Learning the Klamath Knot… and Creating a Bureau of Reclamation

Abstract

I n the early summer of 2010 I discovered a glimpse of Eden. I was on a journey following the great Klamath River from one of its sources to the Pacific Ocean. I began at an upper tributary called Spring Creek. Walking toward the creek’s edge I found myself surrounded by gold summer light, turquoise pools of water, and a garden of wildflowers and butterflies. The water in Spring Creek is cold and pure. The constant temperature of 38-40 degrees Fahrenheit, the striking clarity, and the steady water level lead to speculation that the water flows underground from Crater Lake. Looking into the sandy bottom, I saw a collection of unfamiliar, smooth dark rocks. They ranged in size from pebbles to baseballs. Picking one up, I found the rock was slippery, soft, and pliable. Something alive! I later learned that this cold pure water is home to a wonderful, rare species of algae called Mare’s Eggs (Nostoc pruniforme). This was one of many remarkable places I discovered while I was “learning the Klamath Knot.” The Klamath Knot lies within the mythical State of Jefferson, a unique part of northwestern California and southern Oregon. It is called a knot for good reason. It is a Figure 1. In creating her Bureau of Reclamation, visual artist Becky Evans collects materials from the dried bed of Summer Lake in Lake County, Oregon (2013).