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--> --> Weather bringing rain to Klamath Basin KLAMATH FALLS (AP) - Recent rain and snow storms are bringing Klamath Basin streams and rivers back to life, and raising hopes that the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation will have an easier time meeting stringent rules for protecting endangered fish. Forecasters said a combination of rain and snow was expected to move through the area today. Unusually cold temperatures were recorded throughout the region Tuesday, with a low of 10 degrees at the Klamath Falls Airport. Other readings in the area included 12 degrees in Lakeview, 6 in Chiloquin, 5 at Crater Lake National Park, and minus 1 in Christmas Valley. The National Weather Service said temperatures may remain cold enough to bring up to 5 inches of snow in the Klamath Basin, and up to 10 inches in the southern Cascades. Last winter was one of the driest on record in the Klamath Basin, dropping Upper Klamath Lake to levels so low that irrigation was suspended most of last summer in the Klamath Reclamation Project. Despite the cutoff of irrigation water, Bureau of Reclamation officials remained concerned over whether they could keep Upper Klamath Lake high enough to meet guidelines for protecting endangered sucker fish while releasing enough water to protect coho salmon in the lower Klamath River. But last weekend brought the region's first significant snowfall. The flow in the Williamson River, the largest tributary to Upper Klamath Lake, remains below average for this time of year. But total inflow to Upper Klamath has increased substantially over the past five days. The Bureau of Reclamation said Monday it appears likely the Upper Klamath Lake level will reach the required elevation of 4,141 feet above sea level by the end of the year. Federal officials continue to release enough water from Upper Klamath Lake to maintain a flow of 1,300 cubic feet per second at Iron Gate Dam just across the California border in Siskiyou County, Calif. The minimum river flow is intended to protect coho salmon, which are migrating upstream at this time of year. Email your... Technical questions & comments to: WebMaster Daily Tidings editorial comments & questions to: Editor Visit our other Oregon Newspapers... | Albany Democrat-Herald | Ashland Daily Tidings | Corvallis Gazette-Times | | Lebanon Express | Newport News-Times | Springfield News | Cottage Grove Sentinel | Ashland Daily Tidings 1661 Siskiyou Blvd. Ashland, OR 97520 Telephone 541-482-3456 © Copyright 2001 Lee Northwest Publishing