Our Klamath Basin Water Crisis
Fighting for Our Right to Irrigate Our Farms and Caretake Our Natural Resources

Agriculture industry leaders to be honored, H&N 8/28/03 Award in "Leadership in Conservation: Klamath Water Users Association, for proactively dealing with water shortage issues in the Klamath Basin by implementing widespread conservation efforts among the area's irrigators."

Water Users want more data, H&N 8/28/03
 

Dan Keppen, KWUA, sends letter containing urgent recommendations regarding Klamath River management to Governor Ted Kulongoski, Secretary Gail Norton, and Mary Nichols. 8/27/03

CA Assemblyman Doug LaMalfa

Dan Keppen, KWUA director, and Chris Parilo, CA Congressman Doolittle's representative

Modoc County Uprising, Likely California  8/27/03 The Tri-County Courier writer  Pat Ratliff. KBC photos

New section on population, development and ownership...go here.

"The subsidy is for the American public - not the farmer", The Illinois Leader 8/26/03. "It enables the American public to spend only 11.2% of their income for food in the 1990s. America enjoys the best quality food at the lowest price in the world. Most spending growth for food in recent years is food eaten away from home. (In 1950, 17.7% of income was spent for food.) Brazilians allocated 37.4 percent of income to food purchases in 2001 according to the Southern U.S. Trade Association."

State of WA. leases water to help salmon, 8/26/03.  This is the gov't agency's tool downsize American farmland.  The Klamath Project operation plan calls for us to be downsized in the next 2 years by 100,000 AF regardless of water year type, IN SPITE of best available science. NAS committee rejects the water-level management imposed by  The Nature Conservancy/tribal biologist Dr Hardy.  In the next few days, the truth about the Hardy flows will appear on KBC.  Stay tuned...........

Bush: Salmon, dams can run in concert, by Nicholas Geranios, AP, posted 8/25/03. :Conservation groups mounted a furious campaign this week to paint Bush as disastrous to the environment. They want to remove Ice Harbor Dam and three others on the Snake to help migrating salmon. Supporters of the president say his policies have helped increase the number of salmon returning to spawning grounds. Only 7,990 chinook salmon passed through Ice Harbor Dam in 1995. By last year, the number had climbed to 127,062.
 

Rich McIntyre, American Land Conservancy, accuses Bush administration of being partial to the farmers, Oregonian 8/25/03.  McIntyre is the real estate guy trying to swing the multi-million$ Barnes Ranch scam for water storage---warm shallow water with illegal phosphate levels for release into Klamath Lake. This deal is questioned by 60 fishermen, and the evaporation and soil absorption would take more water than stored.  If Bush is partial to farmers, why was the Project downsized this summer by a 'water bank', why was our water cut off in 2001 and again briefly this summer with a wet spring, and why was over 25,000 AF water taken this summer ABOVE the 2003 operation plans requirement because of Yurok demands?  Yes, Mr. McIntyre is eager to buy out farmers for his personal  prosper, and slamming Bush and farmers seems an appropriate strategy. When Barnes fails to produce water, that is LESS for farms and fish, acceleration a forced sale of unwatered farmland.  For more info on Barnes and storage, go HERE.

ENVIRONMENTALISM/CONSERVATION AT IT'S BEST!!!!: Officials may blow up Oregon lake to get rid of fish pests, Seattle Times 8/25/03.

Weekly kwua update for August 22, 2003

More Trinity water to aid salmon, H&N 8/22/03  "Jeff McCracken, spokesman for the Bureau of Reclamation, said the Interior Department recommended in March that extra water from the Trinity River be used to boost flows in the lower reaches of the Klamath River mainstem. The action is designed to prevent a repeat of the fish dieoff that claimed an estimated 33,000 salmon last year"

Photo by Kehn Gibson, Tri-County Courier

Crystal and Shane Carroll in front of their home in Malin. The ribbon was tied to the tree by Shane's Dad, Tom, when Shane was first deployed to the Gulf in March. WELCOME HOME YOUNG VETERANS, by Kehn Gibson, Tri-County Courier, posted 8/22/03. You are but children, leaving your babies and families to make the world free.  May we, on the home front, be willing to offer our lives to rescue freedom that is under attack, funded by our own government.  If we are not willing, our father's, grandfather's, and our children's blood shed for our country was in vain! May God help us! (KBC)

Seattle Times Intelligencer does a remarkable job blaming President Bush for the 2002 fish die-off of Trinity river fish.  By The President trying to save homes and forests from fire by thinning the forest, she spins it as a conspiracy to kill big trees.  posted 8/22/03 (check out our forest and Oregon links)
Oh my, the Oregonian does the same thing! KBC was evacuated from a forest fire near Likely, CA (Blue Lake) when the eagle nests, spotted owls, and fish, animal, and insect habitat burned up because the enviros prevented thinning and selective logging.  THE WHOLE FOREST BURNED UP!  Now the burnt wood is becoming insect infested, and can they clean it up......noooooooooooo.

Reps. Pombo, Walden hold fire hearing in Oregon Aug. 25th. Posted 8/22/03. PLEASE COME!

Nell Kuonen, former Klamath County Commissioner, speaks of wildlife and our ecosystem devaststion in 2001. Go HERE for audio page.

COB plant not wanted, 8/20/03, H&N.  "The Cob power plant will be a lose-lose proposition for everyone in Klamath County."  Go HERE for petition.

14,951.53 AF have been pumped from TID wells to avoid 2003 Klamath Project shutdown. No compensation, no negotiation, no contract, no representation by irrigators. This is in addition to DOI's project downsize demand (named water bank) of 17,000 acres idled land and 50,000 AF of water, and thousands of AF water from private irrigators.  This is in addition to tens of thousands of AF water above the 2003 operations plan's requirement of water taken from our storage. HERE for TID well update for August 20. HERE for water levels.

Is the Bureau of Reclamation our Friend?

