---
kind: "section"
citation: "16 U.S.C. § 460ss–1"
title: "16"
title_heading: "Conservation"
number: "460ss–1"
heading: "Establishment"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/16/460ss-1"
units:
  - "Chapter 1 — National Parks, Military Parks, Monuments, and Seashores"
  - "Subchapter CIV — Klamath River Conservation Area"
---

# §460ss–1. Establishment

- (a) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/16/460ss–6.md?p=2) shall designate the anadromous fish habitats and resources of the Klamath River basin as the Klamath River Basin Conservation [Area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) (hereafter in this subchapter referred to as the “[Area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A)”).
- (b) **Restoration program—**
  - (1) **Establishment—** The [Secretary](/usc/16/460ss–6.md?p=2) shall, in consultation with the task force established under [section 460ss–3 of this title](/usc/16/460ss–3.md), formulate, establish, and implement a 20-year [program](/usc/16/460ss–6.md?p=1) to restore the anadromous fish populations of the [Area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) to optimum levels and to maintain such levels. The [program](/usc/16/460ss–6.md?p=1) shall be based on the Klamath River Basin Fisheries Resource Plan referred to in [section 460ss(6) of this title](/usc/16/460ss.md?p=6) and shall be known as the Klamath River Basin Conservation [Area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) Restoration [Program](/usc/16/460ss–6.md?p=1).
  - (2) **Program activities—** In carrying out the objectives of the [program](/usc/16/460ss–6.md?p=1), the [Secretary](/usc/16/460ss–6.md?p=2), in cooperation with the task force established under [section 460ss–3 of this title](/usc/16/460ss–3.md), shall—
    - (A) monitor and coordinate research evaluating the [Area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) anadromous fish populations and administer and evaluate the success of activities described in [subparagraph (B)](#b-2-B); and
    - (B) [take](/usc/16/3102.md?p=18) such actions as are necessary to—
      - (i) improve and restore [Area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) habitats, and to promote access to blocked [Area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) habitats, to support increased run sizes;
      - (ii) rehabilitate problem watersheds in the [Area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) to reduce negative impacts on fish and fish habitats;
      - (iii) improve existing [Area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) hatcheries and rearing ponds to assist in rebuilding the natural populations;
      - (iv) implement an intensive, short-term stocking [program](/usc/16/460ss–6.md?p=1) to rebuild run sizes while maintaining the genetic integrity and diversity of [Area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) subbasin stocks; and
      - (v) improve upstream and downstream migration by removal of obstacles to fish passage and the provision of facilities for avoiding obstacles.
  - (3) **Restoration work—** To the extent practicable, any restoration work performed under [paragraph (2)(B)](#b-2-B) shall be performed by unemployed—
    - (A) commercial fishermen;
    - (B) Indians; and
    - (C) other [persons](/usc/16/450rr–1.md?p=b) whose livelihood depends upon [Area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) fishery resources.
  - (4) **Memorandum of agreement—** In order to facilitate the implementation of any activity described in [paragraph (2)](#b-2) over which the [Secretary](/usc/16/460ss–6.md?p=2) does not have jurisdiction, the [Secretary](/usc/16/460ss–6.md?p=2) shall enter into a memorandum of agreement with the Federal, [State](/usc/16/590q.md?p=a), and local agencies having jurisdiction over such activities, and the [Area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) [Indian tribes](/usc/16/544.md?p=g). The memorandum of agreement shall specify the [program](/usc/16/460ss–6.md?p=1) activities for which the respective signatories to the agreement are responsible and shall contain such provisions as are necessary to ensure the coordinated implementation of the [program](/usc/16/460ss–6.md?p=1).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 99–552, § 2, Oct. 27, 1986, 100 Stat. 3081.)