Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement

HERE for the Updated Dam-Removal, KBRA Page

      This "Agreement" includes removing 4 Klamath River hydroelectric dams serving 70,000 households annually, downsizing Klamath Basin agriculture, planting endangered salmon and lamprey, fish parasites, in the Upper Basin's shallow warm waters, increasing river flows, and the $1 billion price tag does not include dam removal expenses.
     The FERC's, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's, dams are up for relicensing. Klamath River tribes, environmentalists, Siskiyou County, and  Pacific Power petitioned against the Klamath irrigators keeping an affordable power rate. Klamath irrigators lost. So the blackmail is, according to Karuk spokesman Craig Tucker, if Klamath Water Users Association, KWUA, agrees to the terms of the KBRA including dam removal, KWUA will get $30 million of the $1 billion pot to come up with some sort of affordable power, and some of the tribes and environmental groups might not continue to sue them.

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission/FERC sent us their power point presentation from the Jan. 29th PacifiCorp public meeting regarding the Agreement In Principal, the dam removal document. The commission is trying to figure out what their participation would be with the AIP and possibility of dam removal. *FERC supplimental notification  * FERC letter of clarification

Articles, protests, petition, opinion letters to KBC, websites.  Scroll down for articles
Dam Map

ARTICLES and REPORTS

Siskiyou County letter calls for coordination, Siskiyou Daily News 3/2/09

Natural Resources Advisory Council opposes Klamath plan, H&N 3/1/09

Dam-removal measure bad deal for ratepayers, H&N 3/1/09, by energy attorney Brad Van Cleve, Portland

Siskiyou officials oppose Klamath dam removal, VIDEO and article KDRV, posted to KBC 3/1/09.

Why should people pay for (Klamath) dam removal? by Rick Sonerholm, letter to editor H&N posted to KBC  2/27/09. "A 1896 study of Klamath Basin aquaculture by Barton Warren Evermann, S.E. Meek and A.B. Alexander, described Upper Klamath Lake this way: “Very shallow, vast amounts of decaying vegetation carried into it and the ever-increasing area of tule lands render it more shallow year by year. Water quality degradation in the Upper Klamath Lake watershed has led to large-scale fish kills related to algal bloom cycles in the lake. This has probably always been a problem, even prior to farming and ranching in the area. The source of the lake’s nutrients was volcanic soils.”

**Response to Klamath Hydroelectric Project (FERC 2082), Water Quality Certification, request to extend the February 23, 2009 comment deadline for scoping comments, sent to KBC by Ca State Water Resources Control Board, posted to KBC 2/23/09. Go HERE for more info on what comments the board is looking for.

Respecting Siskiyou County Resolution, Pioneer Press, posted to KBC 2/23/09. "...California Republican Party; Endorses, the Siskiyou County Republican Central Committee's support of the Siskiyou County Board of Supervisors resolutions; opposing dam removal, and proposed solutions for the Klamath Basin,..."

No Feud between Cowboys, Indians, Shasta Indian, County Republicans unite against dam removal, Pioneer Press, posted to KBC 2/23/09

Removing (Klamath) Dams, H&N 2/23/09

Shasta Nation Supports Siskiyou County Resolution, Pioneer Press, posted 2/23/09. "Let it be duly noted that the Shasta Nation recognizes green-energy, and supports hydro-power currently in place within Shasta Nation territory."

Potential socio-economic liabilities discussed in (Klamath Dam) report, Siskiyou Daily News, posted 2/23/09

Liability concerns part of (Klamath) discussion, H&N 2/23/09

Oregon Senate passes Klamath bill on dam removal funding, Capital Press 2/17/09

Agriculture in danger if dams are removed, H&N 2/17/09, letter to editor by Steve Rapalyea

Put hard caps of costs to power users for taking out (Klamath ) dams, H&N editorial 2/15/09. Plus KBC NOTE.

Paying for folly (Klamath hydrodam destruction) Albany Democrat Herald Editorial, posted 2/14/09

Not all farmers favor Klamath deal, Capital Press by Tom Mallams, posted to KBC 2/14/09. "... I appreciate your mentioning the 1,850 individuals who signed petitions against the whole plan."

Who gets the real dam removal money? by C.E. “Mac” McEwen, Siskiyou Daily News, posted 2/14/09 

Multitude of issues meet at Klamath, Capital Press, posted 2/14/09. (KBC NOTE: the settlement 'agreement' was supposed to be public Jan. 2008, however since draft 11, it has been negotiated extensively in close-door meetings, Reps have been lobbied by the few at the settlement table, Calif and Oregon governors and PacifiCorp have agreed to dam removal pending studies and funding, and Senate Bill 76 is Oregon legislation to fund dam removal. NO public information, input...no transparency. We the public aren't allowed to read what rights the negotiators have given away. Siskiyou Co, where 3 of the 4 hydrodams are located, is opposed to the 'agreement'. 1850 community members are opposed to this being rammed down their throats in top-down force with no regard for the people's wishes.)

Klamath proposal gains support in Legislature, Committee endorses plan that would remove four dams, Capital Press 2/12/09. "One basin farmer in the Feb. 4 hearing handed committee members a petition opposing the plan signed by 1,850 Klamath-area landowners."

Camp Dresser & McKee Inc. (CDM Report or Report) costs of dam removal preface 2/12/09
CDM Report - Klamath Liability Determination 7/18/08. (Note by Siskiyou County Supervisor Marcia Armstrong, "The cost estimates from these reports is $800 million, but they include the costs of impacts to Siskiyou County and sediment removal, while the American Rivers/ dam removal proponent's studies do not. These are additional costs for all the impacts and issues that Siskiyou County has raised which have not been considered/mitigated in either the KBRA or the AIP.")

Summary, comments end Camp, Dresser and McKee report, Siskiyou Daily News 2/24/09.

Klamath dam removal bill clears senate committee, Oregonian 2/12/09. "The bill (SB76) passed the Senate Environment and Natural Resource Committee, 4-1, and could go before the full Senate as early as next week."

Proposed Amendments to Senate Bill SB76, posted to KBC 2/12/09

Don’t use power rates for dam removal costs, H&N 2/12/09

Legislators hear Klamath deal’s pros, cons; Sweeping proposal would require four dams to be removed, Capital Press, posted 2/7/09. Rancher and hay farmer Tom Mallams, meanwhile, handed committee members a petition signed by 1,850 farmers and ranchers in the basin opposing the plan.

Gov. Ted Kulongoski, Who’s he represent? Willamette Weekly 2/4/09. "This week’s Rogue, Gov. Ted Kulongoski, seems to have forgotten he represents Oregonians—550,000 of whom are PacifiCorp customers—rather than PacifiCorp."

Is (Klamath) dam removal really the best option? by Rex Cozzalio, Siskiyou Daily News, posted to KBC 2/3/09

Power bill gets hearing, Bill would increase PacifiCorp rates to pay for removing 4 dams, H&N 2/4/09

Bill may raise power rates; Governor’s proposal is part of Klamath water settlement, H&N 2/3/09. "A study from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission indicates removal of that sediment could cost up to $500,000 per acre-foot, or up to $4.5 billion." "Opponents criticize the bill for being too open-ended, allowing PacifiCorp to raise rates at will for its half-million Oregon customers, potentially as much as $35 to $65 more per month."

Dam reports available to public; Removal of the Klamath dams would affect regions in both Siskiyou County and southeastern Oregon, Siskiyou Daily News 2/3/09

Testimony on Oregon Senate Bill 76, by Gail Hildreth Whitsett 2/3/09

Senator Doug Whitsett testimony of Senate Bill 76, posted 2/3/09. SB#76

Testimony of Oregon SB 76 by Rex Cozzalio 2/3/09, at the Salem Senate committee hearing

Dr. Richard A. Gierak's testimony at the Oregon Commission meeting in Salem opposing SB 76,  2/2/09. Gierak has Bachelor Degrees in Biology & Chemistry, Doctorate in the Healing Arts, Former FERC team member 2001, 2002.

Testimony before the Oregon Senate Environmental and Natural Resources Committee, Hearing on SB 76, by Katherine Lehman 2/3/09

**URGENT! ELECTRIC RATEPAYERS! ALL citizens are urged to attend and/or provide written testimony regarding their feelings on Klamath Dam removal. Tuesday Feb 3, Salem. "According to FERC, the high estimate of removal and disposal of 9000 acre feet of sediment from behind the dams is $4.5 billion, to be divided among 548,000 electric ratepayers, 90% who are in Oregon." 1/30/09

Senator Whitsett Newsletter 1/30/09 Senate Bill #76. "The bill is alleged to create the funding resources to enable the removal of the four hydroelectric dams on the Klamath River. The mechanism would be to create a 2 percent surcharge payable by all Oregon PacifiCorp ratepayers on their monthly bill for the next ten years."   

FERC sent us their power point presentation from the Jan. 29th meeting regarding the Agreement In Principal, the dam removal document. The commission is trying to figure out what their participation would be with the AIP and possibility of dam removal.

FERC hosts Klamath Dam meetings, Siskiyou Daily News 1/30/09

More questions than answers; Agency hearing on Klamath River dams draws about 100 in Yreka, H&N 1/30/09.      

Excerpt from Siskiyou County Supervisor Marcia Armstrong's opinion column on Yreka FERC meeting regarding dam removal Agreement In Principle, 1/30/09  

1/29/08: *PacifiCorp public meeting in Yreka on Klamath dam relicensing.  *Supplimental notification   *Letter of clarification from FERC

*****2005 Strategy of the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement*****
Posted to KBC 1/9/08: Rerun- Cal/EPA Environmental Justice Action Plan, May 18, 2005.
Lead Agency: State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB)
What they did not do on their list of strategies plans was, "In each step of the solution process, public input will be sought." Why are they still holding secret meetings in Sacramento with no disclosure, no public input or awareness, and far from the Klamath Basin where nearly 3000 petitions have been collected opposing the agreement or parts of the agreement in the past few years?)

From the archives - Saving the Klamath Salmon: Development of an Intervention Strategy or What to Do Between Disaster Relief and the Dams Coming Down, minutes from the July 20, 06 meeting of PCFFA, NMFS, Karuks, Yuroks Hupas, FWS, F&G, Water Quality, Congressman Thompson's office, ...(discussed was strategies to obtain money, dam removal, money, Dr Hardy studies, money, need of higher flows, and "Top Down approach"..)KBC notes that they are accomplishing their agenda.

1/29/08: *PacifiCorp public meeting in Yreka on Klamath dam relicensing.  *Supplimental notification   *Letter of clarification from FERC

***Senate Bill 76 - Klamath Dam Removal 75th OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2009 Regular Session. (KBC Note: The cost to Oregonians-we've heard from millions up to 4 $billion)

Senator hears economic worries; Financial bailout, water agreement among concerns at town hall meeting, H&N 1/25/09. "Steve Rapalyea of the Klamath Basin Alliance and Klamath Falls City Council Member Bill Adams said they had issues with the restoration agreement. Rapalyea said he gave petitions with 1,800 signatures against the agreement to Wyden’s staff, while Adams said the public needs more opportunity to weigh in on it."

Senator Doug Whitsett Newsletter, posted to KBC 1/18/09. Includes: Democrats' 2-billion taxes and fees, school choice, and Citizen Participation in Government. "The Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement, the Agreement in Principle to remove the four PacifiCorp dams on the Klamath River, as well as the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality’s imposition of draconian air quality standards on the greater Klamath Falls area, are direct examples of decisions that were completed by the political and environmental elite, before the public had an opportunity to be heard.

Letter by Karuk Tribal Member James Waddell to the Calif. St. Water Quality Control Board regarding Klamath Dam removal, 1/18/09.

(Siskiyou) County says: Let's talk, Pioneer Press 1/14/09

AIP REVISED - Regarding Agreement in Principle on Klamath Dam Removal by Rex Cozzalio, Siskiyou County, followed by opinion on Siskiyou Supervisors at the Klamath Settlement Agreement table, 1/13/09, "the recent, and expected, consequence of the Siskiyou Supervisors agreeing to sit at the Agreement in Principle table..."

AIP Regarding Agreement in Principle on Klamath Dam Removal, by Rex Cozzalio, Siskiyou County, posted to KBC 1/11/09

Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement/KBRA; New off-Project group forms. Organizers seek to represent irrigators in water settlement talks. "...the Resource Conservancy, was denied access to settlement talks despite representing a large number of off-Project irrigators with water adjudication claims. “It’s not fair to have everyone rehash everything for just one group,” Addington said. “It’s like letting the defense into the huddle.” KBC EDITOR RESPONDS: "Since Hyde's property is in an easement with the Tribes and Sustainable NW, she already sold out having total control of her land. And her partners, the environmental groups, agencies and tribes at the settlement table, are eager for her help to sell out the remainder of Off-Project irrigators." Anyone is welcomed to send KBC a response to the above article or response at kbc@klamathbasincrisis.org

Meeting today with PacifiCorp, H&N 1/9/09. (KBC NOTE: More than 3000 petitions opposing the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement or parts of it mean nothing to the Oregon governor or farm "representatives" who have 74 signatures favoring the "Agreement". As in the following article, Mallams, representing hundreds of Off-Project irrigators opposing the agreement, was no longer welcomed at the table. You must agree with dam removal, downsizing the Klamath Project, ceding our water rights to the tribes, and nearly obliterating Off-Project irrigation and the Siskiyou County economy. What happened to the America that the Greatest Generation fought for, when the people had a voice.?)
PacifiCorp, stakeholders to meet today, H&N 1/8/09. "Tom Mallams, who represents the Klamath Off-Project Water Users, said he was not aware of a meeting with PacifiCorp. He said it was common knowledge that those groups not actively supporting the restoration agreement would be excluded from future meetings."

(Siskiyou) County will participate in Klamath dam negotiations, Siskiyou Daily News 1/8/09

Siskiyou to join talks on (Klamath) Dams 1/8/09 Herald and News

Person of the Year - Roy Hall Jr., Pioneer Press, posted to KBC 1/7/08. "As the chairman of the Shasta Nation, he took a stance against dam removal on the Klamath River...'Taking the dams out isn't about the fish...it's about other tribes taking control of our water in this area.' Roy has made the undisputed claim that the Karuk Tribe used the Shasta's Treaty "R" to gain its federal recognition. 'They are dealing with an illegal tribe.' "

PacifiCorp; Notice of Public Meetings Concerning the Relicensing of the Klamath Hydroelectric Project, 1/3/09,  Quote.com

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2008

Oregon Governor Kulongoski and the Pacificorp Klamath Dam Agreement in Principle, Speech by Oregon Senator Doug Whitsett, posted to KBC 12/30/08 "(Senate Bill 76) is written to implement the Klamath Agreement in Principle for the removal of four PacifiCorp owned hydropower dams on the Klamath River... Governor Kulongoski and his staff are so focused on the Governor’s legacy, that they have ignored the reality that Oregonians will pay for the costs of the destruction of this critical energy infrastructure. The agreement they brokered will apply 90% of the costs of dam removal directly to the monthly bills of more than half a million PacifiCorp customers in Oregon."

(Oregon) Governor unveils environmental agenda for Legislature, Capital Press, posted to KBC 12/26/08. "...he will introduce ...bills to implement a cap-and-trade program, end field burning and develop a statewide water resources management strategy...The package also includes a bill facilitating the removal of four Klamath River Basin dams. The bill authorizes the Public Utility Commission to raise rates to pay for the dam removal."THE BILL designed to destroy the Klamath River hydro dams producing green power for 70,000 households beginning 2020, by implementing the Klamath Agreement in Principle. Draft summary and bill LC946 to be offered by the Governor's office by the beginning of the 2009 Legislative Session.
HERE are the Chosen "Stakeholders" privileged to receive communication and information regarding the fate of our power, water, water and property rights, communities, and newly-formed governing powers to rule over us, borne behind closed doors by those claiming to represent you. This document was NOT noted as SECRET.

Land deal returns slice of Klamath tribal homeland, Oregonian, posted 12/20/08. (Comment in Oregonian about article: "The government didn't take the reservation...they purchased it. There was not a government "liquidation" of the reservation." (KBC Comment: The tribal members VOTED to sell the reservation. The KBRA/Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement includes buying the forest to give to the Klamath Tribes again with taxpayers money. The land will come off the tax rolls. KBRA demands destroying 4 hydro dams, then the power customers will be dependant on the Klamath Tribe's new power plant. Americans aren't allowed by the tribes and environmentalists to log much of that land; this land, put into trust, will be logged by the Tribes. Several thousand local citizens signed petitions against giving land to the tribes again. Congressman Walden and irrigation leaders assured the citizens that this would need community support. Obviously their promise was empty. Our so-called "leaders" are not listening to their constituents while supporting the KBRA, still being drafted behind closed doors.) Article from same AP report here in Capital Press > Klamath Tribes are seeing a brighter future

Tribes to buy tree farm, Purchase agreement signed with timber company, H&N 12/20/08.

Siskiyou County Supervisor Marcia Armstrong, column on Klamath Dams, posted to KBC 12/17/08

Congressman (Thompson) passed over for post, H&N 12/16/08.  "Steve Kandra, a Malin area farmer, said Thompson was the one candidate who had enough background regarding the proposed Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement and the potential dam removal agreement with PacifiCorp to act in a prompt and favorable manner." "Thompson’s dumping of the dead salmon in 2002 focused national attention on the Klamath River...(Thompson) also criticized Bush policies benefiting farmers..." (KBC NOTE:  Thompson is a long-time enemy of Klamath Basin irrigators. Go HERE for Oct 2002 KWUA Newsletter by Dan Keppen, KWUA director at the time. In 2000, Thompson did support the farmers who wanted to sell out their neighbors and downsize Klamath Basin agriculture, specifically refuge farming. The KBRA supports refuge farming and downsizing private property agriculture. 

From the archives - Tribes dammed Klamath, Klamath Courier by Liz Bowen posted to KBC 6/2/05 "1851 journal states Klamath River ran putrid from dead salmon."

PacifiCorp: (Siskiyou) County should weigh in on dam removal, Siskiyou Daily News, posted 12/13/08. "The supervisors announced their unanimous opposition to the AIP recently and began preparations to assemble a legal team to assist county counsel in fighting dam removal. The supervisors also oppose the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement reached last year by various stakeholders and environmental groups."

(Klamath) Water meetings: Mum’s the word, H&N 12/13/08

Klamath Basin agreement may be farming's spotted owl, Tom Mallams, for the Capital Press 12/11/08. "A recent commentary in the local newspaper announcing support for the current settlement agreement was signed by 74 individuals. A petition against the current settlement agreement, as written, with close to 300 off-project individuals along with another petition from Siskiyou County with 250 signatures, many of which are tribal members against the agreement, as written, has been submitted to the Klamath County commissioners. The Klamath Basin Alliance has a separate petition with more than 600 signatures against the current settlement. It's apparent there is no widespread support in the basin for the current agreement as written."

Karuk slam dam deal, Pioneer Press, posted 12/11/08. "He wrote that his opposition to dam removal prompted threats on his life - one of the reasons he no longer lives along the River. The petitioners contacted by the Pioneer Press asked not to be identified in this article, fearing retribution....Environmental activist and Karuk spokesman Craig Tucker said, '...if these people are not behind it now,' Tucker said, 'then they shouldn't get the benefits when the dams start coming down.' "

(Klamath) County to skip water (settlement) meeting; Commissioners won’t attend session, based on legal advice, H&N 12/10/08. "(BROWN) added that he may not go because the group’s confidentiality agreement would prevent him from sharing information with county residents. Bunch said he heard the meeting could involve discussion of litigation involving Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the ongoing Klamath Basin water adjudication, two issues the county isn’t involved in."

Big (Klamath) Dam Fight, Willamette Week, posted 12/6/08. "The Legislature may end a long-festering dispute affecting one billionaire, a half-million Oregonians and more fish than you can count."

Removing Klamath River dams "I am in favor of dam removal. In 50-plus years, someone will figure out that building dams would provide jobs and farm land and then we could have spuds and grain again. Then down the road we could do the whole process again." Marge, Herald and News 12/5/08 p A6.

Water quality comments submitted for Siskiyou County by our environmental consultants to the State of California Water Resources Control Board on the likely impacts of considering dam removal as a cure for water quality issues (algae, temperature) in the operation of the hydroelectrioc dams. 11/14/08

Citizen Participation in Government, by Oregon Senator Doug Whitsett 12/2/08

Irrigator seeks water meeting, H&N, posted to KBC 12/1/08. "The board worked to arrange a meeting between off- and on-Project irrigators and the Klamath Tribes in the weeks following January’s release of the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement. The Tribes never agreed on terms for the meeting and representatives for on-Project irrigators pulled out when they learned the Tribes weren’t going to participate."