Bureau, NMFS defend higher Iron Gate releases, by Kehn Gibson, The Tri-County Courier, posted to KBC Aug 21, 2003.  The problem with honest, naive farmers, is that they grew up believing a handshake was a solemn oath. Upon the request on Commissioner Keyes, and the Bureau of Reclamation, with the assurance of  'more water to go around',  Klamath Water Users spent literally hundreds of hours planning a water bank that would be used in drought years--for reliable water to farms and fish.  Balance.  The response of the BOR was to briefly cut off their water in 2003 because we had a wet spring, threaten to shut down the Klamath Project unless irrigators  would pump their groundwater rather than use their stored irrigation water.  And the plan is not a temporary water bank to ease the water situation...it is to downsize the project within 3 years by 1/4, or 100,000 acre feet of water, permanently.  Now the BOR is sending way more water down the Klamath River than called for in the 2003 Operation Plan. 

Napa democrat Mike Thompson writes to the Siskiyou Daily News, posted to KBC 8/21/03, sniveling because he was characterized as a "radical environmentalist." According to the 8/20 Oregonian article by Mr. DeFoe, Water Watch director, Democrat Thompson (who lives 300 miles from us farmers--but he thinks he is more expert than our diligent representatives Herger and Doolittle), along with Portland Democrat Blumenauer, continue to introduce legislation to get rid of the Klamath Basin farmers.

Thompson, immediately after fish died 200 miles from here last summer, blamed us farmers (with only 2% of the watershed) for the Trinity River fish dying (all the science still is not out on the cause).  He dumped dead fish at the capital along with the tribal activists.  If that is not "radical', then what would a 'radical environmentalist' do?  Furthermore, no true environmentalist would ever ever ever have proposed taking all the water away from the fish-birds-wildlife-veterans-refuges-farms-ecosystem like they did in 2001.  That is not an environmentalist, and it is not "balance'.  Demo Blumen, you go deal with Napa.

Suckers studied in wetland project, H&N 8/20/03.  "The ultimate goal is to get these fish off of the endangered species list," said Crandall, who has a federal permit to gather endangered fish for research. ( Chiloquin Dam blocks 95% of the sucker habitat, according to USFWS report--if they want to get them delisted,  they would first count the suckers, then take out the dam. KBC 

Letter from Dan Keppen, executive director of KWUA, responding to the BOR's  draft plan of Conservation Implementation in the Klamath River Basin. Go HERE for draft plan.

Oregonian, posted 8/20/03, Letter by Water Watch executive director.  It is so disappointing and downright pathetic to read this director's untruths--speaking of  'narrow political agendas'! If Mr. DeFoe bothered to read science and history of the Klamath Basin, he would find that the irrigators use much less water that before, when this was a lake--when the Klamath River sometimes went dry (SEE PHOTO).  Farmers were forced by the Bureau of Reclamation to downsize this year with a 'water bank', and they took more water than the operation plan called for in addition.  The Klamath Project won an award for their conservation practices this year.  The scientists have not decided what killed the fish.  Does DeFoe deserve to represent 'Water Watch' ?  Buy out the farmers and dry up the Klamath Basin ecosystem as in 2001? DeFoe, you go fix Portland, then we'll talk.

Fearless Farmer Fred

The Story of Fearless Farmer Fred and Freedom Following Fran By Jack Tompkins This is a true fairytale.

Freedom Following Fran

Prayers for Bill Ransom family--see prayer page.
Also see Tulelake sunset and prayer.

Weekly KWUA update for August 15, 2003

Tulelake Irrigation District (TID) has been forced to pump their district wells, and private wells, to irrigate their crops.  Since we had a wet spring, too much water was sent down the river.  BOR told TID, pump your wells or we may shut down the Klamath Project (because of BOR's false forecast).
TID well update posted 8/15/03
TID well water lever update 8/15/03

This is the Bonanza farmland where the COB power plant proposes to locate. Over 30 farmers have not been allowed permanent permits to pump their wells, yet this multimillion $ company will have water priority. Please help save our rural community.   PLEASE SIGN COB PETITION Please write letter by August 20--see sample letter ACTION:  PLEASE SEND LETTER TODAY to ask for extension for public comment on the COB proposal...it is not enough time to read and understand the 187-page document that will change our rural community forever.  There is no time to review the water departments' comments because they have not had time to comment.  HERE FOR LETTER  Here is the link to view the 184 page amendment to the COB application: http://www.energy.state.or.us/siting/document/cobamt.pdf   For more information on COB plant, go here.

Politics and water - they do mix well, H&N 8/13/03.  Editorial regarding Karl Rove.

Cob opponents bring in speaker, H&N 8/14/03

ACTION: BOR has a draft plan for Conservation Implementation in the Klamath River Basin...they request comments. By all means, COMMENT, DUE AUGUST 15!  CLICK HERE for draft plan and info. Go HERE for H&N article.

New York Times gutted a letter of response by Dan Keppen, executive director of Klamath Water Users.  Aug 13, 2003
Keppen's original version, go here.
NY Times original article blasting Karl rove and Klamath Basin farmers, go here.

YOU GOT $, YOU GOT WATER! "This proposed permit would allow the COB facility to move ahead of over 30 other water permits waiting to be finalized by eastern Klamath County residents and farms."  see story

Interview with John Crawford, Tulelake farmer. "..what I was able to witness in 2001, was a shameful shameful thing. I saw hundreds of thousands of acres of habitat that had been utilized consistently by hundreds of species, literally turned to acres that were inhospitable to any wildlife at all.  It was all done in the name of 'single species' management..." HERE for audio

photo by Anders Tomlinson

Long Lake could possibly store 350,000-500,000 water to help Basin, H&N August 10, 2003.

Common sense solutions for the Klamath from Trinity writer, Vicki Riley, Aug 12, 2003.  "I have heard "old timers" say that the Trinity River used to be like that at the end of a long summer before the dams were built.   I have heard, too, that river levels are now kept artificially high in the summer months to accommodate river recreation and tourism.   If fish were plentiful before the dams were built, and end of summer water levels were lower before the dams were built, then low water levels could hardly be the cause of last September's fish kill."

Photo by Lucie LaBonte, Curry County Commissioner

Klamath Project Tour.  Barb Hall of Klamath Bucket Brigade, leads you on the tour of the Klamath Project with coastal fishermen and Project Irrigators, which took place Aug 1. "The headgates divert water held behind Link River Dam at the head of the Klamath River.  The state-of-the-art fish screen was built in only seven months, after nearly 10 years of planning...."

Doolittle pays Klamath Basin a visit, 8/10/03, H&N.

