to vote for PLAN A and good reasons to vote for NO ACTION. Only you know what is best for you and your household.

44. Which option would you vote for?

• NO ACTION

• ACTION PLAN A

45. How certain do you feel about the choice you made above?

• Very certain

• Somewhat certain

• Not at all certain

Survey insert: Map of Klamath River Basin

Alternative order for human uses page

Version 2 of human uses page (reverse alphabetical order)

Human Uses of the Klamath River Basin Water

People use the water in the basin in many ways. Like other big rivers, it is difficult to balance how much water should go to each different activity. The following are some of the main uses:

• Tribal Cultural Practices. For thousands of years, several Indian tribes have lived in the basin. Some of these tribes, including the Klamath, Yurok, Karuk, and Hoopa have relied on the river’s salmon and other fish for food, for cultural and ceremonial activities, and for their economic well-being.

• Recreation and Tourism. The basin supports a wide range of water-based recreation activities, including fishing, boating, and swimming. It contains blue ribbon trout streams and highly rated whitewater rapids for rafting. Salmon from the basin also support recreational fishing in the Pacific Ocean.

• Hydroelectric Power. From 1909 to 1962, several dams were built on the Klamath River near the Oregon-California border. They are operated by the power company PacifiCorp (also known as Pacific Power). Together, these dams can produce enough electricity to power about 70,000 homes.

• Farmland Irrigation. Since 1905, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation has provided water for farms in the basin. It currently supplies water to about 200,000 acres of farmland (1,400 farms).

• Commercial Fishing. The Klamath River is an important source of salmon for commercial fishermen in both the river and the Pacific Ocean. For most of the twentieth century, the Klamath River was the third largest producer of salmon on the U.S. West Coast.

Experimental design for choice questions

The experimental design produced 16 blocks of 2 choice questions. The attribute levels in the choice questions vary based on the experimental design. The table below presents the levels for each question in the 16 blocks.