Karuk Tribe petition against Klamath Dam removal, Nov., 2008
So far nearly 250 Karuk Tribal members and community members living on or near the Klamath River have signed a petition opposing removal of 4 hydroelectric dams on the Klamath River. On each petition is printed:
"As Tribal Members/Community Members:
     * We do not agree with dam removal; dams are not the reason for the salmon net returning to the Klamath River.
     * Small groups of tribal members, along with small interest groups, are not representing all tribal members/communities along the Klamath; they represent their own agenda.
     * All tribal members and community members should be able to have a voice, not a select few."
HERE for Karuk Tribe cover letter on Petition.

What Klamath County’s state lawmakers think (about dam removal), H&N, posted to KBC 11/25/08. (KBC NOTE: Nearly 98% of those who voted supported Senator Whitsett's re-election as Oregon State Senator in the five county District 28. Senator Whitsett opposes dam removal and the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement. 300 Off-Project irrigators signed a petition against the KBRA. 640 throughout the Klamath Basin signed another petition, and more than 250 Karuk tribal members and people living on the Klamath River oppose the KBRA. Siskiyou County Supervisors, home of 3 Klamath River Dams, unanimously oppose the KBRA, and the Klamath County Natural Resource Council "cannot support draft 11 as written." 74 people signed a letter favoring the agreement in the Klamath Basin, however the green media calls the overwhelming majority "detractors". The Upper Basin Resource Conservancy was not allowed at the table; they represent 50,000 acres of Upper Klamath Basin agriculture.)

Dam bypass proposed; Opponents of removal offer alternatives, H&N, posted to KBC 11/25/08
Details of the proposed Hart Bypass, H&N 11/25/08

Transcripts from the four public scoping meetings that were held in Northern California in October regarding dam removal and environmental concerns. They were held by the Calif. Water Quality Control Board. Full transcripts of the public comments are included, as well as the introduction and full explanation of the purpose of the meetings. PLEASE send your comments to the board by Feb. 23.   Yreka   Klamath   Orleans    Eureka    Two groups at the Klamath settlement table, North Coast Environmental Center and Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen, support taking out the Keno Dam as well. People at the Yreka meeting presented testimony objecting to dam removal. Most of those objecting are not allowed at the table. Eureka htm

Klamath River Dams - Agreement in Principle (AIP), Excerpt from Siskiyou County Supervisor's column this week 11/25/08. KBC NOTE - A few farmers, fishermen, and tribal members, along with many environmental groups and government agencies, drafted the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement which would tear out 4 dams, 3 being in Siskiyou County. Siskiyou County unanimously opposes the KBRA, and has many concerns about the AIP which are summarized in Armstrong's column.

Dam deal still stokes controversy, Critics from all sides assail new deal on Klamath Basin water, Mateusz Perkowski, Capital Press, posted to KBC 11/24/08

Ridin Point by Siskiyou County Supervisor Marcia Armstrong. posted 11/24/08. Regarding Klamath dam removal

Dan Keppen: Removing Klamath dams doesn't apply to the Snake: READER'S VIEW DAM REMOVAL, by Dan Keppen, Idaho Statesman 11/23/08. (For another viewpoint: Senator Doug Whitsett speech on Klamath dam removal and KlamathBasinRestorationAgreement, KFLS)

(OFFICIAL) STATEMENT OF THE COUNTY OF SISKIYOU regarding the Agreement in Principle regarding Klamath River dam removal 11/19/08

What about Copco?, Siskiyou Daily News, posted to KBC 11/22/08. "Numerous Copco Lake residents gathered this week to express their concern on a plan to tear down four Klamath River dams."

Where's the chair for (Klamath) taxpayers 11/20/08. "You point out that almost half of the estimated $450 million cost of removing four dams from the Klamath River will be paid for by PacifiCorp customers, and that the “Agreement” seeks “the use of public funds to buy private land for the Klamath Tribes.”

Klamath dams water timeline, H&N, posted to KBC 11/17/08

Dear Green River friends, by Ric Costale, 11/17/08. "When (not if!) the salmon fail to rebound if the dams are decommissioned, there will be immense pressure to end irrigated agriculture in the entire Klamath Basin.  The farmers who have sold out thinking that supporting decommissioning will somehow guarantee their way of life will have only bought themselves time to live out their lives on their farms.  It will be the next generation who will have to live with the final round of “takings.”

Reuniting a River, National Geographic Dec 2008 issue. "Today the dams are the backbone of the power system that produces 750,000 megawatt hours for Pacific Power in an average year, enough to meet the electricity needs of 70,000 homes. It's especially useful power in that it releases no carbon emissions and can be turned on in an instant to supply peak needs."  " ...removing the four hydro­electric dams...advocates hope this might restore the river to its natural condition.

The Klamath Restoration Agreement supports planting fish parasites, Klamath Lamprey, in Upper Klamath Basin. Klamath Riverkeeper and dam removal activist and Karuk spokesman Craig Tucker, is offended by the fact that KBC News said lamprey are fish parasites: "Will you guys please stop referring to lamprey as fish parasites? Native people (and sushi lovers around the world) love lamprey. They are part of God’s creation too! Thanks, S. Craig Tucker, Ph.D., Klamath Campaign Coordinator, Karuk Tribe". Posted 11/16/08

Restoration(KBRA) proposal unfair to many in Basin, by Tom Mallams, H&N, posted to KBC 11/16/08. "Sprague River Water Resource Foundation and the Resource Conservancy umbrella organization represent virtually all of the contestants in the adjudication and they represent the vast majority of all Off-Project irrigators. Sprague River Water Resource Foundation has been active in water-related issues for more than 25 years, settling many claims in the adjudication. Resource Conservancy... 11 years." (KBC NOTE - Resource Conservancy was not allowed at the KBRA table as a stakeholder--they farm 25,000 acres off Project. Already Nature Conservancy and gov't agencies have acquired more than 100,000 acres of off-Project once-productive ag land and made swamps. Of 50,000 acres left, this agreement forces them to give up 30,000 more acre-feet of water. Becky Hyde, who works with tribes and Sustainable NW, is trying to create a new group, claiming to speak for the off-Project folks and supporting the agreement. She was welcomed to attend the closed-door settlement meeting in Sacramento with other chosen 'stakeholders.') 300 off-Project people, in addition to 640 Klamath Basin petitions, oppose the 'agreement.

Reaction to Klamath agreement, H&N 11/16/08

Bush wants solution,  Secretary of Interior hopes dam agreement will help Basin, H&N 11/14/08

Hurdles remain for Klamath dams , H&N 11/16/08

Notice of scoping comment deadline extension for Klamath River Hydro Project, new deadline for public comments to California Water Resources Control Board,  February 23, 2009. The following article and video will explain what the Control Board needs from you. It is important to write to them! Water board mulls PacifiCorp project; Locals say they want Upper Klamath Basin dams to remain, Capital Press 

This (Klamath) dam deal will cost you, Albany Democrat Herald opinion 11/14/08

Pact Would Open (Klamath) River, Removing Four Dams, New York Times 11/14/08. (KBC NOTE: although the National Academy of Science, and other fish scientists, said that in 2002 the Trinity River fish did not die because of Klamath Project irrigation, which is 200 miles away using 5% of the water at the mouth of the Klamath River, urban journalists and attorneys, tribes and environmentalists, as well as Interior Secretaries, insist on repeating the mantra that farmers killed the fish. There were years with lower water that had no fish kill.)

Stakeholders react to agreement, H&N 11/14/08

Fed-State-Utility Agreement May Lead To Removal Of Four Dams On Klamath River, CB Bulletin 11/14/08

PacifiCorp Agrees To Remove (Klamath) Dams, Wall St. Journal 11/13/08

Klamath dam removal plan unpopular with farmers, Capital Press 11/13/08. "Common sense says, what are they thinking?" said Tom Mallams, a hay farmer and president of the Klamath Off-Project Water Users, who opposes dam removal. "It's an absolute disaster, the way they're trying to do this." "Removal will be paid for with $200 million worth of surcharges on PacifiCorp customers in Oregon and California, as well as $250 million in general obligation bond funds from the state of California...The dams currently provide enough electricity to service 70,000 homes..."

Statement by The President on Conservation of Klamath River Basin, DOI 11/13/08

**Hundreds of community voices reject Klamath Settlement Agreement to Klamath County Commissioners, 11/12/08. photo: Klamath County Commissioner Bill Brown reviews the 640 petitions by Klamath Basin residents opposing the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement. At the same time, Dept of Interior, Tribes, environmentalists, and 2 farm reps, in Sacramento claimed they have the support of their constituents to take out dams, downsize agriculture, give tribes a forest to be put into tax-exempt trust, and plant endangered fish, including fish parasites lamprey, in the warm shallow waters of the Klamath Basin. These constituents had no voice, no vote.

PRESS RELEASE - Agreement in Principle Marks First Critical Step on Presumptive Path to Remove Four Klamath River Dams, AIP sets in motion potential for the largest project of its kind in U.S. history, DOI 11/13/08

Agreement in Principle, 11/13/08

Letter from Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne to Ore Governor Kulongoski, Calif Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, PacifiCorp., 11/13/08

Tentative deal will clear Klamath River for salmon, The Oregonian, posted to KBC 11/13/08. Oregonian comment following article, "The people have just screwed Oregon again. Nice job."

* Dams would be removed by 2025;State, feds and PacifiCorp agreement scheduled for signing Thursday, H&N 11/12/08

Guest Commentary:  Restoration agreement will pain many in Klamath River area, H&N 11/3/08. "Local ranchers and farmers above the Klamath Lake are asked to give up 30,000 acre feet of water in order to inflate stream flows and lake levels above what is available in most years. This is in addition to nearly 100,000 acres already acquired by government agencies and The Nature Conservancy and taken off our tax rolls. Klamath Project irrigation would also be considerably downsized, which affects our local economy."

Salmon: No dam difference? by The Editorial Board October 29, 2008, The Oregonian

Restoration agreement has local support; It would let Basin live with change and help direct it, H&N letter to editor by 74 people, 10/26/08. (KBC NOTE: More than 940 people recently signed petitions against this billion dollar 'agreement' in the Klamath Basin, 250 signed a Karuk petition opposing dam removal, and more than 2000 petitions have been sent to elected officials in the past 5 years against giving forest land to the Klamath Tribes that they previously sold, to be taken off the tax rolls.)  

Surprising study shows more salmon survive West's dammed rivers, posted 10/29/08, The Canadian Press

Dams Not Main Cause of Salmon Collapse, Study Says, National Geographic, posted 10/29/08

Dam deal still stokes controversy, Critics from all sides assail new deal on Klamath Basin water
Mateusz Perkowski, Capital Press 11/20/08

Hydroelectricity in Basin, H&N 10/20/08

Water pact work remains; Efforts to drum up support continue, as do disagreements, H&N 10/12/08. "Sustainable Northwest, a Portland-based environmental group which first came to the Klamath Basin at the request of local rancher Becky Hyde and the Klamath Tribes, organized flights over the region last weekend...Off-Project irrigator Tom Mallams, who participated in the flyover, does not support the agreement. He has been vocal about his feeling that off-Project irrigators like himself are not getting the same kinds of protections that on-Project irrigators are."

Klamath Settlement: Klamath Tribe document on intentions from settlement land and money and taking private ag land -- water quantity and quality, along with casinos and etc.)
Document - Klamath County Natural Resource Advisory Council unanimously rejected Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement, Draft 11, met 5/28/08. Posted to KBC 7/28/08

Senator Doug Whitsett speech on Klamath dam removal and KlamathBasinRestorationAgreement, KFLS, re-posted to KBC 9/19/08.

Do you want the Klamath dams removed? Do you want the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement? Tell Warren Buffett by writing or calling: Berkshire Hathaway Attn: Warren Buffett, 1440 Kiewit Plaza, Omaha , NE 68131,  402-346-1400. NOW is the time to write your County Commissioners, Senators and Congressmen, governors, City Council. HERE for contact information They need your opinions regarding the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement, NOW.

Stakeholders get birds-eye perspective; Water agreement stakeholders view much of the area included in the agreement by plane, 10/6/08, H&N.

Look at the facts of Klamath dams, H&N letter to the editor by Corrine Edwards, Klamath Falls, posted 9/30/08.  

Environmental laws wedge state into hydrological corner, By Congressmen GEORGE RADANOVICH and JIM COSTA posted September 25, 2008. "...California has slowly painted itself into a corner by reprioritizing water supplies to the environment while ignoring the need for improving our water supply, infrastructure and storage."

Vandals tag signs near Klamath dam;  Messages demand Iron Gate removal, Record Searchlight 9/22/08. (KBC NOTE: Environmental activist and Karuk tribe spokesman makes excuses for vandalism which will cost thousands of dollars to clean up.)

Repeat the lie enough and the people believe it. Environmental activist and Karuk spokesman Craig Tucker, formerly activist with Friends of the River, an international group bent on destroying the American infrastructure/dams, again led a group of Indians and environmental activists to PacifiCorp yesterday to pound on PacifiCorp's doors in Portland and demand removal of Klamath River dams. (am620KPOJ). These dams incidentally provide power for 70,000 households annually. They had signs "remember the fish kill" of 2002. Remember, the National Research Council found that river flows did not kill the fish, as blamed by this group. The activists said all the fish are dying and diseased--this year has a high run of fish on the Klamath, and guides are limiting out by mid-morning. Watch their little protest and the colored sick fish. Why would sportsmen limit out on colored sick fish? Repeat the lie enough and the people believe it.)

(Klamath Dam Removal Activist) Groups Sponsor Day of Action Against PacifiCorp on September 18, Indy Bay, posted 9/17/08. (KBC NOTE: HERE for website of IP3, the Ruckus Society, who trains the tribes and enviros how to destroy our American infrastructure.  According to the above article, Conditions improve for ocean salmon rebound, salmon are abundant on the Klamath due to ocean conditions. The dams did not kill them. Repeat the lie enough and the people believe it.)

Public Participation in Environmental Decisionmaking  Secrecy News from the FAS Project on Government Secrecy, posted to KBC 9/17/08. "A new report from the National Research Council probes deeply into the positive and occasionally negative effects of public participation on the environmental policymaking process...'When done well, public participation improves the quality and legitimacy of a decision and builds the capacity of all involved to engage in the policy process. It also can enhance trust and understanding among parties,' the report said." (KBC NOTE: let's reflect on the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement for the example of NO public participation in forming a settlement, continual closed-door meetings; no 'of the people, by the people...') HERE for free online report.

(Klamath  Water) Adjudication: $5,000 a day, H&N, posted to KBC 9/17/08. (KBC NOTE: Author makes the case that Klamath Basin Restoration agreement will save the farmers money if they sign the agreement rather than pay for adjudication. The agreement says, "(15.3.2 B ii) “Recognizes the tribal water rights at the claimed amounts and with the priority date of time immemorial.” along with giving the Klamath Tribes land that they voted to sell and were paid for. Yes, the Tribes would like irrigators to settle. Tribes are claiming more water than exists in most years. Go HERE for more on adjudication and tribal claims.)

Congressman Hastings on hydropower, posted to KBC 9/11/08

Klamath Dam concerns voiced in Dorris, Mt Shasta Herald, posted 9/8/08. “This is a win-lose agreement. And we’re the losers!” said Armstrong, who was one of the speakers expressing strong feelings about the dangers of removing four hydroelectric dams on the Klamath River."  "Becky Hyde, the wife of an off-project rancher from Sprague River Valley, said ...'we need to stress patience. Maybe we should decide to put Prozac in the Upper Klamath Basin.' ”

Water clarification: PacifiCorp, H&N posted to KBC 9/6/08. "

(Klamath) Tribes acquire former mill site, Biomass facility planned north of Chiloquin, H&N, posted to KBC 9/2/08. "Mitchell said developing the property would promote the Tribes’ forestry objectives and potentially replace some of the power that could be lost if four PacifiCorp-owned hydroelectric dams on the Klamath River are removed." (KBC NOTE: If the Klamath Dams are ripped out, the 70,000 households dependant on the dams' hydropower will be partially dependant on the Klamath Tribes' biofuel.)

Un-dam the Klamath meeting set for Charleston tonight, Coos Bay, The World Link, posted to KBC 8/23/08. “There is no better case for dam removal on the West Coast than the four small, obsolete and fish-killing dams in the Klamath River that currently block the river,” said Glen Spain of the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations, in a press release. ...They have long since outlived their usefulness, and today they are nothing more than an ongoing disaster for large portions of the West Coast and its salmon.” (KBC NOTE: According to recent reports, Klamath River presently has a bumper crop of fish: Fishing in a crowd can be fun,.. Salmon catch eased on two rivers (Klamath and Trinity) ... Klamath allocation of chinook looks good,..., except for the hundreds of tribal gill netting at the mouth of the Klamath: Fishing line,...and The Great Lie,  With a record run of salmon this fall, it can't be true that the dams killed the fish. Spain claims the dams "outlived their usefulness," when the dams provide enough power for 70,000 households annually, enough to supply the entire Eugene/Springfield area. HERE for website of IP3, the Ruckus Society, who trains the tribes and enviros how to destroy our American infrastructure.)

Klamath Basin resident Nell Kuonen provided to Basin Alliance the following letter she wrote to Pacific Corp regarding dam removal, posted to KBC 8/20/08. Kuonen is a former Klamath County Commissioner.

Klamath Basin Alliance posts some comments sent to them with their petitions condemning the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement.

County leaders talk water, dams, Klamath, Siskiyou boards plan to meet regularly about water pact, H&N 8/20/08

The Great Basin Debate, Pioneer Press, posted to KBC 8/20/08. "Things are heating up regarding the Klamath Restoration Agreement - that lengthy tome of a document hammered out behind the scenes by a handful of political, Indian, farming and conservation entities over the last two years."

Too many questions remain on (Klamath) restoration agreement, by Steve Rapalyea, H&N August 17, 2008. "Doesn’t this agreement prejudice the water adjudication against the off-Project irrigation? Is not the Tribes wanting to negotiate with individual irrigators nothing more than divide and conquer? If the Tribes get the “Mazama Project” and get the land put into trust it will be removed from the tax rolls. How would this be better for the people of Klamath County than the land being on the tax rolls and in its current sustained yield management?"

August 19 at 1:30 Dorris City Hall 307 Main Street, Public Joint Meeting of  Siskiyou County Board of Supervisors and Klamath County Commissioners regarding FERC relicensing issues on the Klamath River.

PacifiCorp to resubmit water quality application, Mt Shasta News, Frank Galusha 8/14/08. "the Warren Buffett-owned subsidiary that operates several hydropower-producing dams on the Klamath intends to resubmit its request for certification, according Art Sasse, a PacifiCorp spokesperson."

Fishing in a crowd can be fun, Times-Standard, posted 8/11/08. "The Klamath River is predicted to be full of salmon this fall." (KBC NOTE: wait, the Klamath River Tribes and environmentalists said the dams are causing the salmon to go "extinct", the dams are "genocide" for the tribes, thus the dams must be destroyed. What's this?)

D.C. trip covered (Klamath) dams, salmon; Commissioner Bill Brown says he represented himself, county and residents, H&N, posted to KBC 8/11/08

Supervisors Cook, Kobseff take dam issue to Washington, DC lawmakers, Siskiyou Daily News 8/7/08. “We need more water for upper Klamath Basin irrigation and we need to improve fish habitat,” Kobseff said. “We can do that and keep the clean hydroelectric power that’s vital for U.S. consumers.”

Majority of responses favor fish ladders over Klamath dam removal H&N, posted to KBC 8/4/08

Klamath Commissioner Brown: D.C. Trip was productive (regarding Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement) H&N 8/2/08. "Brown, who opposes dam removal, said he expressed concerns about losing hydroelectric power and the lack of provisions to enforce understandings in a proposed water settlement agreement, and urged that Long Lake be considered for water storage. He also remains concerned about provisions for salmon, explaining, 'This would be an introduction of salmon, not a reintroduction.' ”

Siskiyou supervisor pleased with delay (of dam talks), H&N 8/2/08."He and other Siskiyou County supervisors voted earlier this year to oppose the proposed agreement because it requires removal of the dams."