Congressman Doolittle comes to Tulelake, Aug 11, 2003, KBC.  Quotes from Newell press brief. Doolittle, addressing Bureau of Reclamation representatives concerning the near shutdown this summer of the Klamath Project,exclaimed, "What bizarre policy could actually produce a situation where the water year is upgraded where there's more water available, that actually means less water for the farmers?  That's completely absurd and ridiculous!"

Bureau officials say decisions made in Basin, Wall Street Journal story denied, published august 7, 2003, H&N.

The Oregonian: Dan Keppen: Responding to an editorial in The New York Times 08/09/03

Myth Making On the Klamath River, Dan Keppen Aug 8, 2003
"we are disappointed that Oregon's largest newspaper would promote a myth-driven position so damaging to many of its own rural readers."

Weekly KWUA update for August 8, 2003
* Governor's Office Orchestrates Funding Request for Klamath Groundwater Users
* California Congressmen Meet With Klamath Project Growers
* Klamath Farmer / Fishermen Meetings Deemed a Success
* Local Lender Discusses Financial Impacts of 2001 Water Crisis with Congressman Herger
* Comments Due August 13 on BLM's Upper Klamath River Plan
 

Karl Rove at the headgates, 8/8/03, The Oregonian.  The left-wing newspapers got a lot of mileage out of the Wall St Journal article blasting the Klamath Basin farmers. The Oregonian couldn't resist jumping on the bandwagon:
"farming, even in good years, is a tough go in the arid basin".  Um, this was a Lake Bed, this is the richest soil in the U.S., and farming here is just fine when our stored water isn't stolen (including our aquifer). kbc
"This year endangered suckers are turning up dead in too-warm, too-shallow Klamath Lake".Excuse us, but Klamath Lake is presently FULL.  There have been NO sucker kills on low lake years...only on high water years.  The enviro-newspapers refuse to either look at the researched facts, or to do any research at all.  Fabrications make great news.  kbc
Dan Keppen, KWUA, responds to NY Times

Ph.D. Robert McLandress of UC Davis, ecology, California Waterfowl Association, explains waterfowl needs of farm crops in the Klamath Basin. Turn on your audio-- Real Player Interview 2001 (download FREE Real Player) "...there are 433 species of wildlife here; the opinion deals with three...."     photo and interview by Anders Tomlinson

Rove's rovings should veer away from the Klamath River, Eureka Times Standard 8/7/03.  Reasons that this article is absurd: see KBC response.

Newly proposed storage solution!!

Cold water, no conservancies, no suckers!

County ok's farmers idea for reservoir water storage, H&N 8/6/03.  "Long Lake, separated from Upper Klamath Lake by a mountain ridge, could store between 350,000 and 500,000 acre-feet of water for use in the summer and fall, proponents say."

TID well update--water that TID is pumping to keep the Klamath Project from getting shut down, 8/6/03.  The irrigation district and independent farmers are not being reimbursed for their water. Also included is water level chart.
 

Efforts to reach understanding deserve thanks, H&N staff editorial 8/6/03

Dan Keppen, KWUA, responds to NY Times 8/6/03
 

New York Times blasts Klamath farmers, 8/6/03. Why is it that the city folks feel that replacing farmland for marshes will help our fish and our nation? Of the 92,000 acres of ag land converted to wetlands already, it evaporates twice the amount of water as farmland, and the phosphorus level of those lands make it illegal to put into the Klamath watershed.  The environmentalists are forcing river levels higher than historic to the extreme that we are pumping our untested aquifer so we can farm this year...the river used to occasionally dry up---see photo on top of page.
Could it be that Karl Rove speaks the truth and the environmentalists/anti-ag-in-America folks can't bear to hear the truth? KBC

Earthjustice press release from THE GANG of environmentalists, 8/6/03

When fish die, keep things in perspective, H&N editorial 8/5/03

Connection not made, H&N 8/5/03. Dan Keppen, KWUA executive director, addresses Oregonian's blame.

It is lose, lose, H&N 8/5/03  "Where are the people concerned about wildlife and the conservationists? The area is teeming with mule deer, plus many other kinds of wildlife....We would like to know how a company from another state can come into a community zoned for agriculture and get permits for wells and heavy industry, in order to sell energy to yet another state. We have yet to hear what it is we'll be winning."

Weather dampens lake's decline--cool weather and rain over the weekend helped make up for evaporation, H&N 8/5/03

NOTICE OF ACTION BY THE DEPT OF THE INTERIOR, BUREAU OF RECLAMATION.  Entering their property is a federal offense...SEE NOTICE 8/5/03

Heat, algae blamed for dead Lost River suckers,   H&N 8/4/03

Jim Bryant, BOR water chief, ends 36-year career, H&N 8/4/03

July lake levels attain minimum, H&N  8/1/03

Fish kill debate to go on in court, H&N 9/1/03

House bill aims to preserve water rights for landowners, H&N editorial 7/28/03, by Doug Whitsett

photo by kbc

Chart (#1) of TID groundwater pumped this summer to keep Klamath Lake and watershed at mandatory levels.  The Klamath Project provides 2% of the watershed. All water that the irrigators use and reuse 9 times, returns to the refuges and watershed.  If we do not pump, BOR/DOI has threatened to shut down the Klamath Project, again. Private pumpers also are pumping their own wells to irrigate with no compensation, rather than using their stored water in Klamath Lake.

Chart (#2) of groundwater pumped from USFWS, ONRC, Klamath Tribes, Yurok Tribes, PCFFA, BOR, BLM,  USFS, Power Companies, The Nature Conservancy to enhance lake levels and Klamath River flows? 92,000 acres of ag land has been converted to wetlands---their groundwater contribution to watershed is included on the 2nd chart.

NEW: Real People/True Stories-click here

The Oregonian blames Klamath Project for 26 dead suckers, 8/3/03
Dan Keppen, Klamath Water Users executive director, responds, 8/3/03

Klamath farmers build alliance with coastal interests JEFF BARNARD, Associated Press Writer, 8/2/03 (What Bernard does not say is that the irrigators have not found city attorney Glen Spain, of PCFFA, to be an advocate of the coastal fishermen.  To the contrary...most fishermen are battling the same gov't regulations and environmental groups, and find much in common with the farmers. 