VERSION 1		No Action	Action A		No Action	Action B
Att 1 - 1	change in fish pop	-30%	150%		-30%	30%
Att 2 - 2	sucker risk	VERY HIGH	VERY HIGH		VERY HIGH	HIGH
Att 3 - 3	coho risk	HIGH	HIGH		HIGH	LOW
Att 4 - 4	annual cost	$0	$24		$0	$12
VERSION 2		No Action	Action A		No Action	Action B
Att 1 - 2	change in fish pop	-30%	100%		-30%	150%
Att 2 - 3	sucker risk	VERY HIGH	HIGH		VERY HIGH	MODERATE
Att 3 - 4	coho risk	HIGH	MODERATE		HIGH	LOW
Att 4 - 5	annual cost	$0	$24		$0	$48
VERSION 3		No Action	Action A		No Action	Action B
Att 1 - 3	change in fish pop	-30%	30%		-30%	100%
Att 2 - 4	sucker risk	VERY HIGH	MODERATE		VERY HIGH	HIGH
Att 3 - 5	coho risk	HIGH	MODERATE		HIGH	HIGH
Att 4 - 6	annual cost	$0	$24		$0	$48
VERSION 4		No Action	Action A		No Action	Action B
Att 1 - 4	change in fish pop	-30%	30%		-30%	100%
Att 2 - 5	sucker risk	VERY HIGH	HIGH		VERY HIGH	MODERATE
Att 3 - 6	coho risk	HIGH	LOW		HIGH	MODERATE
Att 4 - 7	annual cost	$0	$90		$0	$12
VERSION 5		No Action	Action A		No Action	Action B
Att 1 - 5	change in fish pop	-30%	30%		-30%	150%
Att 2 - 6	sucker risk	VERY HIGH	MODERATE		VERY HIGH	HIGH
Att 3 - 7	coho risk	HIGH	HIGH		HIGH	LOW
Att 4 - 8	annual cost	$0	$90		$0	$24
VERSION 6		No Action	Action A		No Action	Action B
Att 1 - 6	change in fish pop	-30%	30%		-30%	100%
Att 2 - 7	sucker risk	VERY HIGH	MODERATE		VERY HIGH	HIGH
Att 3 - 8	coho risk	HIGH	MODERATE		HIGH	LOW
Att 4 - 9	annual cost	$0	$48		$0	$90
VERSION 7		No Action	Action A		No Action	Action B
Att 1 - 7	change in fish pop	-30%	150%		-30%	30%
Att 2 - 8	sucker risk	VERY HIGH	MODERATE		VERY HIGH	VERY HIGH
Att 3 - 9	coho risk	HIGH	HIGH		HIGH	MODERATE
Att 4 - 10	annual cost	$0	$12		$0	$48
VERSION 8		No Action	Action A		No Action	Action B
Att 1 - 8	change in fish pop	-30%	30%		-30%	150%
Att 2 - 9	sucker risk	VERY HIGH	HIGH		VERY HIGH	MODERATE
Att 3 - 10	coho risk	HIGH	HIGH		HIGH	LOW
Att 4 - 11	annual cost	$0	$12		$0	$48
VERSION 9		No Action	Action A		No Action	Action B
Att 1 - 9	change in fish pop	-30%	150%		-30%	100%
Att 2 - 10	sucker risk	VERY HIGH	HIGH		VERY HIGH	VERY HIGH
Att 3 - 11	coho risk	HIGH	MODERATE		HIGH	LOW
Att 4 - 12	annual cost	$0	$48		$0	$90
VERSION 10		No Action	Action A		No Action	Action B
Att 1 - 10	change in fish pop	-30%	150%		-30%	100%
Att 2 - 11	sucker risk	VERY HIGH	VERY HIGH		VERY HIGH	HIGH
Att 3 - 12	coho risk	HIGH	LOW		HIGH	HIGH
Att 4 - 13	annual cost	$0	$24		$0	$48
VERSION 11		No Action	Action A		No Action	Action B
Att 1 - 11	change in fish pop	-30%	100%		-30%	30%
Att 2 - 12	sucker risk	VERY HIGH	VERY HIGH		VERY HIGH	MODERATE
Att 3 - 13	coho risk	HIGH	MODERATE		HIGH	HIGH
Att 4 - 14	annual cost	$0	$12		$0	$24
VERSION 12		No Action	Action A		No Action	Action B
Att 1 - 12	change in fish pop	-30%	100%		-30%	150%
Att 2 - 13	sucker risk	VERY HIGH	VERY HIGH		VERY HIGH	HIGH
Att 3 - 14	coho risk	HIGH	LOW		HIGH	MODERATE
Att 4 - 15	annual cost	$0	$48		$0	$90
VERSION 13		No Action	Action A		No Action	Action B
Att 1 - 13	change in fish pop	-30%	30%		-30%	150%
Att 2 - 14	sucker risk	VERY HIGH	HIGH		VERY HIGH	VERY HIGH
Att 3 - 15	coho risk	HIGH	LOW		HIGH	HIGH
Att 4 - 16	annual cost	$0	$12		$0	$90
VERSION 14		No Action	Action A		No Action	Action B
Att 1 - 14	change in fish pop	-30%	100%		-30%	150%
Att 2 - 15	sucker risk	VERY HIGH	MODERATE		VERY HIGH	VERY HIGH
Att 3 - 16	coho risk	HIGH	MODERATE		HIGH	HIGH
Att 4 - 17	annual cost	$0	$24		$0	$12
VERSION 15		No Action	Action A		No Action	Action B
Att 1 - 15	change in fish pop	-30%	100%		-30%	30%
Att 2 - 16	sucker risk	VERY HIGH	MODERATE		VERY HIGH	VERY HIGH
Att 3 - 17	coho risk	HIGH	HIGH		HIGH	MODERATE
Att 4 - 18	annual cost	$0	$24		$0	$90
VERSION 16		No Action	Action A		No Action	Action B
Att 1 - 16	change in fish pop	-30%	100%		-30%	30%
Att 2 - 17	sucker risk	VERY HIGH	MODERATE		VERY HIGH	VERY HIGH
Att 3 - 18	coho risk	HIGH	MODERATE		HIGH	HIGH
Att 4 - 19	annual cost	$0	$90		$0	$24

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