Water meetings delayed, State, federal officials postpone meetings with stakeholders, H&N 8/2/08

Klamath Dam Removal Advocates Train For Direct Action Against PacifiCorp, Indybay, posted to KBC 8/2/08. (KBC NOTE: what if the stakeholders used science and public participation rather than activism in forming a Klamath settlement? What if the people were allowed to see even the latest draft of the agreement before the Interior Department and tribes and enviros and gov't agencies and water districts signed on? What if voices of 80% of the people were heard? HERE for website of IP3, the Ruckus Society, who trains the tribes and enviros how to destroy our American infrastructure.)

Taking out dams ridiculous idea, H&N letter to editor 7/31/08

Media Myths; America's big dam problems. Networks ignore Eco-campaign to save the salmon and turn out the lights, Business and Media Institute, posted to KBC 7/31/08. "America’s dams are in danger. Not just from terrorists or the ravages of time, but from the extreme fringe of the environmental movement...the big environmental push was out West, and the targets had far more impact on the power grid. The attacks on Klamath dams, along the Oregon/California border..."

Strategies for civil disobedience the topic of workshop, The Daily Triplicate 7/30/08. Here for a word from Karuk Spokesman and anti-dam activist Craig Tucker, who led the charge against Buffett's Klamath dams. HERE for website of IP3, the Ruckus Society, which trains those planning to take out Klamath's 4 hydropower dams, and explains how Columbus and his followers have exploited the tribes and turned the USA into wasteland.
HERE for rerun of Peace on the River, a piece recommended to KBC by Craig Tucker, with KBC response.

Supervisors head to Washington to protest Klamath dams removal, Siskiyou Daily News, posted 7/28/08.“I think it’s a bad idea to remove the dams and the people of Siskiyou County mostly agree,” said Cook. “In informal surveys, between 85 and 90 percent of the people in this county answer that they are opposed to dam removal,” he pointed out. “It’s a little less in southern Oregon, but not much.”
Commissioner headed to D.C. Bill Brown to be part of fact-finding and lobbying trip about dams, H&N, posted to KBC 7/28/08. "Two county residents involved in the agreement said they were skeptical of Brown's motives. "I don't think it reflects upon Bill Brown very well, and I don't think it reflects upon the county very well," said Steve Kandra, irrigator and board member of the Klamath Water Users Association." (KBC NOTE: We commend Brown on his trip to DC and efforts to represent the majority of the people in Klamath County)

Siskiyou County Supervisor Marcia Armstrong compares California water plan with Klamath dam-removal Agreement, Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement, 7/24/08

Malibu Chumash Village to Host Klamath Riverkeeper Event; Local Groups Join Ranks with Organizations Seeking Removal of Four Dams, Malibu Surfside News 7/24/08. (Craig Tucker, former waterkeeper activist, is currently spokesman for the Karuk Tribe).HERE for more on dam removal and Klamath Settlement Agreement.

Proposed Klamath agreement doesn’t make much sense, H&N letter,  7/23/08.

From transcripts of testimony given at a public meeting before the Siskiyou County Board of Supervisors at Yreka, CA on March 25, 2008 regarding Klamath Settlement and Klamath dam removal:
* Mr. Miner is a Siskiyou County consultant from Brownfield Partners. Mr. Lambie is dam sediment expert from E-Pur, LLC
* Preliminary Review of Klamath River Dam and Sediment Investigation, Brownfield Partners
* Mr. Dean Brockbank and Mr. Toby Freeman of PacifiCorp
* Greg Hurner represents California Fish and Game, David Diamond U.S. Fish and Wildlife and Phil Detrich  representative of U.S. Fish and Wildlife
* Mr. Addington represents Klamath Water Users; Mr. Tucker represents Karuk tribe; Mr. Fletcher represents  Yurok tribe; Mr. Crawford represents Tulelake Irrigators and Mr. Bartel is from the off-Project irrigators .
* Copco Lake landowners

Commission adopts plan to reintroduce salmon into Upper Klamath Lake, DFW, posted to KBC 7/21/08
KWUA comments sent to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Commission regarding salmon introduction into Upper Klamath Basin, posted to KBC 7/21/08.
State oks Klamath salmon plan, H&N 7/19/08. "The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission has approved restoration of chinook salmon to the area now blocked by dams on the Klamath River." (KBC NOTE - “Let’s grow salmon in the swamp” policy is adopted in Sisters, OR )
Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission (Commission) to take final public testimony and consider amendments to the Klamath River Basin Fish Management Plan to authorize initiation of efforts to re-establish anadromous fish in the Oregon portion of the Klamath River Basin..." posted 7/19/08

The Commission will review and adopt proposed new Klamath Plan Goals, Policies and Objectives associated with the re-introduction of anadromous fish into the Upper Klamath River Basin in Oregon as Oregon Administrative Rules. Staff:   Roger Smith, Klamath Watershed District Fish Biologist Public Testimony Action:  Rulemaking

Attachments:

Cover (pdf) Agenda Item Summary (pdf) Notice of Proposed Rulemaking Hearing (pdf) Statement of Need and Fiscal Impact and Fiscal Impact Statement (pdf) Draft Plan for Reintroduction of Anadromous Fish into the Upper Klamath Basin (pdf) Proposed Administrative Rules (pdf) Public Correspondence (pdf)

Klamath Dam Decision by September 30? H&N posted to KBC 7/19/08.

Congressional representation on (Klamath dam) issues, July 11, 2008, Ridin Point, by Siskiyou County Supervisor Marcia Armstrong

Klamath allocation of chinook looks good, Triplicate 7/11/08. "Larry Hanson, a senior biologist with California Department of Fish and Game, speaking from his office in Redding. 'This is the second-largest (fishing) allocation on the Klamath in the last 30 years....The commission has approved a catch allotment of 22,500 fall chinook salmon, and 11,250 of those would go to sport anglers in the Klamath below Weitchipec. The Klamath above Weitchipec is allowed about 3,800 salmon, and the upper and lower segments of the Trinity River will each get about 3,700 fish. The tribal allocation will be 27,000 salmon.' " KBC NOTE: Huh? According to 26 groups supporting downsizing ag and dam removal, including tribal leaders, enviros, and gov't agencies, the dams and algae and farmers and commercial fishermen have killed most all the fish on the Klamath, driving them to extinction. What's this "2nd largest fishing allocation" all about?????

***Peace on the River,  by High Country News, posted 7/8/08 with KBC commentary. "After (Hoopas and Yuroks) sued against us getting a power rate with the other "friends" at the settlement table, THEN they supported a rate hike that would take place over 4 years. They put us in the bind in the first place, then turned on their allies in the legal battle, PacifiCorp." (KBC NOTE: Karuk spokesman Craig Tucker asked us to put this article on KBC; he claims it is accurate.)

Urgent Action Alert: State hearings on Klamath Dams on July 22, 31st, and Aug. 1. by Dan Bacher, posted to KBC 7/8/08, San Francisco Indy Bay
*** In response to Mr. Bacher on Klamath Dams, by Marcia Armstrong, Siskiyou County Supervisor, posted 7/8/08

Where is their science...? by Marshall Tarrents, comment on speech of Senator Whitsett, 7/2/08, regarding introduction of non-native salmon in Klamath Basin.

Kayaking the Klamath while dodging the dams, High Country News 7/2/08, with KBC NOTES. "Yurok Indian said, "Us and the farmers, we’re working side by side right now," he said. "We told them we wouldn’t sue them, so they’re with us. They don’t like the word sue."

Senator Doug Whitsett speech on Klamath dam removal and KBRA, KFLS, posted to KBC 7/1/08. "The PacifiCorp owned dams produce about 170 megawatts of electricity, about enough environmentally clean power to supply the entire Eugene Springfield area....Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement (KBRA) is entirely contingent on that dam removal....This plan to introduce salmon into the Upper Basin has a critical flaw that will be potentially devastating to not only agricultural and timber interests, but to all inhabitants of the Upper Basin. Most of the proposed salmon habitat includes water that is much too warm and eutrophic for these species to survive and reproduce..."

Hearing highlights importance of hydroelectric dams, Capital Press 6/27/08

Impact of (Mazama) tree farm swap not known, H&N, posted to KBC 6/24/08. "...now Oregon forestry officials are discussing a deal ... exchanging two other parcels for the tree farm and then transferring it to the Klamath Tribes."

Klamath Basin Alliance has a petition regarding the Klamath Settlement Agreement.

Climate Change – a Klamath Wildcard, KlamBlog, posted to KBC 6/20/08. "But deferring an Upper Basin Climate Change Assessment that will likely find that the total amount of water which can be allocated to river flows and irrigation will shrink significantly should raise some eyebrows. The proposed Water Deal would also defer until some future time the “drought plan” which will tell us how the flows needed to prevent future fish kills will be obtained when there is not enough water to meet all water needs..."

Klamath Dam transfer considered, PacifiCorp talking with government officials, H&N posted 6/11/08

U.S., PacifiCorp discuss resolution of Klamath dams issue, Oregonian, posted to KBC 6/11/08
Is PacifiCorp helping lead? H&N, posted 6/11/08

Columbia River - Salmon win in this dam legal battle, Capital Press editorial 4/25/08. "It's a fact that some environmental groups won't be happy until every dam is removed from every salmon stream and river in the West. Whether that's practical is, for them, not a concern. They simply don't seem to be willing to accept any alternatives. For them, it's an all-or-nothing proposition."
Rogue River dams to come down, Oregonian, posted to KBC 6/11/08

Dam removal advocates ignore lethal consequence, Frank Galusha, posted 6/4/08, Redding Record Searchlight

Letter to Craig Tucker -- Rerun: Finally the residents & property owners of Siskiyou County may have been heard. Not everyone is in favor of "your" dam removal, from N. Grant Yreka, CA. "Save these fish by stopping the pollution and poisoning of the river by all the illegal meth labs that have been dumped or are currently dumping waste into the river. Stop netting all of the salmon at the mouth of the Klamath and give them a chance to return to their spawning ground."

Dam issue jams Klamath settlement; Power company process independent of stakeholders' agreement, Capital Press 5/30/08

Letters: Klamath River is important issue in District 5 race - Del Norte County, May 30, 2008, Crescent City Daily Triplicate

Public Comment Made To Siskiyou County Board of Supervisors by Leo Bergeron, posted to KBC 5/30/08. "We, the citizens of Siskiyou County appreciate the firm stand taken by the board in voting to oppose both dam removal and the restoration agreement."

Lack of science doesn't faze dam removal junkies, Special Report, MyOutdoorBuddy (c) MAY2008 by Frank Galusha, EasyWriter. (Includes letters by Jeffrey Mount and Peter Moyle, UC Davis professors and National Research Council members,  to FWS Western Manager Steve Thompson, and Joseph Grindstaff, Deputy Secretary California Resources Agency, regarding science behind dam removal.)
Lies about the Klamath dams drift downstream, by Karuk Spokesman Craig Tucker, 5/27/08, Redding Record Searchlight
Klamath dam removal poses serious risks, Redding Record Searchlight, posted 5/20/08, by Siskiyou County Supervisor Marcia Armstrong, District 5.

***KBC responds to Ph.D. Haberfeld's accusations: Ph.D. Steven Haberfeld, Indian dispute resolution services director, sends scathing letter to Klamath Basin Alliance and off-Project representatives, calling them "racist," "nonnegotiable," with "baseless hatred," "distorted arguments," "deliberate misinformation," "unpure motives," and "race prejudiced," for Basin Alliance inviting an Indian to speak at a meeting. The 2 off-project men he defamed had nothing to do with tribal member Philip Brendale's invitation to speak with some invited guests. By KBC 5/24/08.  

Ph.D. Steven Haberfeld, Indian dispute resolution director, writes to Basin Alliance saying Tribal Member Philip Brendale is not allowed to come to the Klamath Basin. Larry Toelle of Siskiyou County Responds, 5/23/08

***Letter by Becky Hyde who blasts: Klamath Basin Alliance, Cherokee descendant and author Elaine Willman who was former National Chairman of Citizens for Equal Rights, and tribal member and tribal law expert Philip Brendale who is coming to town next week. He was getting screwed by his tribe, took the case to the Supreme Court and won. Response by a KBC editor, May 20, 2008.  

Klamath dam removal poses serious risks, Redding Record Searchlight, posted 5/20/08.

Study the tradeoffs before removing dams, Herald and News, posted to KBC 5/20/08

Proposed settlement won’t end court cases, nor guarantee water, H&N by Chris Howard, Klamath Basin Alliance, 5/19/08

Letters: Siskiyou County supervisor is incorrect on Klamath dams, by Karuk Spokesman/anti dam activist Craig Tucker,
FOLLOWED BY response from Siskiyou Supervisor Marcia Armstong, The Daily Triplicate 5/19/08

Siskiyou County Board's opposition to dam removal, Letter to the editor by Marcia H. Armstrong, Supervisor District 5 (representing the communities downriver of the dams) Siskiyou County 5/11/08. "Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement is premised on dam removal, which poses significant concerns for communities downriver from the dams. There is an estimated 20 million cubic yards of sediment stored behind the dams. The 2006 Klamath River Dam and Sediment Study was not comprehensive..."

False image of tribal importance; Karuk tribal member letter regarding Tribes that interrupted Warren Buffet's stockholders' meeting, 5/6/08. "For Pete's Sake!  I can't believe so many people are actually listening to Leaf Hillman!  He was a..." HERE for more articles on Hillman.

A special invite for you to join the Grange, Pioneer Press 5/5/08

(Siskiyou) County Supervisors meet with Pacific Power officials, Pioneer Press, posted to KBC 5/5/08

(Klamath) Water users bow to environmentalists, H&N, posted to KBC 5/4/08. "The Klamath Water Users Association has chosen to appease the environmental groups by demanding the removal of the dams on the Klamath River...The message we are sending is clear. Do not fight for what is right, but take whatever your adversaries will give you."

Fate of Klamath dams still uncertain; Daily briefing Company that owns dams will defer choice to state regulators and federal officials OMAHA, Neb, H&N 5/4/08.
Klamath-area protesters descend on Warren Buffett in Omaha, The Eureka Reporter, posted 5/4/08. "Leaf Hillman, vice chair of the Karuk Tribe, was temporarily detained by police, preventing him from speaking while he waited in line for his turn at the microphone, according to the news release." (KBC NOTE: last fall Karuk spiritual leader Hillman was arrested for assaulting his wife with a beer bottle, leaving her bleeding and unsconscious.)

Native Women Protest Over Warren Buffett's Klamath River Dams, North Coast Indy Bay, posted to KBC 5/4/08. "The 20 members of the Yurok, Karuk and Hoopa Valley Tribes unfurled a huge banner demanding, "Warren, Un-Dam the Klamath! Sign the Agreement Now!...Wealthy women from the Klamath River make our jewelry from the plants that grow along the river banks and the shells of mussel and abalone...Now the river is so polluted from Buffett's dams we are worried about harvesting the plants we need for our jewelry and regalia."  (KBC NOTE: Dam removal eliminates power for 70,000 customers annual, significantly raising power rates.  There would be potentially 20 million cubic yards of sediment on spawning grounds and emerging fish, decimating salmon runs, habitat, habitat for humanity by dam reservoirs. Dam removal would eliminate $1 million/yr tax revenues in Siskiyou County.)

Council OKs salmon fishing on Klamath; DFG vote next, The Record-Stockton, 4/30/08. "But Chinook salmon fishing on the Klamath River will be open as usual, with a larger than normal quota (22,500 fish) allocated for the 2008 season. The Klamath Tribal allocation is 27,000 fish." (KBC NOTE: Fishing in the Pacific Ocean is shut down this season decimating the fishing industry and economies, Tribes want the Klamath dams out because they say it is causing the fish to go extinct, and the fish run on the Klamath is exceptional...?)
Foes of dams to confront Buffet again, Times-Standard posted 4/30/08

Salmon win in this dam legal battle, Capital Press editorial 4/25/08. "It's a fact that some environmental groups won't be happy until every dam is removed from every salmon stream and river in the West. Whether that's practical is, for them, not a concern. They simply don't seem to be willing to accept any alternatives. For them, it's an all-or-nothing proposition."

Tax dollars are used to fund our destruction, Letter to Pioneer Press 4/25/08. "The administration of the Klamath Tribe and various environmental groups have appealed forest service timber sales for years, which has killed the timber harvest and hurt all of us." Klamath Tribe document  explains that, in the Klamath Settlement plan with a gift of 92,000 acres to the Klamath Tribes, they will trade that land for the Winema Forest so THEY can log it, acquire surrounding private land, and with ripping out 4 hydro dams, they will build a power plant.

More on Willman and book, go HERE.

Letter from Karuk Tribal member James Waddell to friend Glen, and from Glen to friend Leo regarding Klamath settlement agreement, posted 4/25/08

Tulelake endorses deal, H&N 4/24/08. (KBC NOTE: Klamath Water Users Asso. board member Steve Kandra promoted the Klamath Settlement Agreement to the Tulelake City Council. They had not read the agreement. They did not have a public comment period. They voted that night to support the agreement. The council member we spoke with did not even realize that 'settlement' entailed taking out four hydro dams on the Klamath, giving our water rights to the Klamath Tribes, downsizing Project ag, nearly obliterating ag Off Project, introducing endangered fish with demands that the fish live or the farmers' assurances are rewritten, and giving control of the Klamath Watershed to 26 groups which include 3 tribes, 9 environmental groups, feds, and the Project farmers have merely one vote in a non-consensus new government that was formed excluding the public.) "Kandra plans to meet with the Malin City Council Tuesday and Merrill City Council May 5."

Tribes to lobby in Omaha, H&N, 4/24/08

Klamath Water Users Association Klamath Project timeline, April 24, 2008
Klamath Water Users Association settlement information packet, April 24, 2008

Board of supervisors continues work on Klamath resolution, Siskiyou Daily News, posted to KBC 4/24/08

Proposal would put chinook in local waters, H&N 4/23/08. (KBC NOTE: this public meeting was announced today, and the public meeting was today 4/23.)
Proposal > www.dfw.state.or.us  under Special Plans and Programs.
Comment > odfw.comments@state.or.us

Coos County Commissioner John Griffith responds to Riverkeeper regarding Klamath dam removal, posted to KBC 4/22/08

Utility hesitant about dams, Pacific Power official: Liability of Klamath dam removal unknown, H&N 4/18/08. "Art Sasse, strategic consultant for PacifiCorp, said mail received by the utility is running 15-1 against dam removal..."

Energy 2008: the coming economic meltdown; The energy policy of the United States seems designed to purposely and artificially raise prices to the consumer by throttling supply, Intellectual Conservative, posted to KBC 4/17/08. "In California there is a concerted effort to destroy the Klamath dams. These dams provide cheap, renewable energy to 70,000 homes in Oregon and California. Replacing this energy with natural gas would release 473,000 tons of additional carbon dioxide into the atmosphere every year. This is roughly equivalent to the annual exhaust of 102,000 cars."a

Klamath County delays water decision, Commissioners vote to postpone recommendation on agreement, H&N 4/16/08

Klamath County Natural Resource Advisory Council members, H&N 4/13/08

Council voices concern with deal; county advisory board postpones recommendation, Posted to KBC 4/13/08

Farm families continue to struggle for water, H&N, posted to KBC 4/13/08

Toxins found in Klamath fish, Study commissioned by (Karuk) tribe on river finds risk to public health, H&N, posted to KBC 4/13/08. Craig Tucker, Karuk spokesman, was previously activist with 'Friends of the River', an international dam removal group, and presently 'Riverkeeper.' Karuks along with Bobby Kennedy, President of Waterkeepers, filed a lawsuit against PacifiCorp to get the dams removed because of algae. A quote from Tucker 7/4/07: "It would be worth better understanding what they could to address the algae problem. But note that our push for dam removal comes with or without the algae as the dams remain a barrier to the recovery of salmon even if the human health threat of the toxic algae blooms were addressed." S. Craig Tucker, Ph.D., Klamath Campaign Coordinator, Karuk Tribe of California

Bill Ransom's comments to the Council yesterday regarding the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement went something like this: Go HERE. (The Natural Resource Advisory Council was supposed to vote today to recommend to the Klamath Commissioners how to vote on the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement. They decided to vote in May because they need more time, and, Draft 12 has not been made public yet. The comments recorded by board member Ransom covered the majority of the concerns expressed by most of the board, with all the board members expressing that they believe that their are viable solutions to these concerns and that they would like to see the parties work out the differences that still exist.)

Law of the river, By Anthony Intiso, Pioneer Press 4/10/08. "it can help the board keep the dams intact and maintain sufficient water for the Basin farmers, fishing and water rights for the Indians, and a hydro-electric clause as well. What is this law? It is an existing document called, "Klamath River Basin Compact." An agreement entered into between the states of Oregon, California and the U.S. Congress agreeing to a set of conditions that would govern all of the "Basin" water and land rights, including the hunting, fishing, and water rights of the tribes."