"Spain said federation fishermen don't hold any hard feelings for farmers,", then he infers that Trinity fish died by the Trinity diversion (diverts 90% of the watershed) and it was the fault of the Klamath Project, comprising 2% of the watershed, 200 miles away, which has no scientific confirmation...the only science points at other causes. So his statement is partially right.  true fishermen don't have hard feelings toward farmers, but Glen Spain, the federation, does---KBC)

Weekly KWUA update for July 31, 2003

Klamath Bucket Brigade (KBB) has done extensive work on their website (within KBC)--check it out.  History, articles, photos, facts.  The following are new KBB posts:
* Headgates and tunnel: Building the Klamath Irrigation Project #1
* "A" Canal construction: Building the Klamath Irrigation Project #2
* There are numerous scientific informational links that pertain to the issues of the Klamath Basin Water Crisis on KBB's site called "You need to Know".

* KBB board chairman Bill Ransom, and board member/office manager Barb Hall, toured The Nature Conservancy's Sycan March...story and photos by Barb Hall. submitted 7/31/03

KWUA Dan Keppen writes Letter to the Editor in the Grants Pass Daily Courier, posted 7/31/03 "Local irrigators last spring voluntarily agreed to participate in an environmental water bank that left 17,000 acres of farmland fallow and that will provide 60,000 acre-feet of water to meet ESA requirements this year." KBC might add that KWUA planned to do this in exchange for guaranteed water for the rest of the project.  Instead we learned that if we got rain, and if we did not also pump our groundwater with no reimbursement, the BOR would shut our water off.  It was our job to fix all of the Klamath watersheds' problems..with our 2% of the entire watershed. 

$90 million salmon restoration bill clears House, Eureka Times Standard, 7/31/03.  The Chiloquin Dam blocks 95% of our sucker habitat, the USFWS has not yet funded a COUNT of suckers passing or being blocked at the dam, yet they will give the eco/gov't agencies $90 million, to what? Make more fish screens and committees? KBC.  See Chiloquin Dam

Project Irrigators grow crops with less water, H&N 7/30/03 "What I did in Vietnam takes a back seat to the veterans of World War I and World War II who came to homestead the land. They were promised water forever," says farmer John Crawford...."And, if it's true that salmon and suckers need higher levels of water, then we need to see to what extent the Klamath Project is responsible."

Win-win solution to water crisis, H&N 7/30/03

Group against COB Energy Facility criticizes Klamath County commissioners, H&N 7/30/03

Adair IV, Water for Life magazine, by Doug Whitsett, Klamath Falls, 7/30/03."In order to insure that these events occur, the Tribes filed claims for this very high flow every month of the year. Panner ordered "In no event shall the adjudicator quantify or reduce the Tribal water right to a level below that which is necessary to support productive habitat" whether the Tribes have ever used, or ever intend to use, that habitat resource."

Barron Bail, 1992 BLM area manager, and John Crawford, Wood River Ranch committee member and Tulelake farmer, have additions and corrections concerning a story run on July 16 of the tour of Upper Klamath Basin land acquisitions, including Barnes Ranch--click here for story.  KBC does its best to keep information accurate.  Since KBC was not begotten until 2001,  we have no first hand knowledge of many past events and must rely on input from our readers. Thank you for your input...keep it coming...

Hardy flow report flawed, scientists say, by Kehn Gibson, The Tri-County Courier, posted 7/30/03  "The Hardy Phase II report, a fundamental piece of the 2001 Operations Plan that curtailed water deliveries to the Klamath Project in that summer of distress, is again surfacing in discussions concerning water in the Klamath Basin. The report, compiled by Dr. Thomas Hardy of Utah State University, quietly slid into the shadows after a National Research Council review panel in November 2001 issued a preliminary finding that the science in the Operations Plan did not support the action of denying water to the Klamath Project."

Herald and News correction regarding article on proposed COB plant, which took statement by Doug Whitsett out of context: -Priority a concern.  The article referred to is HERE.

Judge rules to keep Klamath water flowing, posted 7/19/03, Farm Bureau Ag Alert.

Die-off fears surface with 20 dead suckers, 7/29/03 H&N.

Algae create lethal threat to Klamath lake's fish, Oregonian 7/29/03 .  (Yesterday a total of 16 dead sucker fish were found by ODFW biologist, and it appears that the die-off is related to very hot weather.  More info to come...KBC)

The extortion of Klamath Project ground water goes on, and on, and on.  See chart.

Klamath BOR manager Dave Sabo injured, H&N 7/27/03.  Also see prayer page.

Rangeland Trust Thomas comes to Tulelake, 7/8/03. "Last week at Mike and Wandas Restaurant, a meeting by Kurt Thomas of Rangeland Trust was hosted by Tulelake Growers Association.  Thomas and Jim Root are the business partners, and Root's daughter, hydrologist Chrysten Lambert,  helped present the water-saving plan.  Jacob Kahn is the biologist."

The 9th Circuit opinion, US v. Braren, which overturned Judge Panner's ruling involving the water rights of the Klamath Tribes can be found at http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/data2/circs/9th/0235441p.pdf

Medicine Lake, update and retraction by KBC.  This was NOT the first tribal gathering at Medicine Lake.  Like many churches and other spiritual groups, small tribal groups have gathered at  Medicine Lake throughout the years.  However, this year is the largest by far, filling the Medicine Lake campground.  The elders told stories about their ancestors, and the different tribes shared this time together as one.  They feel a desire to revive their traditions. see Medicine Lake Agenda

Letters to the editor: Deciding California's long-term water future, Sacramento Bee  July 26, 2003

Feds ordered to rework Klamath water opinion, by Tam Moore, Oregon Staff Writer, Capitol Press.7/15/03.

