GRANTS PASS — Drought-triggered water shutoffs in the upper Klamath Basin that have been drying up irrigated pasture for tens of thousands of cattle will soon extend to the creek that serves as the sole source of drinking water for

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But Superintendent Craig Ackerman told The Associated Press on Monday that the park will stay open through the summer with an emergency conservation plan, which includes trucking in water, turning off campground showers and deploying 120 portable toilets.

Ackerman said the measures are being taken despite having 5 trillion gallons of the "cleanest drinking water on earth" sitting smack in the middle of the park.

"Our in-stream water right for the lake is to preserve the natural characteristics of the lake by leaving the water in it," he said. "Taking public water out of the lake would be in opposition to the purpose the park was created, as well as having a significant environmental impact."

The potential for a water shut-off was previously reported by the Herald and News newspaper in Klamath Falls.

Meanwhile, the Oregon Water Commission was voting Monday on whether to grant an exemption for people to draw surface water for drinking, cooking and sanitation. If it went through, the park could ease off emergency measures but would still go ahead with permanent measures to cut back water use, Ackerman said.

Crater Lake is Oregon's only national park. It was created in May 1902 to protect the lake, the nation's deepest and clearest body of water. It formed in the caldera left after Mount Mazama erupted more than 7,000 years ago.

This year's snowfall of 29 feet at the park was 15 feet short of normal, contributing to low streamflows in the Klamath Basin. Late snowfalls that sometimes come in April and May never materialized.

Also this year, the state adopted the first system of water rights for the upper Klamath Basin. That gave the oldest water rights, dating to time immemorial, to the Klamath Tribes for fisheries conservation on rivers flowing through their former reservation lands. State watermasters starting shutting off irrigation diversions for ranches with junior water rights to meet the flows due the tribes.

Watermaster Scott White said shut-offs could reach the Wood River later this week. The park's water is drawn from Annie Creek, a tributary of the Wood River. Dating to May 1902, the park's water right is 28th in priority, Ackerman said.

Ackerman said the park has been working for years to develop a backup source of water in case of drought, but a well drilled to 430 feet came up dry. An emergency management team, like the ones that fight major forest fires, was called in last month and put together the conservation plan.

The park has reservoirs that hold enough water for about a week at the typical rate of 60,000 gallons a day, he said. The park gets about 4,000 visitors a day in summer, for a total of about 500,000 a year. Most of them stay around Rim Village, the primary overlook for the lake and site of the lodge, gift shops and some restaurants. There are 150 park service employees and 450 concession employees in summer.

If access to Annie Creek is cut off, water trucks would haul water directly to the park's water treatment plant, he said.

The goal is to reduce water use by more than 25 percent, but when similar measures were taken at Yosemite National Park, they were able to cut water consumption by about half, he said. About 120 portable toilets will be put out at trailheads and parking lots. Flush toilets will still be available at restaurants.

Visitors to Crater Lake Lodge will still be able to shower and flush toilets, but servers at the dining room and other eateries will not put out water unless it is asked for, he said. Housing for park personnel and concession employees will be equipped with low-flow showerheads, faucets and toilets.

Mazama Campground will have drinking water and portable toilets, but showers will be turned off.

-- The Associated Press