County-sponsored talks fall through, H&N 4/10/08. (KBC NOTE: Off Project irrigators felt it was unfair that the settlement converted from a consensus group to a majority vote group to create the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement, KBRA. So the other groups voted to downsize Off-Project irrigators by 1/2. They previously irrigated 150,000 acres with surface water. In the past several years The Nature Conservancy and federal agencies bought out 100,000 acres of their private land, one ranch at a time, decimating the cattle industry. To get Off-Project folks, feds promised them that the government takings would end and the new gov't acquisition would provide more water storage. It only provided more water evaporation. The KBRA demands that they retire 30,000 more acre feet of their water rights. Tribes and KWUA refused to reopen negotiations to create a fair settlement. Tribes refuse to work with Off-Project elected representatives. HERE for Tribal intentions for private land they want to acquire, including "purchasing retired water rights...obtain funds to buy back private land within the former boundaries of the Klamath Tribes' reservation "(that they sold twice already)...purchasing private land so they can "assert tribes senior water rights,"....expand gaming, create biofuel (people would need to buy power if they rip out the 4 Klamath dams.) trade Mazama acquisition for public lands )

County close to vote on water, Commissioners haven’t finalized positions, H&N 4/10/08

Investigate (Siskiyou) Supes secret meetings, Pioneer Press 4/10/08

Klamath Basin Water Theft by Barbara Peterson, posted to KBC 4/10/08

PFUSA Klamath Dam Removal Statement, by Katherine Lehman, posted to KBC 4/9/08

El Dorado Hills woman fighting Indian tribe over home repairs, Sac Bee 4/8/08. In the Klamath settlement agreement, tribes would receive 92,000 acres of land which surrounds many private properties. HERE for tribal intentions for when settlement comes to pass.

Siskiyou supervisors oppose water proposal, H&N 4/2/08. These were the actual motions that were approved.

Stakeholder groups meet in Yreka, H&N 4/2/08. "We wanted to get together and get some of our board members with tribal members from different tribes,” Addington said. “We’re here to eat some salmon, Klamath potatoes, elk and eel.” 

Stakeholders react to Siskiyou decision, H&N 4/2/08

"The Siskiyou County Board of Supervisors passed two motions today.
* The Siskiyou County Board of Supervisors voted to oppose removal of the four lower dams on the Klamath River.
* The Siskiyou County Board of Supervisors voted to opposed the proposed Klamath River Restoration Agreement. The motion also included something to the effect that the Board would continue to pursue any other course of action that would further the interests of the people of the County. It also stated that a list of findings in support of our position would be prepared.
The vote was role call and was unanimous with all Supervisors present." by Siskiyou County Supervisor Marcia Armstrong.

No’ on water deal likely, Siskiyou Board of Supervisors poised to vote against proposed water settlement, H&N 4/1/08

Don’t take away my fishing hole, H&N 4/1/08. "If algae in the Klamath River is a problem caused by the PacifiCorp dam system, then please explain the source of the algae blooms in Lake of the Woods, Fish Lake, Hyatt Lake, and all the other fishing sources in the area."

Siskiyou County supervisors meet with stakeholders, H&N 4/1/08

Press Advisory: Karuk Tribe ·  Yurok Tribe · Klamath Tribes · Klamath Water Users’ Association hold strategy summit,  3/31/08, on April Fools Day.

Siskiyou County Supervisors meeting at Yreka courthouse April 1. Meetings start at 10am, but they aren't scheduled to consider the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement until about 1:40 pm. Public encouraged to come.

Yreka, why now? North Coast Journal blog 3/31/08. “We realize that for Siskiyou County this represents a pretty significant change in their landscape and politically it would be pretty difficult for them to agree with,” she said. Nonetheless, it’s not catastrophic as far as the future of the agreement is concerned, according to Geist. “Does it stop things? No,” she said...not signing onto the final agreement means you don’t get your slice of the funding pie. In short, there will be no restoration aid for Siskiyou County from the almost $1 billion funding stream created by the agreement." (KBC Interpretation: Either sign on that they will decimate your community, or don't sign and they won't compensate you for decimating your community. Blackmail, or, Blackmail?)

Devastating Talks on Dam Removal, by Larry Toelle, Fort Jones 3/31/08

Mazama Tree Farm, 179± Million board feet, part of the proposed Klamath Water Settlement deal for the Klamath Tribes. HERE for Klamath Tribes intentions with land and water.

Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement Stinks, letter to the board of Commissioners, by Steve Rapalyea, Klamath Basin 3/30/08

Any Klamath dam deal must provide water for fish, followed by Comments "Mr King, Did you know that historically the Klamath Basin was under water...it was a navigable lake? Where we farm in the Tulelake Basin was under 20-30 feet of water before we rerouted the lake into ditches and canals and Klamath Lake" SacBee 3/29/08

Dear PacifiCorp and Customers — STSSTTS!, Western Institute for Study of the Environment, article by Julie Smithson on Klamath Settlement, followed by comments, posted 3/29/08

Supervisors reiterate opposition to Klamath dam removal, Siskiyou Daily News, posted 3/28/08

"Congressional style" meeting on the proposed Klamath River Basin Restoration Agreement, 3/28/08, Yreka, by Marcia Armstrong, Siskiyou County Supervisor. (Nearly 200 farmers, ranchers, fishermen, Indians, enviros and feds, came to Yreka to hear the Siskiyou County Supervisors question those on the forums. In our (KBC's) opinion of the meeting, Pacific Power was instrumental in ripping apart the communities of Siskiyou and Klamath Basin.  Tribes, feds and enviros have formed this blackmail closed-door agreement: "Sign on or we'll continue to sue you." "Sign on or we you will get none of the billion$ funds after we take out your dams." "Sign on or you will get no irrigation water." "Sign on or you will not be able to afford the power to pump water off your farms and into the river." 200 faces of rural folks being decimated by divisions, fear of losing their livelihoods, homes, communities, property, and rights. Our sons and daughters are fighting abroad as did our mothers and fathers, for freedom. Today we can allow our freedoms to be ripped from us, or, we can stand up and defend them. PLEASE, write your supervisors and commissioners. Write Pacific Power, write to your irrigation districts, senators, governors and congressmen...that is just a beginning.  Read the Agreement! It WILL effect you.)

Tribal control - Now we will have to march down to the capitol ourselves to talk some sense into those folks, Larry Toelle, Pioneer Press, posted 3/28/08

Klamath Settlement - Make no bones about it, Pioneer Press by Gary Lake, Shasta Nation, posted 3/28/08

USFWS official presents one view of agreement, Mt Shasta News 3/28/08. (KBC NOTE: Did Detrich tell Dunsmuir that there's no proof salmon ever thrived in the Upper Klamath Basin? that the Klamath Tribes, to receive 92,000 acres forest land, sold their reservation 2ce, and voted for termination? Did he say that the Karuk tribe spearheading this anti-dam movement has no fishing right presently on the Klamath River? That the agreement says we give our water rights to the Klamath Tribes? That the feds have already taken 2/3s of the Off Project land  irrigated by surface water and this agreement demands 30,000 more acre feet of their remaining water rights? Did he tell them that all the Siskiyou County Granges, Cattlemen's Association, and Water for Life oppose this document? And the districts did not get to vote..only the leaders? Did he tell them about the blackmail..sign on or else? Did he tell them the public has no input into this new governmental entity? That this has ripped apart our communities like nothing ever before?)

March 25, Congressional-Style hearing on settlement agreement, Yreka, public welcomed.

Is your property surrounded by tribal land? California Senate Bill 331, 3/25/08

Bob Gasser: Involved in irrigation politics again, H&N, posted to KBC 3/25/08. "He acknowledges that some Upper Basin irrigators aren’t happy with the settlement plan, which calls on them to idle 30,000 acre-feet of water. Gasser says they’ve made concessions before, taking about 90,000 acres out of production — the Barnes, Wood and Agency ranches along with other land — and weren’t rewarded with stable river flows and lake levels. “We sold out our neighbors,” Gasser says. “That land should still be in production. I understand why the Upper Basin is upset.”

EPA - Reconsideration of California’s 2006 Section 303(d) List Omission of Microcystin Toxin Listings for three Klamath River Segments and Determination to Add Microcystin Toxins Listing for Klamath River Hydrologic Unit (HU), Middle HA Hydrologic Area (HA), Oregon to Iron Gate, posted 3/25/08

Klamath Water talks should bring us together, not pull us apart, H&N by Frank Wallace, Klamath Basin Alliance, posted 3/25/08. "Just as suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem, so too is this proposed water settlement."

Three strikes against removing Klamath dams, Redding Record Searchlight, posted 3/20/08. "I don't want to hear about the poor salmon until you can tell me that the tribal Indians have agreed to remove their nets from the mouth of the Klamath River. Isn't this where it all starts - at the mouth of the river? If the salmon are not able to enter the river, then they can't very well get up the river."

Don't remove the dams, guest opinion by By Grace Bennett, Yreka City Council Member, Pioneer Press, posted 3/20/08

Tribes: No more water talks, Klamath Tribes will not negotiate with groups on water agreement, H&N, posted 3/19/08. "In the ad, the Tribes said they were committed to stabilizing communities, including off-Project water users." (KBC NOTE: in reality, Klamath Tribe intends to "buy back private lands....and secure funding for purchasing retired water rights, conservation easements...assert tribes senior water rights...expand gaming...exchange for federal lands..."

Powerful bureaucracies run by masters of deceit, by Larry Toelle, Fort Jones, Pioneer Press, posted 3/13/08. "Consider, if you will, the soon-to-be-retired bureaucrat Phil Detrich from USF&WS.  His presentations on the subject of dams border on the Messianic.  We can suppose that Mr. Detrich, like most ambitious bureaucrats, is searching for his "legacy," his crowning achievement, the pinnacle of his success as a fish manager..."

They’re missing the point on pact, letter to editor H&N by Dave Solem, KID 3/13/08, along with, The Point Is, response by KBC. Solem: "State Rep. Bill Garrard, State Sen. Doug Whitsett, and others seem to be going out of their way to preserve the treacherous status quo on water."   KBC: "The difference between the people at the settlement table and Senator Whitsett is, Whitsett IS our elected official, elected by more than 70% of the Klamath County voters."

Powers of Control/Settlement Agreement, Klamath Settlement by Karuk tribal member 3/13/08

From a potential dam hugger, Pioneer Press 3/13/08

The start of a federal takeover, Pioneer Press, posted to KBC 3/13/08. "My grandmother's sister was married to a  Shasta Indian. They lived near Shovel Creek above Copco Lake before any dams were on the Klamath River. He, Wren Frain, said as a young boy, that the salmon up there above what is now Copco Lake, would be completely rotten when they got that far up and not edible. Just a lot of rotten fish."

Resolution No. 2008-1 of the Tulelake Irrigation District Board of Directors support for the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement, posted to KBC 3/11/08. KBC NOTE: One billion dollar Settlement agreement, drawn up behind closed doors, supports government leaseland farming, a new water right for Fish and Wildlife, more affordable power rate for Project irrigators, removing 4 Klamath River hydro dams that support 70,000 households annually-3 being in Siskiyou County, buying 2/3's of Mazama Tree Farm as a gift to the Klamath Tribes, giving water rights from Time Immemorial to Klamath Tribes with the promise that they won't enforce those rights, planting salmon and other endangered fish in the Upper Klamath Basin waters, downsizing Off-Project farmland, downsizing the Klamath Project, waterbank and willing seller plan imposed by Project irrigator group KWAPA, and creating a government to control the Basin from the same 26 stakeholders reps who formed this plan; Zero public, 3 counties reps, 9 environmental groups, 2 farm groups, 4 tribes, and the rest government agencies. KBC has heard that TID, KWUA and KID, 12 Project districts, support the deal. Klamath Forest Alliance, Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen, Off-Project Irrigators and the Hoopa Tribe do not support it as written. 70% of Klamath County public comments oppose, most of Siskiyou comments oppose. Groups not at the table, Oregon Cattlemen's Association, Water for Life, Save the Family Farm, Basin Alliance, the Shasta Nation, PacifiCorp, and PFUSA, oppose the agreement. Promoters have been to D.C. lobbying for money for their 'agreement', HERE for DC video from 1/24/08. Additions, corrections and comments welcomed.

Proposed agreement doesn’t reach problem, H&N 3/10/08, by Glen Howard

Polarizing (Klamath) ads should not be riding the bus, Oregonian 3/11/08
ACLU Files Free Speech Suit Against TriMet, KPTV, posted 2/21/08 "The ACLU filed the lawsuit Wednesday on behalf of the Karuk Tribe of California and Friends of the River Foundation." (KBC NOTE: Formerly spokesman for dam removal activist group Friends of the River, Craig Tucker is presently the Karuk Tribe spokesman and in Riverkeeper, an offshoot of Klamath Forest Alliance. Karuk Tribe, Friends of the River, and Klamath Forest Alliance each have a seat at the Klamath Settlement table amongst the 9 environmental groups. Only two farm groups each have one seat.)

THE REAL AGENDA: Plan yields right-of-way to wildlife, wildlife plan carves swath across West, Proposal raises Washington rancher-legislator’s hackles, Capital Press, posted to KBC 3/9/08.

NOAA research linking sea temperature swings to salmon return numbers, posted to KBC 3/9/08 (KBC NOTE: Sea Temperatures, not dams, not algae.)
What's happening in the ocean affects salmon the most, Modesto Bee, posted to KBC 3/11/08

Avoiding a salmon calamity, Contra Costa Times, 3/9/08. "So far, most of the blame for the salmon's collapse has been placed on ocean conditions. Specifically, the Pacific Ocean in 2002 entered a warm phase that delays the onset of current "upwelling" off the West Coast and starves the marine ecosystem of nutrients and food." (KBC NOTE: In 2002 there was a fish die-off of a bumper crop of Trinity River fish blamed entirely on Klamath Project irrigators hundreds of miles away. That spin is partly what "science" the tribes and enviros and PCFFA are using to rip out four Klamath hydro dams and confiscate thousands of acres of farmland in the 'Klamath Settlement'.)

3/9/08 Native Springs all natural energized spring water, "an effort to save the Klamath River salmon." (KBC NOTE: our new brothers the Yurok Tribe is now selling water to make money to advertise removing Klamath River Dams while blaming Klamath Basin "agribusiness" for killing fish.) "As the original stewards of the land and water we understand how important water is to the cycle of life." For more on "the original stewards" > Klamath cleanup

More dams along NW rivers considered, H&N 3/9/08

Q&A session worries off-Project users; In the future, group would like more time devoted to those opposed to agreement, H&N 3/8/08 by Edward Bartell, President of Klamath Off Project Water Users Inc. "The settlement strongly advocates granting “the tribal water rights at the claimed amounts and with the priority date of time immemorial” (page 67). If the tribal “time immemorial” claims are granted as filed, the Klamath Tribes would control the water in the Klamath drainage. Given the proposed off-Project buyout, few, if any, landowners would be left to contest the in-stream claims, making funding for continuation of contests, difficult if not impossible..." Klamath Tribe document of intentions. Klamath Settlement protest VIDEO 

Legal cloud over talks; Closed discussions between department, Klamath Tribes may have been illegal, H&N 3/6/08. "State lawmakers from Klamath Falls said Oregon Water Resources Department staff violated state law by participating in closed-door meetings with the Klamath Tribes during two-and-a-half years of settlement talks."

Elliott earns respect for agreement work, H&N letter to editor by Steve Kandra, Klamath Basin irrigator, and Klamath Water Users Association board member, 3/6/08. "The local political restoration agreement focus should not be about dams out — it should be about affordable power, regulatory assurance, and a predictable water supply for all Klamath irrigators."

Proposed Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement could be in jeopardy, ktvz 3/5/08. The law states: "All negotiations in which the director participates under this section shall be open to the public...the negotiations were NOT open to the public"

North Coast Environmental Center Rejects Klamath Agreement, NEC, posted to KBC 3/5/08. "Science Contacts: Dr. Thomas Hardy: 435-797-2824" (KBC NOTE: Dr. Hardy was hired by the Bureau of Indian Affairs to create scientific reports, using tribal biology, to use against Klamath irrigators in water adjudication. This 'science' was used to form draft biological opinions which shut down the Klamath Project in 2001. And again writer Dan Bacher uses this article to blame the 2002 fish die-off on Klamath irrigators, a concept that the National Research Council said was not factual.)

Klamath water deal snags on environmental group's opposition, Sacramento Bee, posted 3/5/08. "Glen Spain, who represents (some California) commercial fishermen in the talks, said his group agrees that fish-friendly changes will have to be made. 'Clearly there are uncertainties about what the fish in the lower Klamath River get out of this in the long term...' " (KBC note: Our new "friend" Spain of PCFFA has been an advocate of dam removal and supported the entire agreement. He is a founder of the Klamath Coalition, an anti-Klamath agriculture group he's allied with, at the settlement table. Coalition allies who have a seat at the settlement table are:  Northcoast Environmental Center, PCFFA, Friends of the River/Craig Tucker, Trout Unlimited, Klamath Forest Alliance/Petey Brucker and Felice Pace, National Center for Conservation Science and Policy. Each of these environmental groups has a place at the settlement table. All of the combined Klamath Project districts have one seat. Some other groups in their coalition are Oregon Wild, Sierra Club, Earthjustice, Klamath Audubon, Wilderness Society, and Water Watch. Many of these groups, including PCFFA, have sued to shut down Klamath agriculture and advocated buying out farmers.) (Another KBC NOTE: All the Oregon salmon trollers we have spoken to say that they are not represented by PCFFA. So they have NO seat at the settlement table.)

Project irrigators unlikely to be able to start over on water pact; off-Project irrigators in for changes with or without it, by DR. KENNETH A. RYKBOST, Guest Writer, H&N, posted to KBC 3/5/08. "Additional breaching in 2009 is planned that will reconnect 10,000 acres of Agency Lake and Barnes Ranch properties to the lake and add them to the wildlife refuge. While these actions are being promoted as beneficial by increasing lake storage, they will result in evaporation losses exceeding consumption by crops and pastures under agricultural management of these properties and no increase in net available stored water will be realized..."
HERE for Dr. Rykbost biography and PowerPoint Presentation regarding Klamath River hydrology, addressing Dr. Hardy flow study.

Booming growth raises idea of new dams, Seattle Times, posted 3/5/08

Benefits and Costs of Klamath Settlement/Restoration Agreement To the People of Siskiyou County (excluding Karuk tribal government and Tulelake Klamath Project interests), developed by Siskiyou County Supervisor Marcia Armstrong 3/2/08

Benefits and Costs of Klamath Dam Removal, developed by Siskiyou County Supervisor Marcia Armstrong 3/2/08

What is behind the salmon decline?, San Francisco Chronicle, posted 3/1/08

Klamath River home to unique trout fishery, H&N, posted 3/1/08. "They said the mud was definitely there and, currently, there are no plans to address this problem if the dams are breached. According to them, there is currently 20 million cubic yards of sediment lying on the bottom of the four reservoirs... that equates to two million dump truck loads of muck"

Water agreement is open for discussion, KRDV, posted 3/1/08

Representative urges patience about water agreement, H&N, posted 3/1/08

Water for Life opposes water agreement, H&N, posted 3/1/08

Words from Webster - The end-game, Pioneer Press, posted 2/28/08

Conservancy group wants more negotiations, H&N, posted 2/28/08

Water roundtable: Discussions focus on dam removal, power rates, H&N, posted 2/28/08

Letter to the Editor from Shasta Nation, Pioneer Press, posted 2/28/08

Water settlement: Twelve districts sign on to pact, H&N, posted 2/27/08 (KBC NOTE: Most districts did not allow their constituency to vote)

Irrigators clash over proposed Klamath deal, California Farm Bureau, posted 2/26/08

Bureau of Reclamation moving ahead on storage studies, H&N, posted 2/26/08. "The effort is in the appraisal stage and will be completed in 2011." (KBC NOTE: Settlement does not include funds to create Long Lake storage. We were told several years ago that the Bureau was studying Long Lake, and now they will still be studying it for 3 more years???)