Weekly KWUA Update for July 25, 2003.
Recent Hot Weather and Algae Blooms Raise Concerns for UKL Fish Die-Off
     UKL Water Quality Conditions
     “Fish Kill” vs. “Fish Die-Off”
     Actions and Concerns of Local Water Users
     Lake Levels and Fish Mortality Not Correlated
     The Natural Research Council Questions Lake Level / Sucker Health Relationship
Panner Opinion Overturned
Armenian /Georgian Water Officials Meet with KWUA, Univ. of California and OSU extension reps
Annual Field Day Planned for July 31 in Tulelake
 

ARIZONA COMMUNITY AVERTS REPEAT OF KLAMATH DISASTER. Citizens Fearful of contract ramifications with The Nature Conservancy.  From the author Randy Heiss, "I learned about Hardy by first reading about the fish habitat studies on the Klamath, then reviewing the habitat study performed to support the flawed streamflow statistics here on Sonoita Creek.  When I saw that they were performed by the same person (Dr. Hardy), I freaked out." from the archives...2002 

OSU Klamath Experiment Station: Special Report 1023: Nutrient Loading of Surface Waters in the Upper Klamath Basin: Agricultural and Natural Resources, by K.A. Rykbost and B.A Charlton. posted 7/24/03

Build sucker hatcheries, H&N  July 24, 2003.  The Chiloquin dam, according to USFWS, blocks 95% of sucker habitat.....so, is the solution to build $15 million fish screens and hatcheries, NOT PAY to fund counting the fish or removing the dam???? Does it appear that the DOI wants suckers to thrive and become delisted?? KBC

PRESS RELEASE, 7/24/03, Smith Urges Swift Senate Action on Healthy Forests Restoration Act

Low water quality ups worries for lake's fish, July 23, 2003 H&N

Big Springs contaminated again, H&N 7/24/03

Nature Conservancy Faces Double-Whammy, 7/23/03

Klamath Basin lake levels, H&N 7/24/03

Basin tour brings together water stakeholders, 7/20/03, H&N.

PRESS RELEASE: Irrigators win Adair case--Panner opinion vacated, July 23, 2003 The Resource Conservancy.

Low water quality ups worries for lake's fish, H&N Todd Kepple 7/13/03

Water ruling overturned....9th Circuit says Tribes' claim subject to state adjudication, H&N July 22, 2003

"Democracy"  click here  This is a 'real player' audio file as told by the late Paul Christy, a WWII Tulelake homesteader (excerpt from Homesteading in a Promised Land video.)

Court summary of argument portion of plaintiffs' memorandum in support of motion for partial summary judgment, filed yesterday, July 21, 2003, in the Court of Federal Claims,  Washington, DC, for the Klamath Irrigation District et al. v. United States case.   The government's response is due August 18, 2003 (unless the request and receive an extension). Roger J. Marzulla, Esq. "The first phase of this fight is coming to a head.  The government took the water and now it is time to pay for it.".

Oregon Dept. of Agriculture's "Story of the Week." Conservation measures help farmers get the most out of every drop of water Klamath irrigators turn down the faucet, posted 7/22/03

Adair Decision Reversed, 7/21/03. Provided by OWRC. "The Ninth Circuit today reversed Judge Panner's decision in the 2001 Adair case...""

KWUA's  response to today's Seattle P-I editorial on the Blumenauer amendment, posted 7/22/03

Comments on defeat of Blumenauer amendment, by Deb Crisp, Tulelake Growers Association executive director, 7/22/03

Water ruling won't hit Basin this year, H&N July 18, 2003 Both sides claim victory in judge's decision that project plan violates species act.

West Coast Communities face Economic Devastation, NewsWithViews.com, posted July 22, 2003 "This story is focused on the town where I live, but it is likely happening in the town where you live as well. It's already happened in Klamath Falls, OR. "

Norton Announces $70 Million Giveaway, 7/22/03  "Interior Secretary Gale Norton announced July 11^th, that $70 million of your tax dollars are being handed out to 29 states and non-government organizations to buy more land in the name of conservation.  The program is funded through the “Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund,” authorized by Section 6, of the ESA. "

Why The Forests Burn Making Sense, By Michael Reagan, posted 7/22/03

Farm-raised salmon is putting fishermen who harvest the ocean out of business, posted 7/22/03 The Oregonian.  It's interesting that the Tribes blame the farmers for their lack of fishing. KBC

Officials push for water regulation, The Idaho Statesman, posted 7/22/03, regarding Water 2025.  "John Keys, commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation, the agency which supplies water to more than 30 million people in 17 Western states, said Idaho´s water bank is one of the innovative ways states can shift water from one use to another to meet new demands. A water bank is a brokerage service that allows farmers and others to lease their surplus water to others."The water market needs to be regulated, said former U.S. Sen. James McClure, so rich outside interests cannot overwhelm the social and economic structure of a community. “There is no question Idaho could look like Owens Valley if we allowed California to buy our water,” McClure said."

The ONRC is alerting folks to contact their representatives, upset that the Blumenauer amendment failed again.  What the ONRC and Blumenauer  haven't figured out is, according to California Waterfowl Association, and members of The Nature Conservancy and USFWS, AGRICULTURE FEEDS WILDLIFE, and Wetlands use more water than irrigated agricultural lands...2ce as much. Eradicating agriculture from our leaselands will take 2ce as much water from the system.  KBC
 

Prayer for July 22, 2003, see Prayer Page

Klamath Tribes Respond To Court Decision, posted 7/22/03 Go to Suckers and Chiloquin Dam to see why suckers are endangered. 

Bonanza farmer Mike Connelly meets 2 tribes at headgates, H&N 7/21/03

House defeats effort to end farming on wildlife refuges, 7/17/03 The Mercury News "Blumenauer's proposal 'makes about as much sense as an urban Portland lawmaker making rules that affect rural family farmers 300 miles away,'Keppen said.  While touted as a water conservation measure, the amendment would have resulted in little increased water for the two refuges, Keppen said.  Only 25 percent of leaselands can be planted in onions, potatoes and alfalfa - and those crops do not use much more water than grain planted on the remaining leaselands for waterfowl..."

