Our Klamath Basin Water Crisis
Upholding rural Americans' rights to grow food,
own property, and caretake our wildlife and natural resources.
Our Klamath Basin
Water Crisis
Upholding rural Americans' rights to grow food,
own property, and caretake our wildlife and natural resources.
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ARCHIVE 25 - JUNE 2004
Lake County borders on drought; County may be eligible for CRP emergency grazing program H&N 6/30/04. (Thank you Ann Venemon for your common sense...we hope it is contageous! KBC) Letter to the editor of KBC, 6/30/04, followed by response from a Klamath Basin irrigation district manager. "Very disappointed in the farmers of OR" Lake levels / river flows 6/30/04 H&N
The following is regarding the proposed COB
energy plant in Bonanza: IF YOU THINK THE ESA IS BAD LAW, BE THERE TO HELP CHANGE IT! 6/29/04 notice by Snorin' Bear (radio show host). For more on Resource Committee ESA hearing, go HERE. 5th Annual Freedom 21 National Conference July 21-24, 2004 John Ascuaga's Nugget Hotel, 6/29/04 OTHER PLACES: Water War in the Making at Wallowa Dam? 6/29/04. Among the Bill's most significant features: - locking up valley irrigation water and placing it under outside control; - disrupting the valley ecosystem with water transfers and pipelines; and - facilitating the (re)introduction of endangered species of salmon. Senate Bill 108-250 :"any facility constructed using federal funds authorized by this Act located at the Wallawa Lake Dam for trapping and transportation of migratory adult salmon may be owned and operated only by the Nez Perce Tribe." "Wayne Wolfe: 'You know down in Klamath Falls, the water was shut off, by government agencies. So, why would they want to get them up here? I don't know.' " http://www.stopthewatergrab.org Ada, KWUA interim secretary, would like prayers...see prayer page: 6/29/04 TV debut of Reclamation Project June 29 Coho decision postponed, again, 6/29/04 Pioneer Press. "Charles Blackburn, the Del Norte supervisor, had just returned from a conference in the Klamath Basin. He too had witnessed the pro-active fish projects implemented by Klamath farmers." "(PCFFA) Grader demanded agricultural water from the Klamath Basin. There are no fish, he said, because there is no water. Unfortunately for Grader, the coho counts from the last two years are up. Even the chinook salmon have had large runs, making Grader’s statement a falsehood. Commissioner Bob Hattoy, a Sierra Club advocate, also demanded water for fish from the Klamath Bureau of Reclamation project." {KBC: isn't it interesting that the Klamath Basin has been forced to downsize our irrigation by 1/4 in the form of a mandatory 'water bank' with the threat of Project shut-down. Our farms historically were under a 30' lake. Our untested aquifer is being sucked out. The Klamath Project provides only 3.5% of the water at the mouth of the Klamath.} PRESS RELEASE: KWUA Introduces New Website: Check Out www.kwua.org 6/28/04 PRESS RELEASE: California Rancher Receives Excellence in Conservation Award, "WASHINGTON, June 25 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) today presented its 2004 Excellence in Conservation Award to Michael J. Byrne, a (Tulelake) California rancher." Two new prayer requests on PRAYER PAGE 6/26/04 ESA TODAY -- OTHER PLACES (for now) Landlocked rainbow trout may get federal protection, Oakland Tribune 6/26/04 KWUA Weekly Update for
June 25,
2004 River task force marks 18 years, H&N 6/25/04. Salmon parasite still spreading questions, H&N June 24, 2004. NOTE BY DAN KEPPEN, KWUA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: "Note - 269 dead fish identified. 5 million live hatchery fish released into the river since May." Coho confusion continues, Pioneer Press 6/24/04. "On June 7, the listing of the Oregon coastal coho salmon to the federal Endangered Species Act was declared invalid. But on June 25, the Northern California coho may be listed to the California Endangered Species Act." Klamath River Basin Fisheries Restoration Task Force meets at the Shilo Inn in K-Falls on June 23 9 a.m.-5:15 p.m. and the 24th 8 a.m.-1:30 p.m. TID well water level for 6/24/04 Local economy hit by greens, Pioneer Press 6/24/04. 'Greens want to stop the Biscuit fire salvage timber harvest and used a smaller sale to their advantage stopping it in mid-June.' Groups sue fish, wildlife service over trout protection, The Oregonian 6/24/04. Panel: Nature poses more risk to owls Some scientists find that logging is not the primary harm to habitat of the northern spotted owl Oregonian 6/23/04 "Natural events such as wildfires eliminated more forest habitat of the threatened northern spotted owl on public land during the past decade than logging did, researchers reported Tuesday...The science panel said logging of the owl's forest habitat poses less threat to the species than a decade ago, but other dangers including an influx of aggressive barred owls, disease and wildfires in overgrown forests make its survival uncertain."