Question-answer session draws 100 people, H&N, posted 2/26/08

A response by Klamath Basin irrigator and Klamath Water Users Association board member Steve Kandra to 62 questions by Siskiyou County regarding Klamath Settlement Agreement that calls for removal of 4 hydropower dams, 3 being in Siskiyou County, 2/26/08
Clarifying questions regarding the settlement/restoration agreement, "This is the full revised list of questions I have and that my constituents have brought forward concerning the Settlement/Restoration Agreement. My District includes approx 110 miles of the Klamath River, the Scott Valley and the Salmon River drainage." Marcia Armstrong, Supervisor District 5, Siskiyou County, 2/25/08

Natural resource council supports more negotiation, H&N, posted 2/25/08

Representative Greg Walden urges patience about water agreement, H&N, posted 2/24/08

A big step towards peace, H&N, posted 2/22/08

Siskiyou County hears comments, H&N, posted 2/22/08

Oregon Cattlemen's Association opposes agreement, H&N, posted 2/22/08

Researchers unsure how dam removal will affect river's ecosystem, Missoulian, posted 2/21/08

 Cook: Klamath decision can't be "made lightly", Siskiyou Daily, posted 2/21/08 "(FWS Ron) Cole told the supervisors that he likened the situation to being in a pickup truck heading for a cliff. 'Here we are in this pickup, heading for the edge,’ he said. ’The only thing that can save us is using the steering wheel to move us away from the cliff.’ "

ACLU Files Free Speech Suit Against TriMet, KPTV, posted 2/21/08

Reasons for dams still valid, H&N 2/20/08, letter by Ted Dougan

Bentz: Klamath water deal could have ripple effects on Eastern Oregon, Baker City Herald, posted to KBC 2/20/08

Water: Klamath Basin Settlement Group Gives Capitol Hill Briefing, followed by summary, posted to KBC 2/20/08. Includes link to video.

Dam Removal to Cut Both Ways, (NOTE: here's an old article sent to KBC from somewhere; it tells the reality of dam removal) posted 2/20/08

Klamath Irrigation District votes in favor of settlement agreement, H&N 2/20/08

POEM - FOLLOW THE MONEY, To: Siskiyou County Board of Supervisors, From: Concerned residents of Copco Lake & Mid-Klamath Watershed, Subject: Klamath Dam Removal, poem by Ruth Waltner, President, Copco Lake Fire Auxiliary.

According to a Siskiyou County Supervisor, at today's Yreka public comment meeting, there were about 200 people and about 70 speakers - overwhelmingly against the Klamath Settlement Agreement that includes removal of 4 Klamath River hydro dams. At the Klamath Falls meeting last week there were 70% against the proposed Agreement. Also, all the Siskiyou County Granges and Oregon Cattlemen's Association are against the settlement.

Tribes get active about water, H&N 2/19/08. (KBC Note: Since off-Project irrigators want to renegotiate since the settlement document demands 30,000 acre feet of water with no cap, the tribes plan to go around the group by trying to get individual ranchers and farmers to give up their land and water rights, and agree to giving the tribes 90,000 acres of prime timber land)

Klamath Settlement FAQs, by Save the Family Farm 2/19/08

Letter to KBC regarding settlement by Karuk tribal member 02/19/08

Opinion on Klamath River dam impact on downstream communities by Marcia Armstrong, Siskiyou County Supervisor District 5m 2.17.08.  "Last time deals were cut for these groups, the burden of what amounts to a subsidy for this rate break fell upon the shoulders of the California rate payers of Pacific Power." (KBC NOTE: KBC takes issue with this statement. The Klamath Project, paid in full by Project irrigators, provided free, clean, regulated water for affordable power for the power company's customers. We pump our water from a closed basin uphill, out of the Project and into the River for fish and power. When Pacific Power did not want to continue the agreement for at-cost power for Project irrigators who made Klamath hydro dams possible, earning billions of dollars for Pacific Power and saving millions of dollars for customers, Siskiyou joined Yurok and Hoopa Tribes and Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen (PCFFA) and enviro groups to end this agreement. It was untruthful and extremely divisive for PacifiCorp to spin that Project power rate was a "subsidy paid by the customers." However, this spin lost the Project the court case and forced desperate Project irrigators into this blackmail settlement by the same tribes and enviro groups; settlement seems the only way out Project irrigators can find to theoretically afford to continue pumping their water uphill out of this basin into the Klamath River. PS. Most of these same groups that petitioned against the Project now claim to be "brothers" and "friends" of Project irrigators against PacifiCorp in the settlement demanding dam removal. HERE for "brothers" at the settlement table. Here's another article for your enjoyment. KBC does not support blackmail or dam removal.)

KLAMATH SETTLEMENT: Appoint task force on local water issue, Carole Canevari, H&N 2/17/08

Watermarks, a Herald and News publication of Klamath history, settlement, indians, dams, posted 2/17/08. It includes some valuable historical info.

Letter by Basin Alliance chairman Frank Wallace opposing the KBRA giving Mazama Tree Farm to the Klamath Tribes, posted to KBC 2/16/08

The Board of Directors of Klamath Irrigation District passed a resolution on February 14, 2008, supporting the 2008 Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement (KBRA).

SETTLEMENT: What do they think they're doing - the shocking truth, Larry Toelle, Pioneer Press, posted 2/14/08

Water groups to meet, discuss differences, H&N 2/14/08

Fourteen local irrigators sign petition supporting water agreement, H&N 2/14/08. (KBC Who's Who NOTE - (the links will lead you to familiar faces): Signer Jim Root is President of Klamath Basin Rangeland Trust, KBRT. The settlement document presently does not put a cap on how much water will be demanded of the off-Project irrigators. In recent years, of 150,000 private acres irrigated by surface water, Federal Agencies and  The Nature Conservancy (TNC) have acquired 100,000 acres. That leaves 50,000, and this document demands 30,000 acre feet to be permanently relinquished on the remaining land, and Klamath Tribe has not agreed to cap the amount of water they will take above the 30,000AF. KBRT is an organization that facilitates water marketing above Upper Klamath Lake.  Taylor and Becky Hyde, along with several Klamath Basin irrigators and TNC, participate in Upper Basin restoration projects as Klamath Basin Ecosystem Foundation,   Go HERE and scroll down for past KBRT involvement.)

Water settlement Attorney says no to agreement, H&N, posted 2/12/08. “'What you have is a crisis caused by government and by liars,' Buchal said...."  "Toby Freeman, regional community manager for PacifiCorp, reminded the nearly 100 people in attendance that costs to remove four hydroelectric dams on the Klamath River, stipulated in the agreement, would fall to them as ratepayers." KBC NOTE: More than 130 cowboys, farmers, businessmen, fishermen, and Shasta Indians, attended, along with Modoc, Siskiyou and Klamath County residents.

Water users president pulls name, Luther Horsley rescinds signature on letter seeking reopening of talks, H&N 2/13/08.

Water questions raised, More than 80 people speak at hearing about settlement, H&N 2/13/08. "More than half of those who testified opposed the agreement or called for reopened negotiations."

Public airs opinions of water agreement, H&N 2/12/08. "Earlier Monday, Luther Horsely, president of the Klamath Water Users Association, signed a resolution that rescinds his signature on another letter that lists demands regarding the agreement. The document says that the Klamath Water Users Association will support the agreement and opposes any initiative to re-open negotiations."

Special Report: Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement by Galusha 2/12/08. Copyrighted at myoutdoorbuddy.com.

County won't sign water deal anytime soon. "Klamath County won’t be signing the proposed Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement anytime soon. The three members of the Klamath County Board of Commissioners indicated Tuesday that more time is needed to review the 256-page document as well as comments from at a public hearing Monday night. Commissioners Al Switzer and Bill Brown said they are not eager to embrace dam removal. Full story in Wednesday's Herald and News." H&N 2/12/08

***Klamath Settlement informational meeting with James Buchal, 2/11 at 3 p.m. Hear another point of view.
Upcoming settlement public meetings, H&N 2/9/08

Another View: Fish are key to deal on Klamath, by Clifford Lyle Marshall, Hoopa Tribal Chairman 2/10/08, Sacramento Bee. (KBC NOTE: What an interesting scenario. Since the Yuroks, Karuks and Klamath Tribes are signing onto the agreement, they need to act like friends of the farmers. Here we have the Hoopa's in the media telling  how this is unfair to the Yuroks since the Yuroks can't say much. The other 3 tribes say how the Hoopa's are radical and not working together. At the same time the Hoopa's are trying to get fishing rights on the river for the Karuks, who have no fishing rights. Yet the Karuks were the lead tribe demanding dam removal. So, the other 3 tribes will sign that they will not make a call on Klamath irrigators water, however, the Hoopa's can if they don't sign. With this agreement demanding on and off Project irrigators to downsize water use, the river will continue to have higher than historical flows.) For more on settlement, go HERE.

Support for further negotiations, Klamath Water Users Association president signs letter with off-Project demands, H&N 2/09/08

People for USA Grange comments on Klamath dam removal, Katherine Lehman, posted to KBC 2/9/08

Karuk Tribal Member writes about Klamath Settlement, 2/7/08. "Many such “tribal” political groups have tribal council members that are securely imbedded inside of Clan-Favored voting practices.  They are fooling people with their false political self-importance as to bamboozle the news media and the members of government; and are deeply involved in large pay-off politics from Environmental Obstructionists."

Time to find common ground in the Basin, commentary by Joseph Kirk, Chairman Klamath Tribes, H&N 2/8/08. 1 "If we fail to act now, farmers and ranchers will go broke..."  2 "If you oppose progress you have an obligation to propose a better alternative, and we haven’t heard one..." (KBC response 1. Yes, the reason we will go broke is because tribes and environmental groups, with their then-allies the power company, petitioned against the irritators getting a continued affordable power rate in exchange for the free regulated water provided by the Klamath Project, paid for by basin irrigators. Once the public utilities commission ruled against us, the tribes and enviros and gov't agencies then decided to be our 'brothers' against PacifiCorp, forcing us into agreeing to a $1billion deal where Project Irrigators usually get some water and a better power rate, tribes are given a forest and millions of dollars, enviros get 4 dams ripped out, and other irrigators are downsized into oblivion. The sucker will no longer be important to the Klamath Tribes so this land for water deal will allow farmers to irrigate and tribes p r o m i s e not to make a call on the irrigation water.  Project irrigators know that they will again sue to shut us down unless we bow to this deal--they have been forced to believe this is the only way out. Siskiyou county residents from Yreka call it blackmail, as they must lose 3 dams, reservoirs, and their economy. KBC response 2: District boards and Indians are telling their people that they are just 'bellyachers' unless they can come up with a better idea, in 3 weeks. Umm. We were not at the table with the 26 groups for 2 years, and we were not privy to this great 240-page deal until 2 weeks ago. How were we to know whether it was a deal we could live with? But now we are being bullied into shutting up or coming up with a solution in 2 weeks, OR, we'll all "go broke" because these same groups will sue us for our water.)

Some gave up a lot, some a little, Bruce Wirth, H&N 2/7/08. "We read that the 26 stakeholders have compromised and given up some demands — a give-and-take deal. Well, what have the Tribes, the fishermen’s association, and the assorted environmental organizations given up — zilch, nada, nothing?"

Klamath Deal Steals Middle Ground, Shasta Nation for Pioneer Press, posted to KBC 2/7/08

Water settlement: Reopening talks could be hard, Klamath Water Users Association executive director says new negotiations may be detrimental, H&N 2/7/08

Senator Doug Whitsett statements on Basin Alliance petitions -- Around 1 year ago. Today KWUA, 3 tribes, 3 counties, 9 environmental groups and a bunch of gov't agencies in closed-door meetings formed a 'settlement agreement' which would include giving Klamath Tribes 90,000 acres for timber industry, power generation (because the settlement would rip out 4 hydroelectric dams) and money to develop those industries. The Klamath County Commissioners assured the public that any talk of tribal land gifts would be done in an open forum.

Off-Project users list demands, H&N 2/6/08. (KBC NOTE: according to someone involved in the process, this was a list of possible changes produced in a meeting between on and off Project irrigators, NOT a definite demand list. It has not gone before their boards yet.)

Cattlemen’s group opposes deal, H&N 2/5/08. "The Shasta Nation of Northern California and Klamath Cattlemen’s Association of Klamath County voted to oppose the proposed Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement...this deal would be detrimental to the county’s cattle industry"

Klamath Tribes back water deal, H&N 2/5/08. (KBC Note: The Klamath Tribes had a reservation. They voted to sell it. They were given allotments. Most of them sold those. Now in the Klamath Settlement, the tribes would be given 2/3 of the 90,000 acre Mazama Tree Farm, prime timberland, along with tens of millions of dollars to build a timber industry, power plant which will be needed if the 4 Klamath river dams come out, and, 'economic development.' The Klamath Project irrigators would sign: "Recognizes the tribal water rights at the claimed amounts and with the priority date of time immemorial.” Their claim is for more water than is in the basin. BUT, they promised to not make a call on their claims. We think that means, if their promise is good, that they are trading land for water. They get forest so water for suckers won't matter anymore.)

County commissioners have first public hearing, H&N 2/5/08. (KBC NOTE: The public was told this meeting would allow public input however we heard they were not allowed to have input.)

County could benefit from water pact, H&N 2/4/08 “We need people to come in and tell us what their feelings are,”

OPINION: Settlement plan not perfect, but better than more of the same, H&N Dan Keppen 2/3/08

Klamath Settlement: Taking it a few bites at a time better than a just gulping it down, H&N guest James R Ottoman 2/3/08

Siskiyou residents speak up about Klamath settlement  and dam removal, Pioneer Press, posted to KBC 2/3/08

Hoopa Valley Tribe files $80 million lawsuit, Eureka Reporter, posted to KBC 2/3/08

Shasta Nation takes stand on dam removal, 2/1/08. "...the aboriginal boundary between the Shasta and Karuk Tribes was at Clear Creek approximately 10 miles down river from Happy Camp, CA...The Karuk Tribal leadership has gone to great lengths with ghastly amounts of hard working tax payer dollars to create the illusion that they have lived historically in Happy Camp and Yreka CA, therefore giving them the right to make decisions regarding the four controversial dams that are within Shasta Nation ancestral boundaries."

Klamath Dam letter to KBC from John Turner, Klamath Falls: "My simple view on Dam Removal is that Non-polluting renewable energy sources are more important than salmon, especially in this day and age. However that doesn't mean we should ignore the salmon. From what I can tell Pacificorp is planning to help the salmon by improving fish ladders and other means.   So don't remove the Dams. Once removed a valuable resource is lost forever."

Jim Foley comments to Glen Spain and Troy Fletcher on Oregonian Blog regarding Klamath dams, posted to KBC 1/31/08

Water settlement opinions vary on dam removal, H&N 1/30/08

1/30/08: Frequently asked questions regarding the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement by KWUA

Klamath Tribes to vote on water plan; Signatures to wait until PacifiCorp agrees to dam removal, H&N 1/30/08. (KBC NOTE: Klamath Tribe would receive 90,000 acre Mazama Tree Farm, and millions of $ to build a timber industry, power plant, and economic development. Power, no matter how dirty, will be needed to replace clean hydropower of 4 Klamath River dams which service 70,000 customers. Also not mentioned is the land for water agreement in the proposed settlement with project irrigators.)

KWUA KBRA Powerpoint Presentation at public meeting in Merrill, posted to KBC 1/29/08

Water Rights Settlements Between Basin Tribes and Klamath Reclamation Project; Key Elements of the Proposed Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement, 1/29/08 KWUA

Karuk minutes: Hoopa Tribe supports Karuk Tribe in getting fishing rights, posted 1/29/08
More minutes go HERE > http://karuk.us/staff/minutes/

***Klamath Settlement PUBLIC meeting:  KWUA 1/26 at 1:30, Merrill. CORRECTION: Invited speakers were environmental group rep, Klamath tribal member and tribal attorney, KWUA speaker and KWUA attorney, Yurok tribe, and Fish and Wildlife. Others stakeholder groups attending and not on the forum were Modoc and Siskiyou County supervisors and PacifiCorp rep Toby Freeman.  The Correction by KWUA member Steve Kandra is: "Nobody was denied the opportunity to stand up and speak their minds." Our apologies for stating that "Modoc, Siskiyou and PacifiCorp were not welcomed to speak." They indeed could have spoken during the question and answer period after the forum. KBC

Klamath water settlement power lawsuit resurrected, H&N 1/25/08

Walden: Don’t rush review, Agreement Background, and Ransom Note, H&N 1/25/08

Klamath Settlement PUBLIC meeting: KID 1/25/08, 6:30 Merrill

Water settlement perspectives, H&N 1/24/08

Dams should remain on Klamath, H&N 1/24/08

Groups urge full reading of plan, H&N 1/24/08

Deal may ease conflicts, Proposed water settlement may help with adjudication, H&N , posted 1/24/08. (KBC NOTE: Settlement document 15.3.2ii : "Recognizes the tribal water rights at the claimed amounts and with the priority date of time immemorial." Water Users essentially give up their contest and claim to the water rights, and the tribe promises not to enforce their new rights. That's how we understand it)

Just Plain Aggravating by Larry Toelle, "The Klamath Basin farmers haven't got a clue ... no idea what they've done to themselves and others" posted 1/23/08 grange-pfusa website

1/23/08 - The following was in the Herald and News hidden in the sports section, by attorney James Buchal regarding Klamath Settlement Buchal may be coming to the Klamath Basin soon to discuss the settlement with us.

Klamath dam plan generates doubts, Triplicate, posted 1/23/08. "If you have a deal about the dams coming out, I can honestly tell you our people wouldn't be happy with that, Siskiyou County Counsel DeMarco said. I'm not happy with the settlement. I don't feel comfortable with this document. Siskiyou had to ask to be part of the settlement group, DeMarco said. He said it was a "rigorous" process to get to the table."

Klamath settlement goes under knife before board, Eureka Reporter 1/23/08. "Belchik said a delegation of Yurok tribal members and upper Klamath Basin farmers had arrived in Washington D.C. Tuesday to meet with lawmakers and Department of Interior officials to discuss the plan."

Siskiyou County public meeting on water settlement 1/22/08

Tribal land plan clouds dam deal, Oregonian 1/20/08

An open letter to the on-project water users from an off-project irrigator Bruce Topham 1/19/08. "Where are you in our time of need? In 2001 when you suffered a government inflicted water crisis, we marched with you though we were not affected. We passed buckets hand to hand down main street with you. We carried your signs. We wrote letters on your behalf and contacted by phone state and federal representatives. We were proud to stand by your side and together we prevailed..."

Klamath Settlement Analysis, by Marcia Armstrong, Siskiyou County Supervisor District 5 1/18/08. "Siskiyou County’s economy has been bled to death by reorienting management priorities from putting bread on our family’s tables to fisheries production and other species management. In case they hadn’t noticed, our local economy gets very little out of reallocating resources to fisheries, spotted owls and salamanders. Where is the environmental and social justice in Siskiyou County’s 12.3% average unemployment; massive job loss in the timber (80%) and agricultural (45%) sectors; 65% of our children in low income and 27% in poverty? Enough is enough."

Support Settlement, letter to KBC from Marshall Staunton, Staunton Farms, Tulelake 1/19/08
Rancher/farmer response to Marshall Staunton's settlement comments, 1/19/08

New Cloud Over the Klamath Basin, James L Buchal 1/18/08. "A related Klamath Tribe document even suggests that the Tribe expects to “[s]ecure assurances that the Tribes and Tribal members will be given preference on contracting, employment and business opportunities generated on the Tribes’ ancestral homelands by the Settlement Agreement”.

***Oppose Clean Water Act expansion..go HERE for details, HERE to write letter. Here for comment period extension to 1/21/08

Reaction to agreement varies in the Basin, beyond, H&N 1/16/08. "...The groups agreed to a permanent limitation on the amount of water taken from Upper Klamath Lake, and crafted assurances to irrigators using a variety of approaches including increased efficiency, land and water acquisitions..." (KBC NOTE: Our public, constituents of the farm leaders, was NOT included, and in our irrigation district, the directors will not allow the farmers' opinions to influence their vote/pledge last Monday to support their sell-out plan. We've only heard promises we cant find in the settlement document that we were allowed to see yesterday, and also threats for if we don't agree with the plan. We were scorned for daring to ask questions.)

Klamath River pact out of the gate, Times Standard 1/16/08

Reliable water to farmers; Tribes get 90,000 acres; Four dams on Klamath River would be removed, H&N 1/16/08

Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement, settlement addresses 3 goals, H&N 1/16/08

Deal on Dams on Klamath Advances, New York Times, 1/16/08

Tentative Klamath deal reached, But it hinges on removal of four dams by a utility not included in the talks, Sacramento Bee 1/16/08

1/16/08 - A new website has been brought to our attention, www.savethefamilyfarm.com. "We are a coalition of landowners, irrigation districts and individuals dedicated to opposing the devastating Klamath Settlement and the massive instream claims which will destroy agriculture in the Klamath Basin if not defeated."
   Does this document actually abolish the Biological Opinion and ESA mandates? What does it say about giving Klamath Tribes our water rights for "time immemorial"? Go HERE for discussion on if this document actually says what folks promoting it promise.