Weekly KWUA Update for July 19, 2003.
"The Reasonable and Prudent Alternative (RPA) and Incidental Take Statement (ITS) contained in the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) 2002 Biological Opinion (BO) are arbitrary and capricious, according to Judge Armstrong. While plaintiffs are already underscoring the Judge’s ruling that the BO is “in violation of the Endangered Species Act”, Judge Armstrong did not simply discard the NMFS document. Rather, she remanded the BO to NMFS with instructions to amend it to address the deficiencies she'd noted."
*  Strike 2! Blumenauer Lease Lands Amendment Defeated by Congress for Second Straight Year
*  Judge Armstrong Ruling: NMFS B.O. Requires Tweaking; No Change in Flow Schedule
*  EPA: Aquatic Herbicides are not Pollutants - No Permits Needed
*  KWUA Participates in San Diego Water Law and Policy Conference
*  Water Rights Law Should Protect Districts, Help Farmers - Guest Editorial by Bill Ganong, Attorney-at-Law

Build sucker hatcheries, H&N  July 24, 2003.  The Chiloquin dam, according to USFWS, blocks 95% of sucker habitat.....so, is the solution to build $15 million fish screens and hatcheries, NOT PAY to fund counting the fish or removing the dam???? Does it appear that the DOI wants suckers to thrive and become delisted?? KBC

PRESS RELEASE, 7/24/03, Smith Urges Swift Senate Action on Healthy Forests Restoration Act

Low water quality ups worries for lake's fish, July 23, 2003 H&N

Big Springs contaminated again, H&N 7/24/03

Nature Conservancy Faces Double-Whammy, 7/23/03

Klamath Basin lake levels, H&N 7/24/03

Basin tour brings together water stakeholders, 7/20/03, H&N.

PRESS RELEASE: Irrigators win Adair case--Panner opinion vacated, July 23, 2003 The Resource Conservancy.

Low water quality ups worries for lake's fish, H&N Todd Kepple 7/13/03

Water ruling overturned....9th Circuit says Tribes' claim subject to state adjudication, H&N July 22, 2003

"Democracy"  click here  This is a 'real player' audio file as told by the late Paul Christy, a WWII Tulelake homesteader (excerpt from Homesteading in a Promised Land video.)

Court summary of argument portion of plaintiffs' memorandum in support of motion for partial summary judgment, filed yesterday, July 21, 2003, in the Court of Federal Claims,  Washington, DC, for the Klamath Irrigation District et al. v. United States case.   The government's response is due August 18, 2003 (unless the request and receive an extension). Roger J. Marzulla, Esq. "The first phase of this fight is coming to a head.  The government took the water and now it is time to pay for it.".

Oregon Dept. of Agriculture's "Story of the Week." Conservation measures help farmers get the most out of every drop of water Klamath irrigators turn down the faucet, posted 7/22/03

Adair Decision Reversed, 7/21/03. Provided by OWRC. "The Ninth Circuit today reversed Judge Panner's decision in the 2001 Adair case...""

KWUA's  response to today's Seattle P-I editorial on the Blumenauer amendment, posted 7/22/03

Comments on defeat of Blumenauer amendment, by Deb Crisp, Tulelake Growers Association executive director, 7/22/03

Water ruling won't hit Basin this year, H&N July 18, 2003 Both sides claim victory in judge's decision that project plan violates species act.

West Coast Communities face Economic Devastation, NewsWithViews.com, posted July 22, 2003 "This story is focused on the town where I live, but it is likely happening in the town where you live as well. It's already happened in Klamath Falls, OR. "

Norton Announces $70 Million Giveaway, 7/22/03  "Interior Secretary Gale Norton announced July 11^th, that $70 million of your tax dollars are being handed out to 29 states and non-government organizations to buy more land in the name of conservation.  The program is funded through the “Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund,” authorized by Section 6, of the ESA. "

Why The Forests Burn Making Sense, By Michael Reagan, posted 7/22/03

Farm-raised salmon is putting fishermen who harvest the ocean out of business, posted 7/22/03 The Oregonian.  It's interesting that the Tribes blame the farmers for their lack of fishing. KBC

Officials push for water regulation, The Idaho Statesman, posted 7/22/03, regarding Water 2025.  "John Keys, commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation, the agency which supplies water to more than 30 million people in 17 Western states, said Idaho´s water bank is one of the innovative ways states can shift water from one use to another to meet new demands. A water bank is a brokerage service that allows farmers and others to lease their surplus water to others."The water market needs to be regulated, said former U.S. Sen. James McClure, so rich outside interests cannot overwhelm the social and economic structure of a community. “There is no question Idaho could look like Owens Valley if we allowed California to buy our water,” McClure said."

The ONRC is alerting folks to contact their representatives, upset that the Blumenauer amendment failed again.  What the ONRC and Blumenauer  haven't figured out is, according to California Waterfowl Association, and members of The Nature Conservancy and USFWS, AGRICULTURE FEEDS WILDLIFE, and Wetlands use more water than irrigated agricultural lands...2ce as much. Eradicating agriculture from our leaselands will take 2ce as much water from the system.  KBC
 

Prayer for July 22, 2003, see Prayer Page

Klamath Tribes Respond To Court Decision, posted 7/22/03 Go to Suckers and Chiloquin Dam to see why suckers are endangered. 

Bonanza farmer Mike Connelly meets 2 tribes at headgates, H&N 7/21/03

House defeats effort to end farming on wildlife refuges, 7/17/03 The Mercury News "Blumenauer's proposal 'makes about as much sense as an urban Portland lawmaker making rules that affect rural family farmers 300 miles away,'Keppen said.  While touted as a water conservation measure, the amendment would have resulted in little increased water for the two refuges, Keppen said.  Only 25 percent of leaselands can be planted in onions, potatoes and alfalfa - and those crops do not use much more water than grain planted on the remaining leaselands for waterfowl..."

Weekly KWUA Update for July 19, 2003.
"The Reasonable and Prudent Alternative (RPA) and Incidental Take Statement (ITS) contained in the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) 2002 Biological Opinion (BO) are arbitrary and capricious, according to Judge Armstrong. While plaintiffs are already underscoring the Judge’s ruling that the BO is “in violation of the Endangered Species Act”, Judge Armstrong did not simply discard the NMFS document. Rather, she remanded the BO to NMFS with instructions to amend it to address the deficiencies she'd noted."
*  Strike 2! Blumenauer Lease Lands Amendment Defeated by Congress for Second Straight Year
*  Judge Armstrong Ruling: NMFS B.O. Requires Tweaking; No Change in Flow Schedule
*  EPA: Aquatic Herbicides are not Pollutants - No Permits Needed
*  KWUA Participates in San Diego Water Law and Policy Conference
*  Water Rights Law Should Protect Districts, Help Farmers - Guest Editorial by Bill Ganong, Attorney-at-Law

Sue Masten, Yurok activist, won't accept the facts, 7/19/03 SFGate.Com In spite of the fact that the science has not materialized about what caused the 2001 Trinity-chinook fish die-off near the Trinity River diversion (which diverts up to 90% of the water 200 miles from Klamath Project which provides 2% of the watershed), and despite the fact that it was a record high fish run last summer, Ms Masten is bent on trying to blame the Klamath Project for the Yurok's perceived woes. Before the dam was built, the Klamath River never had flows this high.