Klamath Basin not ready for water marketing solution, Capital Press 6/23/04. MORRISON: The Nature Conservancy joins forces with the US Corps of Engineers, Illinois Leader 6/23/04. Since TNC and government agencies have converted 94,000 acres of farmland to wetlands in the Klamath Basin, here's some update on what they are doing in other places. Critical bull trout habitat proposed for Jarbidge River, Times-News 6/23/04 Scientists plan study of sturgeon, H&N 6/22/04 "Federal scientists plan to take another look at the status of the green sturgeon in the Klamath River and are asking for information about the ancient fish from the public. The new study will decide whether the fish needs to be listed for protection under the Endangered Species Act and comes as a result of a lawsuit filed by the Oregon Natural Resources Council, the Environmental Protection Information Center and the Center for Biological Diversity last year." Comments on the Draft SEIS/EIR on or before June 22, 2004--Trinity U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service News Release, Critical Habitat Proposed for Washington's Coastal-Puget Sound Population of Bull Trout 6/22/04, followed by Critical Habitat Proposed for the Saint Mary and Belly Rivers in Northwest Montana: "The critical habitat proposal calls for a total of 2,290 miles of streams in western Washington to be designated as bull trout critical habitat, along with 52,540 acres of lakes and reservoirs and marine habitat paralleling 985 miles of shoreline." "The Service also proposed at that time to designate 396 miles of streams and 3,939 acres of lakes and marshes in Oregon as critical habitat for the Klamath River Basin population of bull trout. Those proposals are expected to be finalized in September 2004." Endangered Species' Cost USA Billions, cns news 6/22/04. "The FSW report did not take into consideration lost jobs, lost business, and lost tax revenues. If it did, the ESA would be rescinded within days. One famous example was the hoax about the "endangered" northern spotted owl. "At least 130,000 jobs were lost when more than 900 sawmills, pulp, and paper mills closed in mid-1990 to protect" the owl."
Get serious about habitat and species protection, 6/22/04 The Oregonian, submitted to KBC by The Tri-County Courier. "Over the next 10 years we witnessed rural Oregon's economy bludgeoned in an effort to protect this species -- and others added to the list. Once-thriving communities turned into ghost towns while their schools and community services suffered tremendously because of high unemployment and lack of local tax revenue." 6/22/04, see Prayer Page for prayer request for Klamath Bucket Brigade Board member Mike Tyrholm's family. PRESS RELEASE: Resources Committee to hold ESA Hearing on The Klamath Project, 6/21/04. Congressman Pombo: "The water shut-off in the Klamath Basin is a dramatic example of how, after 30 years, the Endangered Species Act has failed the species it was designed to recover. Unintended consequences have devastated communities." Community TV to debut pieces on Reclamation Project, H&N 6/21/04 Award recognizes irrigators' efforts, H&N 6/21/04 Native Americans v Scots industrial giant: a $1bn lawsuit is filed in war over salmon By Paul Kelbie, Scotland Correspondent 21 June 2004. "PacifiCorp says creating salmon passages to the upper basin would be too expensive, costing upwards of $100m just to add new ladders and screens to four of the dams. The company says removal of the dams would spell disaster for farmers in the area, who rely on the water for irrigation. Other changes could be opposed by recreational users." PRESS RELEASE: Walden to Meet with Administrator of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to Discuss Rural Health Care Priorities, 6/21/04. Thank you Congressman Walden for representing Rural America! What's killing Klamath's fish? Times Standard 6/21/04. Go HERE for background and more parasite articles. Jurassic fish will get closer examination, Times Standard posted to KBC 6/20/04, Followed by report regarding green sturgeon by NMFW and NOAA and comment deadline "A federal fisheries team will take another look at whether the green sturgeon -- an ancient denizen of West Coast rivers -- needs protection." Lawsuit could result in banning use of retardant on West's wildfires, Oregonian 6/20/04. Connecting Conservation Easements to The Wildlands Project, by Julie Smithson, posted to KBC 6/20/04. Considering the vast amount of land taken out of agricultural production in the Klamath Basin in recent years, and the amount of land targeted to be 'conserved' by eager conservation groups, this article contains many facts and links explaining the agenda behind the easements. More water theft, today. The Bureau of Reclamation is enforcing a mandatory 'water bank', this year calling for 75,000 Acre Feet of water to be taken from irrigators, regardless of water year type, and 100,000 AF next year Project water downsize. In addition to this water bank, today the Bureau has asked many well owners to start pumping their wells to put into the system. Farmer X told me that his water bank well water was already taken and not saved by the agencies for when the river and lake would need this water. KBC (jdk) 6/18/04
KWUA Weekly Update for
June 18, 2004 Klamath Bucket Brigade website update 6/18/04. Species act hearing first in a series, Herald and News June 18, 2004 Court officially takes Oregon coastal coho off ESA list, 6/18/04 PRESS RELEASE, 6/18/04, Walden Op-Ed on New Job Figures, State of the Economy PRESS RELEASE< 6/18/04 House Resource Committee, Week in Review Grasshoppers threaten Klamath Rangeland, Statesman Journal 6/18/04. Statement of Allen Foreman for PERC conference June 8, 2004. I attended a tribal gathering in the Lava Beds several years ago and Edison Chiloquin spoke to the group. He was the Klamath Chief who did not sell his land when most of the others did, twice. He said we are one people, one nation. He said that he is no more responsible for what his Indian ancestors did than we farmers are for what our ancestors did. He was no better, nor was his religion and livelihood better, than mine. I will never forget the words of wisdom of that great man. KBC
Wait for science to decide on fish die-off, 6/17/04, H&N editorial. Greenpeace action suggests new forest war, msn 6/17/04.
ESA
TODAY
Petition
Filed to Protect Siskiyou Mountains Salamander as Endangered Species,
ONRC 6/17/04. Report reinforces fishermen's claims that data is flawed, 6/17/04, Coos Bay World.
Dam may be
in final year, 6/17/04 H&N. Where's the science, H&N letter by Kathy Baley, formerly from Tulelake 6/17/04 Shepherds of the Land, H&N 6/17/04. Klamath to host congressional hearing, H&N 6/15/04. Greenpeace activists locked to three-ton container on logging road in Southern Oregon, 6/15/04 Greenpeace. This is why Oregon the highest unemployment in the Nation? This is why our forests burning up and rotting? 1/2 million acres burned in 2002--Bambies, little spotted owls, old growth trees. Today it rots. Of 500,000 acres burned and rotting, maybe, perhaps, 19,400 acres of dead, burnt trees may be salvaged, creating 6900 jobs. KBC Valediction: Columns I didn't write, and some ideas, by former H&N editor John Walker 6/14/04 Forest Service eases pressure to log roadless areas, AP 6/14/04 Promotion affects key player on Klamath, SacBee 6/14/04. "Former capital lawyer appointed Interior's solicitor, cutting time Wooldridge has for salmon issue. Processors brace for a super salmon season, Anchorage Daily News, posted to KBC 6/14/04. "the state's total salmon catch will approach 200 million fish, making it the third largest ever." MARCH WITH US "A water grab is going on in the Wallowa Valley in northeast Oregon. This valley is sustained by agriculture, and those thirsting for our water include the federal government, numerous fish interests and the Tribes. Please join us June 26...go HERE for details. Our Klamath song Kill the Land, 2001, lest we forget. Thank you Brian Burns. Talks collapse on fish kill suit, Times Standard 6/13/04. Regardless of the fact that the National Academy of Science (NAS) said that the Klamath Irrigation Project, 200 miles from the 2002 