Deal afoot to alter Klamath for users, Dam removal - The program hinges on getting $1 billion and PacifiCorp's OK Oregonian 1/16/08. (KBC NOTE: that billion $ does not include dam removal and liability).

*PRESS RELEASE by Klamath Water Users Association Executive Director Greg Addington, Yurok Tribe Troy Fletcher, and Chuck Bonham from Trout Unlimited 1/15/08

Senator (Whitsett) slams water proposal, H&N 1/13/08. " 'The Klamath Basin water settlement agreement will cost $1 billion to implement over 10 years and contains no provision for add water storage,' state Senator Doug Whitsett of Klamath Falls said Saturday...The agreement would retire about 30,000 acre feet of water rights in the upper Basin,' Whitsett said, adding that could severely damage the area's cattle industry. 'The document will supersede Oregon water rights...Another provision gives about 80,000 acres of land along the Cascade Range to the Klamath Tribes,' Whitsett said. 'The "Mazama Project," which runs from Sun Mountain to the Chemult area, will become sovereign Indian property.'.. " "...But Greg Addington, who has represented Klamath Project irrigators at the negotiating table, said, 'the community should keep an open mind' "

KBC Note regarding Public Input on Settlement - Tulelake Irrigation District met January 14 and voted to support the Klamath settlement document (the final document should be out Jan 15). There will be public meetings for discussion and input. However, I (KBC editor) was told at the public TID meeting that my questions, not comments but questions, were "bellyaching", and the board would support the document even if the whole community rejects it. That is, unless, we/you, can come up with a better plan, in their opinion, in the next 2 or 3 weeks. And if a district does not support the settlement, the future of water and power are grim for that district. THAT is what they mean by Public Input. The people were told previously by Klamath Water Users Association Executive Director Greg Addington that the districts would support the will of their constituents at the end of the month. That is not true in TID. How about your districts?
We will post the settlement full document as soon as it becomes available, hopefully the 15th.
Pray!

1/13/08 - Klamath Settlement: Although 26 enviros, gov't agencies, 3 counties, and 2 farm reps, have been at the table for months drafting a secret water rights/dam removal/tribal land gift/etc (according to the above article) for years, to date they have refused to share it with the farmers, ranchers, and communities to be effected. Yurok tribe spokesman told us months ago that their communities have had meetings to study the plan. Klamath farmers and ranchers have not been so blessed; we are told, "maybe next week," over and over. It's time...Release The Plan! Remember "We the People"????

No date set for (Klamath) water document, followed by, Group is working on two documents, H&N 1/5/08. "Edward Bartell, who represented the Basin’s off-Project irrigators during talks, called the impending agreement 'Draconian...What is there now, we see as extremely negative...I think it’s bad for everyone in the Basin.' "

(Klamath) Water stakeholders meet today; group to be polled about releasing document, H&N 1/4/08

No decision on water; Tulelake Irrigation District board discusses water settlement plan, H&N 1/3/08. "He said there would be several public meetings before an agreement is finalized...Participants include government agencies, tribes, environmentalists and irrigators. Officials say the settlement should be made public soon, but reports of when vary from a week to a month."

1/2/07. FERC settlement update: It was our understanding today at a TID meeting, according to Tulelake Irrigation District attorney Paul Simmons, no settlement signing is presently scheduled this week that he is aware of. He was asked what the legal basis was for the settlement talks but said he could not comment. It sounded doubtful that TID members would be allowed to vote on whether they wanted to adopt the settlement agreement when they are eventually allowed to see it; the board most probably would vote on what they feel is best for their constituency. Other questions to Simmons were not answered because of their confidentiality agreement. Then the public was asked to leave and the board had closed session settlement discussions. HERE for dam/settlement page.

KBC Note regarding Public Input on Settlement - Tulelake Irrigation District met January 14 and voted to support the Klamath settlement document (the final document should be out Jan 15). There will be public meetings for discussion and input. However, I (KBC editor) was told at the public TID meeting that my questions, not comments but questions, were "bellyaching", and the board would support the document even if the whole community rejects it. That is, unless, we/you, can come up with a better plan, in their opinion, in the next 2 or 3 weeks. And if a district does not support the settlement, the future of water and power are grim for that district. THAT is what they mean by Public Input. The people were told previously by Klamath Water Users Association Executive Director Greg Addington that the districts would support the will of their constituents at the end of the month. That is not true in TID. How about your districts?
We will post the settlement full document as soon as it becomes available, hopefully the 15th.
Pray!

Words of Whitsett: Senator Whitsett regarding Klamath Settlement: "Does not pass the smell test." KFLS, posted to KBC 12/28/07. "We are being told that the binding confidentiality clause in the Klamath Basin Settlement Agreement precludes allowing the agreement to be seen and read by Basin citizens before its adoption by the parties. The parties participating in the settlement are apparently self-selected and represent groups and agencies with certain interests."

Alternative needed before tearing out Klamath dams, H&N, posted 12/28/07. Guest writer Pat Reiten is president of Pacific Power. "We don’t think special interests can be allowed to hijack the hydro license settlement process for their own more diverse agendas, nor write a blank check and force our customers to cover it."

Not everyone poised to OK ‘settlement’ of water issues, Conflicts likely to remain once proposal is public, H&N, posted to KBC 12/26/07

Talks bad for Basin, Off-Project group: Water pact will have negative result, H&N 12/22/07. "Members of a stakeholder group representing agriculture say the Klamath River settlement agreement, due to be released any day, will have negative consequences for the Klamath Basin...They fear policies will be fast tracked before the public has a chance to understand the effects." (KBC NOTE: The Upper Basin has already been forced to take more than 100,000 acres of ag land out of production to be controlled by The Nature Conservancy, US Fish and Wildlife, and other government agencies. This has destroyed the cattle industry and multiplied the use of water (wetlands evaporate 2ce the water as occasionally-irrigated ag lands). What more compromising must they do before they cease to exist altogether?? Do the other settlement stakeholders care?)

KBC Editor's note: In a democracy, when water and property rights are involved, the people have a voice. In the Klamath Basin, a group of 26 enviro groups, tribes, 2 farm groups, attorneys, are deciding what their opinion is of what is best for you and me...water, power, hydro dams, land. Will you have a vote? a voice? What will you lose or gain? Why will the agreement be signed by those claiming to represent you when you aren't allowed to know what is in it? 400 pages. Is this the kind of freedom you and your parents and grandparents fought for? This response I received when asking an irrigation district if I will have a vote: "Do you think these farmers would be informed enough to make an educated decision?"  Are we so stupid that those looking after us must dictate our destiny in secret?? Good timing for many secret meetings, during the celebration of the birth of our Christ when most farm families are out of town or taking time with family. Is this the turning point in time when we relinquish, by our silence, our freedom to chose, to vote, to have a voice in our destiny, to live in a democracy? 

Who pays the price for dam removal? Oregonian 12/20/07, by Pat Reiten, president of Pacific Power.

Dam removal draws concern, PacifiCorp officials say it is too early to consider that change to the river, H&N 12/19/07. (KBC COMMENT: Karuk spokesman Craig Tucker, formerly activist in Friends of the River, a national group whose focus is dam removal,  presently is in Riverkeeper, a subgroup of Klamath Forest Alliance instrumental in shutting down numerous timber communities --- the spotted owl. Tucker is a key player in Klamath settlement talks of removing 4 hydropower dams on the Klamath River which provide power for 70,000 households annually. The Klamath Project makes possible free, regulated water for hydropower). HERE for dam page.

The Basin’s water future, followed by Stakeholders represent a variety of interests. H&N 12/16/07.

12/6/07: KBC NOTE: According to a press release today, Klamath Riverkeeper and the Karuk and Yurok Tribes filed a $1 billion lawsuit against PacifiCorp claiming the four Klamath hydro dams kill fish and make algea. Riverkeeper is a Waterkeeper group that advocates international dam removal. Klamath Riverkeeper was borne from Klamath Forest Alliance, with Craig Tucker, Karuk Tribe spokesman, an active member. Advocate of the closed-door Klamath Settlement negotiations Tucker recently assured the communities that settlement is an alternative to lawsuits.

KBC opinion of the FERC final Environmental Impact Statement supporting relicensing the Klamath Dams, 11/29/07

Karuk Tribe and Environmentalists Play on People's Emotions, by Nita Still, Pioneer Press, posted to KBC 11/29/07. "The environmentalists, Craig Tucker, spokesman for the Karuk Tribe and Cultural Biologist, Ron Reed, are playing upon the emotions of people. Saying that if the dams are not removed "could mean 'destruction' of tribal cultures who have long subsisted on the various salmon species that once thrived in the river." (And still do.) ...'The Karok inhabited the banks of Klamath River from a few miles above Happy Camp in Siskiyou County down to Redcap Creek in Humboldt County and Salmon River up to the Forks of Salmon.' That is no where near the dams they want to get rid of."

Klamath Fishing Tales, Pioneer Press, posted to KBC 11/29/07. "Meanwhile, a San Francisco Chronicle article published last week and written by Jim Webb, described as an avid recreational fisherman from San Luis Obispo County, shows that some within even the ultra-liberal SF media are pro dam."

FERC ignores salmon mandates, recommends keeping Klamath dams, Capital Press 11/16/07. "The final environmental impact statement from the staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission chose trapping and hauling fish around the dams rather than building expensive fish ladders and reducing power production to help salmon...The dams produce enough power for 70,000 households."

Comments to KBC regarding Klamath Dam removal and Trinity diversions: "Hello, In everything that I've read, I've never seen one word on the subject of Trinity River water, which should go into the lower Klamath River, having been diverted in the 1960s to form Whiskeytown Lake which waters the Sacramento Valley. Maybe restoring some of that water to the Klamath would help without doing something as drastic and irreversible as removing the dams." Montague, CA 11/07

(Klamath) Water talks getting close, Commissioner: Not everyone will be happy, but deal will provide benefits, H&N, posted to KBC 11/15/07, "A Klamath River watershed settlement could be released to the public by the end of the month, participants say... There will be a short time period during which the public can comment." (KBC Note: It will have taken 26 environmental groups, gov't agencies, a few farmers, all the Klamath River tribes, including all their attorneys, a couple years to agree on a settlement. It will include your water rights, taking out 4 Klamath River dams, river flows, land idling, leaseland farming, land retirement, wetlands--assuming all the press releases we've read are correct. Negotiations have been secret. Now we are being told we may be allowed a short time, right before Christmas, to comment. No vote was mentioned.)

Advocates ask ratepayers to fight relicensing of 4 Klamath dams, Oregonian 11/14/07, followed by Rally for PacifiCorp customer support. (KBC NOTE: What is not mentioned is that the expense of building fish ladders is a one-time expense, and the loss of power to 70,000s annually home is an annual loss. In this article, dams are blamed for low fish runs. In lawsuits by the Karuks against the miners, they blame the miners. And in courts and films by the Indians and environmentalists, Klamath farmers are blamed. ?)

County missing Klamath talks, Triplicate, posted to KBC 11/13/07

Mismanagement and Lack of Oversight Threatening Future Salmon Fisheries, by fisherman Mike Aughney, posted to KBC 11/6/07. "There is one group that is getting far more than their allotted share and this is dooming other user groups to possible future closures. Yurok tribal gill-netters on the lower Klamath have likely far exceeded their annual quota... there is literally zero oversight from state or federal fishery management agencies..."

CEC urges rate hike to remove Klamath dams, not fisheries upgrade, Water Power magazine 11/5/07. (KBC NOTE: yes, this makes sense...raise power rates to eliminate power for 70,000 homes annually.

California commission recommends ripping out Klamath Dams, Washington Times 10/29/07, FOLLOWED BY comments on Free Republic forum, "Tear them down. California doesn’t need electricity."  

FERC ignores salmon mandates, recommends keeping Klamath dams, Capital Press 11/16/07. "The final environmental impact statement from the staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission chose trapping and hauling fish around the dams rather than building expensive fish ladders and reducing power production to help salmon...The dams produce enough power for 70,000 households." (KBC Note: The objective? writer chose to include quotes from: Glen Spain, attorney for Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen, who stands to profit from any decision but his lawsuits are many against Klamath Irrigators and PacifiCorp; activist Craig Tucker, formerly affiliated with national dam-removal group Friends of the River, presently spokesman for Karuk Tribe, which just sued the Klamath miners, and involved in Riverkeeper, a dam-removal group and spinoff also from Klamath Forest Alliance which is anti-loggers and anti-farmers; and McCarthy of Oregon Wild, who consistently advocates against Klamath Irrigators and supports reducing farmland, logging and mining.)

KBC READERS: In the following articles we may glean a little information about the settlement talks discussing dam removal, water rights, flows, and now ocean wildlands:
Ocean council hears Klamath, fishing issues, The Times-Standard 10/26/2007
Ocean Protection Council talks dams, project funding, The Eureka Reporter 10/27/07
Calif. Ocean Protection Council to hear Klamath settlement talks, Daily Triplicate, posted 10/26/07

Robert F Kennedy Jr takes helm of Waterkeeper Alliance as Chairman; Board of Directors Announces New President, Executive Director posted 10/5/07. (KBC NOTE: For a little explanation on Whose Who: Waterkeeper is affiliated with international groups of dam-removal advocates. Anti-hog farms, dredge mining, coal burning power, dams--Klamath Dams. Local activists of this agenda-driven group are called "riverkeepers" as in "Klamath Riverkeeper."  "Bobby Kennedy joins Klamath Tribes, fishermen and Riverkeeper in PacifiCorp toxin suit." Bobby is senior attorney. Craig Tucker, coordinator and spokesman for the Karuk Tribe, previously worked with the environmental group Friends of the River, a California group advocating dam removal. He presently is on the board of Klamath Riverkeeper. Tucker is a lead in settlement negotiations between Klamath Water Users Association, environmentalists, agencies and Klamath River Tribes. Recent articles have said that Klamath irrigators are in these negotiations; please let us correct that misconception. We irrigators are not privy to these secret negotiations, bartering hydropower dams with water rights and power rates...secrecy was mandatory. The tribes have told their constituencies, but Klamath Basin irrigators to date have not been allowed to learn what these groups of 'brothers' are negotiating in detail. We have been assured that we will have a public comment period before it's a done deal.)

Affected parcels in Copco and Iron Gate if Klamath River Dams are removed. posted to KBC 10/1/07, by Siskiyou County Assessor's office.

Dear KBC, I am a supporter of maintaining the dams. Please see the article on salmon and steelhead fishing published in California Game and Fish September 2007 issue. The article starting on page 28 shows that the fishing guides are seeing a lot of good fishing and expect a very good fall of fishing for salmon ad steelhead. Proof the water is goods and fishing is good. Keep the dams!. Rich Bodnar

North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board Scott Shasta algae tour, Siskiyou County Supervisor Marcia Armstrong District 5, posted to KBC 9/28/07. "...the Karuk tribe, one of the complainants regarding algae, has been selected to do the collection and analysis of algae samples...They claim that algae has detrimental effects on salmonids as well as people. It is one of the arguments they use for removing the dams."

Water tour brings stakeholders together; Klamath River Basin issues span cultures, states, livelihoods, Capital Press 9/28/07

Jim Cook: Behind the dams on the Klamath River, by Jim Cook and Marcia H. Armstrong - Siskiyou County Supervisors, Sacramento Bee 9/18/07. HERE for more on Klamath dam removal.

Klamath River: Siskiyou County Dam Removal/Dam Relicensing, letter to Governor Schwarzenegger from Siskiyou County Supervisors, posted to KBC 9/18/07. "The County of Siskiyou and its constituents stand to be significantly impacted if any of the dams slated for relicensing are to be removed.  The County of Siskiyou is supportive of fish and river health but has been and continues to be in opposition to dam removal.  It believes that there are reasonable alternatives to dam removal which would improve fish and river health but would not significantly impact the County of Siskiyou and its constituents..."

Klamath River Algae Law Suit and Klamath River Salmon History, posted 9/8/07, by Karuk Tribal member James Waddell  to North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board. "

Slam! Karuk, Riverkeeper file lawsuit in state court, Pioneer Press posted 8/31/07. "Karuk Indian tribe was charged with collecting water samples, and health workers took blood samples from area swimmers, fisherman and boaters from August 17 through 19. The CDC granted the Karuk nearly $85,000 to conduct the sampling, and the tribe paid $40 to every lake user who volunteered to help with the two-day sampling effort."

Groups sue North Coast water board over Klamath River dams, Register Guard, 8/23/07. "A group of environmentalists, fishermen and Karuk tribe members filed suit Thursday to force the regional water board to regulate discharges of highly toxic algae in the Klamath River."
Karuk Leader Arrested, North Coast Journal 8/23/07

Board discusses Klamath Watershed, Siskiyou Daily News, posted to KBC 8/23/07. "... he did an excellent job, especially in providing the clarification that the blue-green algae is a natural occurrence – that the source of phosphorous is not purely an act of man but of nature.” (KBC NOTE: Miller, paragraph 10, wrote in his publication that if all nutrients into Klamath Lake were halted (1965) there would be enough nutrients already in the system to keep the same high level of algal productivity for 200 years.)

Ron Williams: Dams provide cheap, clean energy we can't afford to lose, Idaho Statesman, posted 8/23/07

Federal judge denies PacifiCorp request to throw out Klamath dams toxins case, posted 8/23/07. (Plaintiff Klamath Riverkeepers, including Karuk Spokesman Craig Tucker and Klamath Forest Alliance founder Petey Brucker, is a project of Klamath Forest Alliance, according to KFA co-founder Felice Pace. Go here to see dam removal efforts by Earth First.  

8/20/07: Greg Addington, Director Klamath Water Users Association, in answer to KBC question, said "I hope to have at least a month (public comment period). But I just flat don't know how it will work." regarding the settlement with the Klamath River Tribes, enviros, KWUA, and 26 groups in secret negotiations regarding dam removal, farmland, water available to farms, land retirement, power rater, etc.  

Join rally NOW to demand the removal of Klamath Dams, Portland Independent Media Center 8/14/07.   (KBC NOTE: Apparently Earth First has joined the dam-removal DEMAND. HERE for article on Earth First.

Discord rumors in (Klamath) water talks just that, H&N 8/14/07.

Non-tribal Klamath mid-basin left out of Settlement Group, by Marcia Armstrong, Siskiyou County Supervisor District 5, posted to KBC 8/1/07

Suckers show sign of recovery, H&N, posted to KBC 8/1/07. "(Tribal Chairman Joe Kirk) was disappointed the decision came while the Tribes and other Klamath Basin (FERC Settlement) stakeholders are working to resolve Klamath River issues, including the future of four hydroelectric dams, coastal fisheries and irrigation and tribal needs. 'To have something of this importance dropped on us without consultation while we are trying to settle Basin resource issues is a disservice to everyone,' Kirk said." (KBC Question?? Since irrigators have done numerous conservation and habitat projects to make more suckers for the Tribes who want to restore their sucker fisheries and sucker diet, why aren't they rejoicing? Are there things in the secret settlement that would be affected by thriving suckers?)

Senator amends bill addressing Klamath Basin dam issues, Eureka Reporter, posted to KBC 7/31/07

****"Gimme a Break" from Karuk Tribe spokesman Craig Tucker to KBC, posted to KBC 7/25/07
****Response to 'Gimme a Break" from KBC to Karuk Spokesman Craig Tucker, 7/25/07

Klamath River Settlement Takes Shape, USFWS and DOI News Release, posted 7/25/07. "

Water talks could be finished by November , H&N, 7/14/07

The Klamath knot, North Coast Journal 7/12/07. “We achieved working out a framework that specified dam removal,” Tucker said. “Everybody felt it was good for the river except for Oregon Wild. Steve Pedery, conservation director of Oregon Wild, "said Oregon Wild continues to be involved in the process through sister groups and allies in the tribes."

(KBC Note: Kandra says there is no finger pointing in settlement talks; Hoopas seem to claim otherwise: )
Solving the Klamath River fisheries issues requires true and wise leadership by Steve Kandra, Klamath Water User, "The farmers, tribes and fishermen are solving problems, not pointing fingers." And Fish and Farmers Both Need Water, by Hoopa Tribal Chairman Clifford Marshall, "fish in the Trinity and Klamath rivers are still fighting for their lives as the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation starves the Trinity River for restoration funding and aged dams block natural propagation on the Klamath River," Washington Post, posted to KBC 7/10/07.