Herger stands up for farmers, 7/18/03

Doolittle Statement on House Floor in Defense of
Klamath Basin Farmers 7/18/03
http://www.house.gov/doolittle/doolittle.rm for Real Player speech.
You can download Real Player for free at www.real.com.

PRESS RELEASE: Doolittle Defends Klamath Basin Farmers on House Floor, 7/17/03

Basin crops still have safe refuge, H&N 7/18/03 Portland Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., Mike Thompson, D-Calif, defeated again in trying to destroy the Klamath Basin economy. Walden, R-Oregon, who represents our people, our community, and our economy, wins again. 

Nature Conservancy Faces Panel Review,  Washington Post,  July 17, 2003

More articles on Judge Armstrongs ruling:
San Francisco Chrinicle 7/18
Eureka Times Standard 7/18
The Mercury News 7/18
Herald and News 7/18

Oregon tribes get 2nd highest salmon run since 1960, KTAU.COM7/18/03

New York Times, Judge Orders Change in Plan to Distribute Klamath River Water, By DEAN E. MURPHY,  July 18, 2003

Irrigators could receive refund up to $2.6 million, H&N July 17, 2003

Yurok Tribe plans protest over Klamath River flows, H&N 7/17/03

Judge Dumps Mindless Roadless Rule. Federal court throws out illegal last-minute Clinton decree. Chairman Pombo said.  "The Roadless Rule would arbitrarily fence-off land and throw away the keys.  This 'Don't Touch' management plan would also block recreation activities and prohibit critical maintenance to prevent catastrophic forest fires. 

State jobless rate climbs for 4th month, AP So, does it make sense to put 1400 family farms out of business....$200,000 million worth of crops in the fields and an entire business community because of faulty science and political pressure from gov't subsidized, tax-exempt groups?  THINK ABOUT IT! KBC

Ruling rejects Klamath water plan, July 18, The Oregonian.

PRESS RELEASE  Thursday, July 17, 2003. House Backs Walden, Defeats Plan to Limit Crops on Klamath Refuges

Judge: Klamath Basin plan violates federal law, Jeff Bernard, Associated Press Writer. July 17, 2003.

Tour of The Nature Conservancy (TNC)
and Government land acquisitions
Barnes Ranch purchase questioned GO HERE FOR STORY
July 16, 2003  photos by KBC. TNC Mark Stern explains  potatoes, alfalfa and grain farm operation on their property. 

Dave Mauser, USFWS Tulelake refuge, tells how the Tulelake refuge is better for birds because of the grain crops (grain is grown on the Tulelake refuge leaselands). photo by Anders Tomlinson.

 Bonanza area not any place for large generating plant, H&N 7/14/03

Questions remain about Barnes Ranch Purchase, H&N 7/13/03
See NEW Barnes Ranch section in left column

Federal officials lowered the required lake level, freeing more water for farms. AP July 12, 2003

Water 2025: The Coming War on the Western Frontier, 7/11/03, The Sierra Times "On April 6, 2001, flawed science forced the federal shut off of over 100,000 acre-feet daily irrigation water to over 1400 farms in the Upper Klamath Basin south of Klamath Falls, Oregon ' to save the sucker fish and coho salmon'".

When you read the following articles regarding the BOR correcting the year type, keep these things in mind: *the tribes were not economically devastated during the 2002 fish die-off on the Klamath River...they had the the 3rd highest salmon run ever, prices were low, and the fishing limit was increased.
* Klamath Project is 200 miles from the fish that died, and provides only 2% of the watershed.  There are 100 diversions between Klamath Project and the Trinity diversion.
* The fish were Trinity River Fish.
*Trinity diversion diverts up to 90% of the Klamath.
* BOR has been sending MORE water down the river than the operation plan calls for, depleting our stored irrigation storage.
*The scientists have not yet decided what caused the 2002 die-off of Trinity River fish.
* More water goes down the river now than before the Klamath Project was built.  Sometimes the river went practically dry.
Enjoy the following articles with the same ol' mantras:
Two views on the Klamath, starring Susan Masten and Zeke Grader, Eureka Times-Standard, 7/13/03
Feds downgrade Klamath Basin in move critics fear will harm fish, Monterey Herald.com, 7/12/03
Decision add water for Klamath farmers, 7/11/03, The Oregonian
 

Methinks she protesteth too much, by C.J. Hadley, owner of Range Magazine.  Reprinted from RANGE magazine, Summer 2003 issue, regarding The Nature Conservancy, a huge landowner in the Klamath Basin.

photos by KBC. The 1992 Biological Opinion developed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) states – "the construction of the Sprague River dam near Chiloquin effectively blocked approximately 95% (70 river miles) of the potential spawning range of the Lost River and shortnose suckers in Upper Klamath Lake".	This is a few hundred yards upriver from Chiloquin Dam, where spawning habitat is blocked off. According to fish biologist Dave Vogel,""Fish passage at Chiloquin Dam was the primary reason the suckers were listed as endangered in 1988 and, in our opinion, is the primary factor limiting recovery of the species."  See article on consensus to remove dam.

See Sunday Prayer for farmers devastated by the 2003 Bureau of Reclamation water bank

Klamath water will continue flowing into Rogue Basin for irrigation, Mail Tribune July 9, 2003

Water rights law should protect districts, help farmers, regarding Bill HB 3298, by William M. Ganong, Klamath Falls attorney,  July 12, 2003. "Farmers need to work together to protect the viability of irrigated agriculture. The Oregon Natural Resources Council, Earth Justice, the Sierra Club and others with an agenda to end irrigated agriculture in the West have worked for years to divide our agricultural communities, recognizing that “divided they fall.” It’s ironic that these same tactics of divide and conquer are being employed for passage of HB 3298 by an organization that primarily represents people who are farmers, but not farmers inside districts."