Klamath Water Users and Tribes Negotiate Removal of Warren Buffett’s Dams That Poison Local Communities and Result in Public Health Warnings, Karuk Tribe, posted to KBC 7/8/07

Stakeholders, not Cheney, Will Determine Klamath’s Fate, Craig Tucker Karuk Tribe spokesman, posted 7/7/07, and sent to the Register Guard.

* Solution save Klamath Dams: To the attention of Mr. Craig Tucker, fellow (anti-dam)campaigners and Klamath Water Users, from Sean McKinney, Australia,  7/4/07. "Our ancient land down-under (Australia) is like the rest of the world suffering once again from mans interference with nature. The influence on our aquatic environments from our fellow man spreading the land with super - phosphates to enhance crop yields replenish nutrients grow more, better, quicker etc has finally up with us..."
From Craig Tucker to KBC: "Thanks for forwarding this along. It would be worth better understanding what they could to address the algae problem. But note that our push for dam removal comes with or without the algae as the dams remain a barrier to the recovery of salmon even if the human health threat of the toxic algae blooms were addressed." S. Craig Tucker, Ph.D., Klamath Campaign Coordinator, Karuk Tribe of California
From Matt St. John, water quality engineer with CA Water Board regarding Australia solution for algae in the Klamath River,

Hydropower -- It's a 'green' resource, 6/19/07  Tri-City Herald, Editorial: "Hydropower is a clean, reliable and affordable renewable energy source that serves as a key component in our national environmental and energy policy objectives," McMorris Rodgers said. "It's about time Congress recognized that hydropower is renewable and emissions-free."  Here for Dam Page.

Salmon campaign by chefs skirts facts, Capital Press 6/15/07. "It may be easy to blame the four dams as the sole culprits for the endangered status of the fish but it isn't accurate."

Anti farming groups banned from participating in Pacific Power negotiations, Pioneer Press 6/13/07. "Our Klamath settlement framework specifies dam removal, river flows that would allow salmon to recover, incentives for farmers to develop more wetlands, expands the size of upper Klamath lake and more" (KBC Note: this article seems a bit disorganized, so we are not sure how valid it is)

"Discussion continues about Klamath dam issue, H&N 6/9/07. “We’re moving down the path, and we’ve got to let our people know about it, whether a settlement comes tomorrow or 10 years from now,” Addington said (Executive Director Klamath Water Users Asso."

Dam the Salmon response by Bill Kennedy, Klamath Water Users Association board member, 6/6/07. "The agenda of the greens or the deep ecologists is not what we see in their advocacy. In the case of Klamath River hydropower, dismantling our infrastructure creates real economic pressure on those identified as the big environmental problem, the growing human race."

Dam the Salmon, In the Northwest, environmentalists want to have it both ways, Wall Street Journal editorial, posted to KBC June 1, 2007

United Opposition to Rahall Energy Dependency Bill H.R. 2337 6/6/07, followed by more statements. "A diverse coalition of organizations representing America's economic and business leaders, labor, farmers and ranchers, and clean alternative energy producers are uniting to oppose legislation that would repeal many of the nation's important energy policies and raise consumer energy prices and increase U.S. dependency on foreign energy."

Breaching Snake River dams is action of last resort; The latest proposal by the federal government to spur salmon recovery should be given a chance to work, by the Union-Bulletin Editorial Board, posted to KBC 6/2/07.

From FERC, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, to Mr Bodnar, followed by letter from Mr. Bodnar to FERC regarding Klamath Dam relicensing, posted to KBC 5/28/07. ("Have the tribes considered that they overfish their area? It is well known that they use illegal nets to harvest excessive amounts of fish. I learned this from the locals who told me about the need to drop bales of hay into the river so that they would become so heavy enough with water to take out the illegal Indian nets.") 

Warren Buffett Hates Salmon, Native Americans, DealBreaker, 5/24/07. (KBC Note: The article above, Salmon aid intact in war-funding bill,  blames Klamath irrigators for fish dying in fall 2002, and so did the Tribes and enviros and Cal Fish and Game blame us. Of course they blamed Bush too, until, 2 yrs ago, they became aware that FERC Klamath Hydro dam license was about to expire. Now they blame Buffett's because fish died in 2002 since he bought the hydro dams. Does anyone think accusing Buffet of 'genocide' and snubbing "Holocaust survivors." is a bit extreme in trying to materialize the dam-removal agenda?)

Oregon Wild is PacifiCorp’s best Ally in Klamath Dam Fight!, by Karuk Spokesman Craig Tucker regarding Oregon Wild and FERC negotiations, Indy Bay 5/11/07. HERE for KBC questions

Tribes take Klamath dams woes to Buffett HQ, followed by On the home front: Secretive settlement talks and a surprise lawsuit, Northcoast Journal, posted 5/11/07. KBC notes, facts & information

Pacific Power would get more land, posted to KBC 5/11/07 ""It seems crazy that they think that sedimentation issue would be solved by washing it down the river. It seems like that would just ruin the river down the river," Mallory said. Copco Lake is the largest private property bordered lake ever to face removal.

Fields of conflict in the Klamath, LA Times, posted 5/9/07. KWUA rebuttal to environmental myths by Dan Keppen, past director Klamath Water Users,  California Waterfowl Association spokesman Bill Gaines, and Tulelake Refuge manager Ron Cole, delivered in 2004. HERE for KBC refuge page.

Buffett says regulators, not PacifiCorp, will decide dams' future, Oregonian, 5/5/07.

California Tribes and Fishermen Come to Omaha on Quest to Save Salmon, Indy Bay, Karuk, Yurok, Friends of the River, and Klamath River Keeper (Klamath Forest Alliance) posted 5/2/07, followed by Tribes take protest on road, Triplicate
Klamath River settlement is nearly ready, The Oregonian, posted 5/1/07
Progress in talks on Klamath Dams welcome news, H&N 4/29/07. "The settlement process on the dams is in that vein and participants undoubtedly recognize that everyone will be better off if more lengthy legal challenges along with the costs and ill will can be avoided."  (KBC NOTE: Avoid "legal challenges"? An interesting concept! Last month Riverwatchers and Karuk tribe sued PacifiCorp. PCFFA, Yuroks and Hoopas along with the other environmental groups filed against irrigators in the power rate case, Yurok employee Felice Pace presently has lawsuits against Scott Valley and Klamath irrigators on water quality, PCFFA and Yuroks and other groups sued irrigators saying they did not have a right to water we stored for irrigation in 2001 which, on our deeds, says "water appurtenant to that land" and signed by the President of the United States, ....NOW that tribes and PCFFA and enviros succeeded in winning the power rate case against irrigators to downsize ag, now they say, ok, you get an affordable power rate if the dams come out. Was that a handy bargaining tool? And we can have some dependable water after they sued us so we would not get water? )

Klamath Indians asking (Buffett) to take down PacifiCorp dams, by Clea Benson - Sacramento Bee Capitol Bureau April 27, 2007. HERE for Dam Page. Do you want the Klamath dams removed? Tell Warren Buffett by writing or calling:
Berkshire Hathaway
Attn: Warren Buffett
1440 Kiewit Plaza
Omaha , NE 68131
402-346-1400

Group wants Buffett to remove dams, World Herald, posted 4/27/07. (KBC NOTE: The article shows dead fish to promote dam removal. In 2002, the tribes demanded a surge of hot water down the Klamath River against advice of scientists who said this would be lethal to the salmon. Trinity River fish died when they reached the lethal water, and the enviros and Indians blamed farmers for "low flows". These same pictures are being used to promote Klamath Dam removal, blaming dams for dead fish, and assuming that dam removal will fix water quality with millions of tons of sediment being released into the river.)

Thank you for the coverage from the cross hairs of the western water debate; (Climate Change Adds Twist to Debate Over Dams), letter to NY Times by William Kennedy, Klamath Falls Farmer 4/27/07

(Klamath) Groups closer to water settlement, April 25, 2007 Herald and News

 
Climate Change Adds Twist to Debate Over (Klamath) Dams, New York Times, posted to KBC 4/25/07. HERE for dam page. (KBC NOTE: Thanks to the Klamath Project and it's storage, paid for by Klamath irrigators, free regulated water FROM the Klamath Project has allowed cheap power for PacifiCorps customers in the NW for decades--it was in exchange for affordable power rates to the irrigators. PacifiCorp is increasing the cost to Klamath irrigators 2500% in the next couple years, saying our water does not benefit them. We were previously partners in providing food and power). More HERE.

Basin water problem serious, demands timely solution, letter to H&N by Cal Hunt, 4/22/07. " The recent showing of the film produced by the Karuk Indians that is used by the Klamath River Inter Tribal Fish and Water Commission has one purpose: Prevent the relicensing of the Klamath River dams in the hopes that salmon populations will be improved. The plight of our farming community, which depends on adequate water for irrigation, was not solved or benefited by the film’s information. Pacific Corp. claims the dams supply power for 70,000 homes. No answer was given to the question of reliable source of power supply if the dams are removed."

Opinion: Save the planet -- save the hydro dams, Redding Searchlight 4/22/07 "PacificCorp's hydro turbines produce 359 gigawatt-hours of carbon-free electricity each year. Yeah, that's insignificant -- it's only three-fourths of Siskiyou County's total yearly electrical consumption. From a global-warming perspective, that replacement power from the gas-fired power plants will produce 220,000 tons per year of new carbon dioxide emissions. Insignificant? Those new emissions equal all automotive-related carbon emissions by everyone in Siskiyou and Del Norte counties combined."

Green power is not green, Letter to KBC by Dale Hellewell 4/20/07. "Hydro projects have turned millions of acres of waste land all over the US into productive, wild life rich environments. Remove the dams and you kill the birds and wildlife they protect."

Klamath River interests to take dam concerns to Warren Buffett, Times Standard 4/18/07. "Everybody seems to want to take out the dams except Pacificorp,” Pellegrini said.(KBC NOTE: No, not "everybody" wants the dams out. Go to Dam Page.)

Activists attack Iron Gate hatchery, Lawsuit filed by Klamath Riverkeepers, Pioneer Press, posted to KBC 4/16/07

Because We Live Here, By Lance Waldren Pioneer Press, posted April 16, 2007. "Groups such as Klamath Forest Alliance and now the off shoot group of theirs called the Klamath Riverkeepers are the real culprits. These groups are the ultimate hypocrites - and, yes, I looked up the definition."

Beating up enviros, the Director of Member Services for the Assembly Republican Caucus knows water, Pioneer Press, posted to KBC 4/16/07 "They tell us that the only way the fish are going to survive is to tear down the dams, deprive people of power and basically ruin the river for a good decade, and depreciate real estate values for a lifetime."

Tribes and Klamath Water Users Association featured in: Solving the Klamath Crisis: Keeping Farms and Fish Alive. Indians and farmers talked, commented, asked questions. Here For Story.

Klamath River parties hold meeting of the minds, The Daily Triplicate, posted to KBC 4/4/07. ""We need to continue to foster that relationship," Fletcher said, adding that radical environmental groups, government intervention and court cases have failed. "It is too easy to sit back and go, ‘It's your fault.'" (KBC NOTE: The Yuroks recently, along with the 'radical environmental groups' and PCFFA, joined together to petition against the Klamath Irrigators getting a affordable power rate in exchange for free regulated water supplied by the Klamath Project to create power with the Klamath hydro dams. Yurok employee Felice Pace has lawsuits against Klamath Project irrigators and Siskiyou irrigators. Somehow, all at once, we are forming an alliance with them? Please fill us in someone)

Karuk film with KWUA 3/27/07

The Klamath Riverkeeper is filing a lawsuit today in the U.S. District Court in San Francisco against Warren Buffett's PacifiCorp for polluting the Klamath River, Indy Bay posted 3/28/07. spokesperson "Craig Tucker received his B.S. in biochemistry from Clemson University in 1993. He went on to get a Ph.D. in biochemistry from Vanderbilt University in 1999. After graduate school he gave up laboratory science for a career as an environmental and social justice activist. In 2000 Craig joined Green Corps, the field school for environmental organizing. While in Green Corp, Craig learned fundamental grassroots organizing skills. After Green Corps he worked as Outreach Director at Friends of the River, developing grassroots campaigns on a variety of California water issues. Each campaign was based on the connection between sustainable environmental policy and social justice. Currently Craig is the Campaign Coordinator for the Karuk Tribe's 'Bring the Salmon Home' campaign. The goal: removal of four dams on the Klamath River which would represent the largest dam removal project in history."

Federal suit filed against California hatchery, MLive.com, posted to KBC 3/28/07. "Klamath Riverkeeper, part of an environmental alliance headed by Robert Kennedy Jr., filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Sacramento, alleging that discharges from the hatchery violated the Clean Water Act. At issue is the hatchery at the Iron Gate Dam located on the Klamath River near the Oregon border."  

The California Energy Commission said today that removing four PacifiCorp hydroelectric dams from the Klamath River would be more beneficial than originally projected, Indy Bay 3/27/07
New data back removal of Klamath dams, LA Times 3/27/07

International Day of Action for Rivers, March 2007. This event has passed, however the feature film with Klamath Water Users and Karuks will be in Klamath this Tuesday at Ross Ragland. Do come...it has been shown up and down the West Coast. HERE for info on Tuesday's showing.

FILM SHOWING March 27th in Klamath Falls, Keeping Farms and Fish Alive. Film starring the Karuk Tribe, Klamath Water Users Scott Seus and KWUA Executive Director Greg Addington, and PCFFA, several tribes and groups participated in this film. It has been shown up and down the west coast, and it will be here this month. Do attend!

To the Destroyers of dams, Pioneer Press by Nita Still, Montague, posted to KBC 3/19/07.

LETTER from Carpenters and Oregon Wild, 3/13/07 followed by KBC Note.

Owner of Klamath River dams attacks study; PacifiCorp disputes claims that it would be cheaper to remove the barriers blocking the migration of endangered salmon than to keep them, LA Times 3/13/07

PRESS RELEASE: PacifiCorp disputes California Energy Commission’s Klamath model and report, 3/12/07. "CA Energy Consulting’s evaluation found that the CEC’s model is riddled with errors in the inputs, methodology and key assumptions, and that these errors inappropriately bias the results of the model toward decommissioning."

"Our Legendary Water & Power Infrastructure Helped Make The West What It Is Today." Rep. McMorris Rodgers, posted to KBC 3/12/07 "At a time when everyone is talking about climate change, it baffles me why anyone thinks it's good public policy to remove clean and renewable hydropower."

Panel: Ease limits on Klamath River salmon; Expected record run of chinook prompts federal group to call for longer season, H&N posted 3/13/07 "A record run of chinook salmon is expected for California’s Klamath River basin this year"

Economists Flunk Enviro Report On Economics Of Dam Breaching, NW Fishletter, posted 3/12/07

Dam removals could cost millions; BPA's electricity users could pay up to $550 million a year if four lower Snake River dams were removed, Idaho Statesman, posted 3/5/07

Media Myth: America's big dam problem, Business and Media Institute, 2/28/07. "While environmentalists claim to battle for renewable energy, dams that provide renewable power to 10 percent of the United States have come under increasing attack..." followed by Something Fishy about Eco-Extremists' Power Play; Uber-left would rather take out a dam than give one about America's energy future.

About the Dams, Letter to the Editor Pioneer Press, posted to KBC 2/18/07

Leave dams alone, H&N letter, posted 2/18/07

PacifiCorp PRESS RELEASE: PacifiCorp continues with Klamath licensing process, settlement discussions, posted to KBC 2/14/07, "PacifiCorp does not own enough generating capacity to supply its customers’ energy requirements. For this reason, the company highly values its dependable hydro resources. The Klamath Hydroelectric Project is the company’s third largest hydro project, and on average can supply the needs of 70,000 homes each year."

Films examine forest, rivers' ecology Documentaries? Three films inspect ecosystems in Oregon and Southeast Asia, posted 2/14/07, The Oregonian. (KBC NOTE: These films blast salvaging Siskiyou burnt forests, and blast Klamath dams. The review celebrates the film made with the tribes and Klamath Water Users. In this review it states "that the dams create unpredictability in water supplies for farmers, deplete fish stocks for coastal fishermen...", however, KBC watched the film and does not find any case for unpredictable water supplies being caused by the dams. Actually, the Klamath Project provides predictable regulated flows for fish and power in the Klamath River. And the coastal fishermen we have talked with say that the government's depleting hatcheries is a cause of 'depleted fish stocks'. They contend the new rule on "natural spawned fish" is the weapon used to shut down fishing, as there are lots of fish spawned in the hatchery, fish genetically equal to natural spawners. And HERE is KBC review of the film.)

PacifiCorp continues with Klamath licensing process, Yreka's Siskiyou Daily News, posted 2/13/07

Pacific Power has a big dilemma - what will they choose? Dams to come down?, Pioneer Press, posted 2/8/07

PacifiCorp Considers $300M Fish Ladders, Forbes, posted 2/8/07

FWS NEWS RELEASE: Departments of Interior, Commerce File Modified Prescriptions for Klamath Dams Relicensing, posted to KBC 2/4/07.

A better plan for our climate, Albany Democrat Herald 2/4/07. "The dams on the Klamath produce energy without the slightest increase in greenhouse gases. If they are shut down, the power will have to come from something else, maybe wind or geothermal, but most likely a coal or gas-burning plant in some other state."

DFG Director Broddrick Statement on PacifiCorp, By: Department of Fish and Game 1/31/07
Fate of Klamath River dams in play, LA Times 1/31/07
U.S. Orders Modification of Klamath River Dams Removal May Prove More Cost-Effective, Washington Post 1/31/07
Environmentalists, Post Embrace Some Dam Destruction Article downplays lost of power for 70,000 people as the result of green mandate, Business and Media Institute 1/31/07. "Ironically, the Post took an entirely different position just five days earlier on January 26. In an editorial, the paper criticized the president’s energy plan because he “missed opportunities to improve energy security and to combat climate change.” Presumably, hydroelectric power would meet both of those goals."

Momentum builds toward dam removal, American Rivers, preceeded by commentary by Property Rights Advocate Jim Foley, 1/31/07

National Marine Fishery Service Modified Prescriptions for Fishways and Alternatives Analysis for the Klamath Hydroelectric Project (FERC project #2082) from the Dept of Commerce and NMFS, posted 1/30/07.

Federal agencies issue final mandates for Klamath Dams, Karuk, 1/30/07

Hoopa Tribe wants government to help spawning salmon, Indy Media, followed by commentary by Jim Foley, property rights advocate, posted 1/28/07. "There is virtually no difference between trucking the fish or barging the fish. ...This is from a US Corps of Engineers research review. "Other new research that may shed light on the vagaries of barging fish reported that overall, barged fish were in better shape than their inriver brethren, based on lab tests that assessed their ability to ward off marine bacteria."

Senate Democrats balk at governor's plan for dams, Bee Capitol Bureau, posted to KBC 1/27/07 Followed by commentary of Mike Wade, Executive Director California Farm Water Coalition

Study aims to shed more light on delayed mortality thesis, Columbia Basin Bulletin, posted to KBC 1/21/07. "An Idaho water users group this week cited results from a 2006 study as proof that migrating juvenile salmon do not suffer ill effects from passing down through four lower Snake River federal hydroprojects, and nor does barging the young fish through the hydrosystem hinder their chances of surviving to adulthood."

Pacific Ocean Shelf Tracking Project (POST): Results from the Acoustic Tracking Study on Survival of Columbia River Salmon, 96-page report, pdf.

Klamath dams targeted, H&N, 1/18/07

NEWS RELEASE: Acoustic Tag Salmon Study Refutes Environmentalists’ Breaching Benefits Claims, Coalition for Idaho Water, posted 1/18/07 "This crucial new data puts a bullet in the heart of arguments that tearing out the dams will somehow become a silver bullet remedy in salmon recovery efforts,...” “ 'This new science refutes claims by environmentalists that the four lower Snake River dams need to be removed. It also makes it crystal clear that additional water from southern Idaho is not needed to produce high survival rates among the juvenile fish,' ” Semanko added."

Contradictions, Lies and Inconsistencies Regarding Salmon and Dams, By James Foley, Hamburg, posted 12/23/06 "Removal of theses Dams will not solve the algae issues nor will it change them.  The Klamath River contains high levels of Phosphorus which the algae thrives on. This is a natural occurrence starting with the artesian wells, springs and rivers that feed the Klamath River in Oregon and Upper Klamath Lake."