Weekly KWUA Update for July 11, 2003

This update includes letter to BOR manager Dave Sabo from Klamath Water Users Association regarding forcing project irrigators to be responsible for the entire Klamath watershed. It also addressed their opinion on the Pacificorp's water diversions.

Water year dry again, H&N July 11, 2003. "Glen Spain, Northwest regional director of the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations, questioned the legality of the Bureau's changing of year types..." (The irrigators question the legality of basing the initial year type on an absurd weather forcast. The BOR is just fixing it's mistake after already sending our stored water down the river--more than required in the operations plan. KBC).

Check out new link on the left to Water 2025.

 Water 2005 conference spawns feud with Yuroks, H&N July 11, 2003 AP. "But (Yurok tribe chairperson Susan) Masten said she's skeptical, and her tribe, with 90 percent poverty and 70 percent unemployment, is dependent on the river for its livelihood." Ms Masten blames the Klamath Project, which is 200 miles away and provides 2% of the watershed, for a fish die-off of Trinity River fish.  While accusing Klamath Project of ruining the livelihood of her tribe, she forgets to mention that last year's run of fish was the 3rd highest run, there were so many fish the take limit was raised, the price was lowered, and they had trouble selling them.  KBC

Audubon stoops in attack on Basin agriculture, H&N July 11, 2003

Testing the fish screen, H&N July 11, 2003 The environmental groups and tribes and BOR don't know how many suckers there were, there are, or how many hundreds of thousands they want, and they have no funds to COUNT them.  Whatever....the $15 million fish screen might work. If nothing else, it will better screen out irrigators when they shut off the water again. KBC

Bureau of Reclamation changes "below average" classification back to "dry" for Klamath Lake.
 

Water lease price incorrect, H&N 7/10/03. "The price of water in the Rangeland Trust contract with Bureau of Reclamation is $50 per acre-foot. More specifically, the contract includes $640,000 for the lease of water from 6,400 acres of rangeland with an assumed consumptive water use of two feet per acre." (How nice that the conservancies and environmental groups get a contract for water use...this month the irrigation districts and project irrigators are being TOLD by the BOR to pump their ground water with NO reimbursement (or they will shut off the Klamath Project), after they literally STOLE the storage water from the Klamath Project that irrigators built and paid for IN FULL!  So they take their water, send it down the river or put in on land that they took out of farm production to be owned by conservancies or our gov't (over 92,000 acres), make wetlands which use 2ce the amount of water as irrigated farmland, then pay THEM (not the irrigators) for THEIR water. Remember, this is storage water which is lethally warm for fish and lethally high in minerals. 
Conservancy proposes new Barnes Ranch deal, H&N 7/9/03

District to shut down for 5 days, H&N 7/10/03.

Did the (BOR's) public's invitation get lost in the mail?, H&N 7/8/03  "It was a "private" meeting among (SOME) federal, state, county and tribal leaders that also included local irrigators. Just about everybody was there, except the public."

California agencies question dams, H&N 7/8/03

Sides reach agreement in Klamath water dispute, AP 7/8/03

Water Moves on Hold, H&N, 7/8/03.

Pact between tribe and federal agencies dropped UKL levels, Kehn Gibson, The Tri-County Courier, 7/7/03 "...the releases at Iron Gate have consistently exceeded the Operations Plan schedule since they began last May. The releases continue today. Sabo said the releases will continue at a similar rate through September."

California fishermen give salmon away, AP 7/8/03

Prayer for water certainty for Klamath Basin--go to Prayer Page. Photo by Bureau of Reclamation.

Where were you?, by staff writer Pat Ratliff, The Tri-County Courier, posted 7/6/03 "It’s disgusting to know the unaccountability of the BOR and the USF&W system. They view it as something like a term paper. Right or wrong, their decisions affect my livelihood, yet they still get a pay check and they still have a job. They neglected to fill the lake when they had a chance, yet we will be the ones asked to make up for it", Lon Baley, Merrill farmer:

Weekly KWUA Update for July 5, 2003.
* Water Users and Tribes Meet with State and Federal Agencies
   - Origins of the Meeting
   - The Players
   - Dueling Prayers
   - Agency Presentations
   - Key Issues
   - Potential Solutions
   - Aftermath
* KWUA Receives Oregon "Leadership in Conservation Award"
* TNC Pumps Tulana Farms to Help With UKL Levels

Economic fallout immediate in Klamath Basin communities, by Kehn Gibson, The Tri-County Courier, posted July 6, 2003

Road map to a train wreck by Kehn Gibson, Tri-County Courier posted July 6, 2003. "If Klamath Basin farmers pray for rain — a traditional picture — the new moisture could act to shut the entire Klamath Project down."
 

On May 22, Klamath Lake could have held an additional 10,000 acre-feet   HERE for article Lake not at capacity before drawdown began May 23   By Kenneth A. Rykbost Guest columnist, H&N   Ken Rykbost recently retired as superintendent of the Oregon State University Klamath Experimental Station and Professor, Department of Crop and Soil Science.

Photo by Anders Tomlinson

Water cut-off looms over basin, H&N July 3, 2003.

Agriculture legitimate use on part of refuges, H&N 6/29/03

PacifiCorp files to relicense Klamath dams. H&N 7/3/03. The project on Klamath River which consists of seven hydroelectric and one flow control dam is subject to 50-year license approval. "Dan Keppen, executive director of the Klamath Water Users Association, said the water users want to be a part of the talks between the company and the Bureau, but so far have been rebuffed by PacifiCorp."

Cob plant faces hurdles before completion, H&N July 3, 2003.

There's enough in the lake for every interest, H&N's Columnist Randy Adams - July 1, 2003 - "With all due respect to the environmentalists, the Endangered Species Act might as well be named the Endangered Human Species Act. Humans are the only ones that seem to be affected by it."

All eyes are on the Upper Klamath - Lake level chart will keep people posted, H&N's - July 1, 2003 - "To help interested parties keep abreast of the lake level daily, the Herald and News will publish a chart on weekdays showing the previous day's water level, and how the level compares to the target levels needed to protect endangered suckers."