Study On Economics Of Dam Breaching Takes Another Hit, NWFish Letter, posted 12/21/06 "The January 2004 letter from BST Associates to American Rivers' Northwest regional office complained that the results of a BST study commissioned by American Rivers and other groups were misrepresented in a press release that minimized impacts and ignored 'many cautions in the body of the report.' "

Dam removal will devastate economy, SeattlePi, posted to KBC 12/18/06 "It claims removal could restore fish runs, save billions of dollars and that the clean, renewable power generated by the dams could be replaced by conservation and wind power." (KBC note: Substitute 'Snake River Dams' with 'Klamath River Dams.)

Rivers Reborn; Removing dams and restoring rivers in California, Friends of the River. This agenda, spelled out in 1999, is now coming to fruition. Craig Tucker, spokesman for Friends of the River, currently is negotiator for the Karuk Tribe on FERC dam removal negotiations. They are negotiating with irrigators regarding power rates and Project agriculture, with PCFFA, and others, and made a film Solving the Klamath Crisis  supporting farming and dam removal. Friends of the River is part of the Klamath Coalition with:
American Rivers
Defenders of Wildlife
Earthjustice
Headwaters
Institute for Fisheries Resources
Klamath Basin Audubon Society
Klamath Forest Alliance
Northcoast Environmental Center
Oregon Natural Resources Council/ONRC
Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations/PCFFA
Sierra Club-Oregon Chapter
Trout Unlimited
The Wilderness Society
Waterwatch of Oregon
World Wildlife Fund
The Klamath Coalition
Klamath Coalition contends that: the Klamath Project is bad and collapsed the ecosystem, Endangered Species are not a problem, denies that wetlands/standing water evaporate more water than irrigated agriculture uses, denies California Waterfowl Association's science that cropland provides 50% of the feed in the Klamath Basin Pacific Flyway to waterfowl. Their solutions: government land acquisition through willing seller and conservancies (over 100,000 acres of upper basin land have been taken by these means), flood ag land which would evaporate twice the water used by wetlands, introduce more endangered species, end leaseland farming, decommission forest roads. They claim Project irrigation caused the 2002 fish die-off in the Klamath River and more flows should go down the river.

Battle for the Klamath, 12/15/06 Friends of the River. 

Do I Have This Right? 12-11-2006 Hamburg California, by Jim Foley, property rights advocate, "If the river is impaired for sediment and they support the boards findings, how in the world can they possibly support dam removal and the resulting release of 20 million cubic yards of sediment that the dams presently hold back?"

A film made by the Karuks with Klamath Water Users is being shown in a dam removal film, 'Solving the Klamath Crisis' is airing on MCTV in Ashland. For KBC report on the film go HERE. And HERE for dam page. 12/13/06

TURNABOUT: Norm Semanko...Idahoans are united, against breaching dams "These groups openly admit they use legal tactics to get activist federal judges to threaten to take the state's crucial irrigation water for flow augmentation, a threat they can use as leverage to force irrigators to support dam breaching." 

***Response by Klamath Basin irrigator Bill Kennedy, who is a Klamath Water User Association director. He is responding to 'Local consensus: All four Klamath dams should go', by Terry Dillman Of the Newport News-Times, posted to KBC 12/8/06

A Reasonable Speculation, by Chris Mayer, posted December 7, 2006, "This year's report showed (power) demand growing 3 times as fast as capacity additions."

The people v. FERC; Eureka hearing-goers tell agency to drop the dams, North Coast Journal, posted to KBC 12/3/06. (KBC Note: Somehow we overlooked this article. The man, Dennis Mayo, claiming to represent Klamath Irrigators does not represent the people of the Klamath Basin. The vast majority of residents here do not support dam removal.)

Klamath dams study broke law, agency says; Relicensing - NOAA Fisheries says an energy panel should have looked at removing all 4 dams, posted to KBC 12/3/06, The Oregonian.(Response to article by KBC reader: "NOAA should look at their own data.  It was their graph that showed that the steelhead returns to Irongate fish hatchery increased roughly 2% per year for 24-years.  This changed only when ocean conditions changed in 1985-1987.")

* New plan adds fish ladders, H&N posted 12/3/06
* Removing 4 Klamath River dams may save money, report finds, LA Times, posted 12/3/06
* PRESS RELEASE - Karuk and Yurok Tribes: California study says Warren Buffet can save millions of dollars and restore Klamath Salmon,  posted to KBC 12/03/06. "Yurok Chairman Howard McConnell, 'From our perspective, PacifiCorp’s dams are weapons of genocide. Indians depend on salmon for their physical and spiritual health. Salmon are the cornerstone of our cultural identity...' "
{From the November Klamath Watershed Conference:
* Yurok Troy Fletcher, "The dams are coming out! We're going to do our damnest to get those dams out!"
* Karuk Leif Hillman, " I'm willing to fight! And when these dams come out, I'm still willing to fight I'm fighting for the salmon...we can't allow dam huggers to stand in the way. If tribes and Klamath Water Users and off project irrigators can sit in the dame room days at a time, that tells me there is hope."
* Dave Hillemeier, Yurok Fisheries Manager: "Don't wait on science for implementing solutions."}

Many of the stakeholders and government agencies are holding FERC negotiations which are closed meetings, not to be divulged to the constituents. FERC writes: "If a settlement is filed here, we would issue public notice of it and invite comments.  Depending on what's in it, we may need to do additional NEPA work to support the decision-making process."

Pulling Klamath dams cheaper than leaving them in, Times Standard, posted 12/3/06, "Humboldt County Supervisor Jill Geist, who has been a part of the settlement talks, said the report is crucial to leveraging a settlement. Money that could be used toward decommissioning of the dams was approved as part of a bond measure passed by California voters last month."

Stakeholders ask for Klamath talk delay, Dams subject of closed-door talks, Capital Press 12/1/06 "Three dams in far Northern California plus the J.C. Boyle Power Plant just north of the stateline in Oregon are subject of the closed-door talks. There's a regulating dam above Boyle and two small powerplants near Klamath Falls that PacifiCorp wants to drop from a renewed license."

Opinions vary on Klamath dam removal, by Susan Chambers, TheWorldLink.Com, 11/30/06

Klamathh Hydroelectric Project,  posted to KBC 10/17/06 SEND COMMENTS to FERC regarding the Draft EnviroThe following link has address to mail comments to FERC before Dec. 1, 2006 >Department of Energy: Notice of intention to hold public meetings for discussion of the draft EIS for the Klamatnmental Impact Statement for relicensing of the Klamath Hydroelectric Project No. 2082-027 : Conditions for relicensing of theKlamath Dam : Irrigators' power rates, and fish passage. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission wants to know what you think about relicensing the 4 Klamath River Dams. The dams provide hydropower to 70,000 customers. They block fish passage. Remedies include trucking fish, fish ladders, and complete dam removal. Write or email comments by 12/1/06

Letter to FERC, Relicensing of the Klamath River Dams by Jim Foley, 11/30/06.

FERC Klamath Hydroelectric Project public meetings through Nov. 30th.

FERC dam relicensing on the Klamath, by Siskiyou County Supervisor Marcia Armstrong, posted to KBC 11/29/06

Klamath consultation in doubt; Fishery agencies demand specifics, Capital Press, posted to KBC 11/26/06 "Phil Detrich, field supervisor of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Klamath office, has put off a December Endangered Species Act consultation over Klamath hydroelectric dams."

For salmon, dammed or undammed makes no difference, Water seminar attendees hear another side of issue, Capital Press, posted 11/26/06 "Environmentalists want dams removed to save salmon, ignoring one fact: The runs are in the same condition on undammed rivers as in those with dams."

Editorial: Historic opportunity; Warren Buffett, take down those dams! Sacramento Bee Editorial 11/23/06 (KBC Note: For the record: KBC knows of no Project irrigator who wants to see the Klamath hydro dams removed. Negotiations are secret and closed. The enviros and Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen petitioned against allowing the farmers to have an affordable power rate in exchange for free regulated water provided by the Klamath Project, paid for by irrigators. However now they are dangling power rates in exchange for dam removal--that makes it ok? A political solution to rewild the watershed! Obliterate hatcheries. Where is the science saying dam removal will benefit the fish? 20 million cubic yards of sediment to pour downstream? Warmer water? Let's not mention power for 70,000 households with no current power alternatives.)

Scientist Says Dams May Not Be Limiting Fish Recovery, NW Fishletter, posted 11/21/06

Letter from Siskiyou County Supervisors to Governor's Schwarzenegger and Kulongoski regarding FERC Klamath Hydropower Dam relicensing, posted to KBC 11/20/06

Letter from Siskiyou County Supervisors to Congress regarding FERC Klamath Hydropower Dam relicensing, posted to KBC 11/20/06

Comments to FERC by Marcia Armstrong, Siskiyou Co Supervisor District 5, posted 11/18/06, regarding relicensing the Klamath Hydroelectric Project. "More than 20 million cu. yds. of fine sediment exist above the dams that would be mobilized down river to cement-in spawning beds, destroy populations of invertebrates and smother salmon eggs...."

Statement from Wa. Congressman Doc Hastings (R) On Dam Breachers' Capitol Hill Press Conference, posted 11/18/06. "These groups will go to any extreme to push their dam removal agenda. They'll manufacture a study or ignore scientific facts, whatever it takes to tear out our dams."

'Take these dams down' by John Driscoll, The Times-Standard November 17, 2006

Humboldt County leaders advocate Klamath dam removal, Times Standard, posted 11/17/06

Parties say Klamath settlement close, Capital Press 11/17/06

Letter to FERC, Relicensing of the Klamath River Dams by Jim Foley, 11/30/06.

Klamath Water Users perspective regarding functions of Klamath River dams, and also consequences of dam removal, go HERE 2004

In regards to Dam Removal, here is a story about fish success in an 8-dam river: "the past five years have seen the highest returns of spring, summer and fall chinook salmon since we began record-keeping more than 60 years ago." 

Salmon vs. power costs, H&N 11/14/06 report on FERC public meeting in Klamath Falls.

Condit Dam removal could hurt fish downstream, state says, Seattle Times, posted 11/13/06

Salmon on the Backs of Buffalo, Film by Dr. Kari Norgaard, UC Davis, and Karuk Tribe, 2004. Notes by KBC News. Klamath River tribal delegation and Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen attorney went to the Scottish Power headquarters to speak with Ian Russel, C.E.O. of Scottish Power, and meet with Scottish Power shareholders  in Edinburgh, Scotland because "Scottish Power owns the dams that are blocking our fish from being able to return to their native homeland." "They got rid of the buffalo so they could get rid of the Indians. 100 years later, they're getting rid of the fish so they can get rid of the Indians. It's being used as a weapon against us right now." ..

Demand driving purchase of Cob plant, H&N, posted 11/11/06. (Hey, according to the Tribes, PCFFA, Karuks and enviros, there is no demand and the Klamath hydro dams should come out!)

Letter to FERC regarding dam removal by Ryan Grizzell, posted 11/9/06

Klamath Dam Removal "sham", by Rex Cozzalio 11/2/06

Why remove dams? Bob and Penny 11/2/06

Save the Dams, Letter to FERC, Governors Schwarzenegger and Kulongoski, and PacifiCorp from K Walden, Hornbrook, posted 11/2/06 "Many of the citizens of Siskiyou county have united to give their opinions regarding the removal of the four dams on the Klamath River, that the environmentalists and Indians have so loudly said need to go..."

Letter from Mid-Basin citizens to be presented at CA Water Board meeting, 10/25/06.

Dam removal tops governor's agenda, Tam Moore, Capital Press 10/20/06. "Two governors, already on record as favoring removal of hydroelectric dams on the Klamath River, last week joined the call for a state-federal-stakeholder meeting to resolve water allocation and other issues."

Department of Energy: Notice of intention to hold public meetings for discussion of the draft EIS for the Klamath Hydroelectric Project,  posted to KBC 10/17/06

Hydroelectric plants are a good thing, Paradise Post, posted to KBC 10/12/06 "Hydroelectric power is the cleanest and most efficient power we produce. It's 33 percent less expensive than gas-fired power operations which by the way, are being built in large numbers throughout California. Thanks to the environmental movement and their opposition to hydroelectric dams and nuclear power plants, we pay more for energy in California than almost any other state. I don't know about you, but I find it silly that my power bill would be a lot lower if we were allowed to build the dams necessary to produce it."

Judge sides with government on most Klamath hydro challenges, Capital Press 10/13/06

Klamath dam reports conflict, Siskiyou Daily News, posted 10/12/06

Federal judge in Seattle upholds new rules for regimenting dams, kgw.com NW News Channel, posted 10/8/06.

Upstream Battle to Save the Salmon, Wall Street Journal letter by Bob Lohn, Northwest Regional Director NOAA Fisheries, posted to KBC 10/8/06. In an 8-dam river, "the past five years have seen the highest returns of spring, summer and fall chinook salmon since we began record-keeping more than 60 years ago."

Klamath issue concerns us, too, by Hasso Hering, Corvallis Gazette Times, posted 10/2/06 "The four dams generate an average of 735,000 megawatt hours of power a year, enough to supply about 70,000 residential customers."

Dam removal surfaces in blue-green algae issue, Siskiyou Daily News, posted to KBC 9/16/06

Compromise being sought for dam removal; Tribes, Water Users working together to find mutual solution, Herald and News, posted to KBC 8/25/06
Bill Kennedy, Klamath farmer and Klamath Water User, has different view on dismantling infrastructure.

FERC: Draft Environmental Impact Statement for relicensing of the Klamath Hydroelectric Project No. 2082-027, posted to KBC 9/26/06

Economic information regarding Klamath River Dam Removal, from Marcia Armstrong, Siskiyou County Supervisor District 5, 9/16/06

** Dear Mrs. Prendergast, Pacificorp, September 14, 2006 linda.prendergast@PacifiCorp.com, by Joe Greene Research Biologist, Retired. "I should also point out that the poisoning occurred on lands encompassing the Yurok reservation and controlled by the tribe. They themselves must then be held accountable for their part in the illegal activities that are occurring in the area under their legal authority"
** PacifiCorp's role in Klamath River Dams, by Miss Julie Kay Smithson, researcher, 9/14/06

'Dead zones' spread, thicken off NW coast; Oceanic wastelands may be becoming more severe, researchers say, The Oregonian, posted to KBC 9/14/06 (KBC Note: It's interesting that, according to a commercial coastal salmon troller, the few days that the fishermen were allowed to fish were in the "dead zones." Our government seems to value the survival of the fishermen as much as survival of Klamath Basin farmers.)

SOUTHLAND HEAT WAVE Heat Stretches California Power Network to the Limit, LA Times, posted to KBC 9/14/06. "When these transformers were installed, you had neighborhoods that weren't air-conditioned, homes without two computers and five television sets," he said." (KBC Note: On the Klamath River, tribes and enviros want to take out the dams. Do we need any power in California?)

CORRECTION: Retired EPA Research Biologist Joseph C Greene's power point presentation on Dam Removal has been replaced with the same one, but giving credit to Gregory B. Stewart, Ph.D.CMER Geomorphologist/Hydrologist Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission. Some of the slides used are the property of Dr. Stewart and the credits were missing in the first power point. Thank you Dr. Stewart, and also Joseph Greene, for your research. Dr. Stewart's dam-removal research is on his website: www.collbett.org/greg posted to KBC 9/13/06

Klamath dams stand trial; Tribes, Federal and State agencies, Conservationists, and Fishermen join forces to Defend Fish Re-introduction Plan for Klamath Salmon and Steelhead. (KBC NOTE: Oregon trollers, miners, and most farmers do not support dam removal, or introducing endangered species into the Klamath River; HERE for more). posted to KBC 8/31/06.

Judge is asked to lift fish ladder demands, Utility wants to trap salmon and truck them downstream. 8/22/06

Bill Kennedy, Klamath Basin farmer, responded to Herald and News:  Seize the Moment FOLLOWED BY: Seize the moment to make progress on the Klamath 8/13/06; Herald and News editor "Pat Bushey has touched on several thoughts regarding the intentional dismantling of the power infrastructure on the Klamath River." "While we continue to see our infrastructure of irrigated agriculture ignored and dismantled, third world nations in Africa, the Americas and Asia are trying to build what we have had for over 100 years." 8/20/06

Klamath dams stand trial; Tribes, Federal and State agencies, Conservationists, and Fishermen join forces to Defend Fish Re-introduction Plan for Klamath Salmon and Steelhead. (KBC NOTE: Oregon trollers, miners and most farmers do not support dam removal, or introducing endangered species into the Klamath River, 8/21/06

Klamath River Historical Floods,  from In the Land of the Grasshopper Song by Mary Ellicott Arnold and Mabel Reed. Excerpts compiled by Barbara Hall, Klamath Bucket Brigade Vice President of the Board of Directors.. See posts on KBC Discussion Forum..  "The dams were built, as were the fish hatcheries to mitigate the fact that the salmon could not pass up river past them; for flood control and hydroelectric power. Maybe it is a 'bad thing' to regulate/control a river. Maybe they should all be free flowing. But do we really want the destruction and mayhem, including loss of human life from a flooding river? Do we really want the Klamath River to become a mere trickle during droughts? Who will the down stream Tribes and the environmental groups sue then? Mother Nature?" Barb Hall, KBB

PacifiCorp: Dams could go, H&N 8/3/06

Tribes march in protest of Klamath Dams, H&N, posted to KBC 8/3/06

PacifiCorp, agencies to make their cases about Klamath dams, H&N posted to KBC 8/3/06.

Klamath Basin tribes march on international hydropower conference; Tribes demand removal of Klamath Dams, Karuk, Yurok, and Klamath Tribes press release 7/28/06.

Oregon - $13-Million More To Be Wasted Removing Savage Rapids Dam - Based On A Pack Of Lies, Dennis Becklin, posted to KBC 7/6/06 "

This misguided dam removal project will cost $50-million before it is completed in 2009. "It will not increase salmon or steelhead populations in the Rogue River.  It will cause massive damage to the Rogue River. And, it will probably bankrupt the Grants Pass Irrigation District as $500,000 annual electric bills replace zero-cost water driven turbines."

'Granddaddy of fish projects', Times Standard 7/3/06

Dam removal makes economic sense, by Craig Tucker, Karuk Tribe, H&N 6/16/06.
(KBC Comments follow Tucker's column "...Perhaps a few irrigators are involved in this Klamath dam-removal negotiation, however the community as a whole is not privy to these negotiations so there is no community support for these deals...")

Karuk PRESS RELEASE: Governor's Disaster Declaration No Help to Salmon Deficient Tribe, posted to KBC 6/8/06.

Research:  Adult Salmon Survival 98 Percent Dam to Dam, cbbulletin.com 6/16/06. "This is good news if we are only losing 1 or 2 percent of the fish migrating upstream."

Taking out dams would hurt Siskiyou County, June 6, 2006 by Marcia H. Armstrong,  Siskiyou County Supervisor District 5.

Removing dams a bad idea, 4/26/06 Herald and News

You can't have it both ways, by Pat Ratliff, Klamath Courier, "People, many of who live downstream from the dams, asking for dam removal with loads of history showing they will suffer death, destruction and economic loss, it just doesn't make sense." 4/20/06

Is it time to stop special interest groups? Klamath River dam removal foolishness must be stopped, by James Foley, Miner and President National Land Rights League, April 2, 2006

Klamath dams killing Indians, Karuks plead Lack of salmon tied to obesity, poverty, suicide, social decay, San Francisco Chronicle posted to KBC 2/7/05.
Tribe Fights Dams to Get Diet Back, Washington Post 1/30/05.
Karuk Dam Testimony to Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 1/12/05
RELATED ARTICLES
*  8 peer-reviewed reasons for the decline in coho, according to the USFWS studies.
* VIDEO of David Vogel describing the 8 peer-reviewed reasons for the decline in salmon.

Tribes: Dam removal on the table, H&N 7/28/04. "(Mitchell) said the tribes might also come back to Europe to meet with other organizations and governing bodies, such as human rights committees and the United Nations."

Tribes demand dams removed-- Enviro groups joined four tribes and headed to Scotland to advocate their stand to ScottishPower shareholders, by Liz Bowen, Pioneer Press 7/21/04

PacifiCorp won't buy activists' studies favoring dam removal, H&N 7/21/04 "The company found that putting in fish passage would cost about $100 million and it would be unknown if it would have any benefits, said Toby Freeman, PacifiCorp hydro relicensing manager."