fish die-off, did not kill the Trinity River fish; regardless of the fact that the river had and has more water than before the irrigators built the Klamath Project to reroute and store water; and regardless of the fact that this was a lake up to 40 feet deep in the Klamath Basin, much of which could not go down the river before the Project diverted it down the river....the Yuroks (along with PCFFA) persist in the agenda of blaming the Klamath Irrigators for a fish die-off. Too much water was diverted down the river this winter, so, low and behold, the lake and river will accidently be too low. We are pumping our aquifer, our water table is dropping, yet the agenda-driven Tribes and environmental groups (PCFFA), with tax-exempt dollars, continue to sue the family farmers. KBC (jdk) Our National Academy of Science final report link was not working. Go HERE for entire final NAS report--also on SCIENCE Page. Tree sitters gear up "Activists sponsored concert and dinner at Butler Flat in the Klamath National Forest. More activism against timber sales is planned. " by Liz Bowen, Pioneer Press 6/13/04 Timber sales stopped. More lawsuits slow Forest health program at the top of the state, Pioneer Press posted to KBC 6/13/04 Tribes support salmon suit, H&N, posted to KBC 6/13/04. {Our apologies for missing this May 21 article--thank you readers for bringing this to our attention KBC} Farmers struggle with energy prices, Farm Bureau posted to KBC 6/13/04 "In the last year, the cost of fuel and oil has risen 12 percent and the cost of fertilizer has risen by 6 percent. Francl said that if costs continue to rise through the summer and fall, an additional $1 billion in cost of manufactured products will have to be absorbed by farmers' incomes." Lake level river flows, posted to KBC 6/13/04 ESA TODAY 'Endangered' Vermin That Cost America $100 Million Never Existed, NewsMax posted to KBC 6/13,04.
KWUA
Weekly Update for June 11, 2004
KID
(Klamath Irrigation District) board meeting notes from June 10, 2004,
thank you Barbara Hall, KBB. "The Refuge water
being pumped into the
PRESS RELEASE, Remarks by President Bush in Eulogy for Ronald Wilson Reagan, 6/11/04 ESA TODAY Judge halts endangered species permit rule, AP 6/11/04 ESA TODAY OTHER PLACES: Environmentalists sue to protect swallowtail butterflies, KATU 6/11/04 PRESS RELEASE: Pacific Legal Foundation, Ninth Circuit, Once Again, Upholds Decision Ordering Federal Fisheries Agency to Treat Hatchery Fish Equally, 6/10/04
Parasite spreading concern on Klamath River, H&N 6/10/04. Go HERE for KWUA original letter of concerns to CDFG (CA Dept of Fish and Game). Speech by Dr. Doug Whitsett, Bonanza, regarding Reclamation Act, Tribal Trust, Clean Water Act and ESA, and unintended consequences from well-intended rules and regulations. This was presented at June 8th PERC conference on water marketing, posted to KBC 6/10/04. Oregon Women for Agriculture--thank you for your support. Check out their website. 6/10/04 Barbara Hall, Klamath Bucket Brigade, shares her notes to our KBC readers from the PERC conference Tuesday regarding selling our water. Steve Kandra, President KWUA, "The Klamath Project farmers either use "direct diversion or recovery and reuse. Before the Project was built, 600,000 acre-feet of water would flow into Tule Lake and Lower Klamath Lake and never come out. 400,000 acre-feet or less is used by the Klamath Project but I’m a bastard because I use any water. I want credit for the water we contribute to the river that historically never made it to the river." TID wells report and water levels, 6/9/04. TID wells and water levels table of contents, go HERE. Hage v. United States, Takings and Liability Trial, Days 13 - 15, posted to KBC 6/9/04 Fire safe forest toured by Herger, Siskiyou Daily News, 6/9/04.
Klamath
Basin symposium delegates call for more information -- and dialogue,
Times-Standard,,, 6/8/04 TID well-water report posted to KBC 6/5/04.
Salmon parasite adds to Klamath River woes, AP, posted to KBC 6/5/04.
Foreseeing the impending catastrophe and blame, Klamath Water Users sent
warnings to Fish and Game, CDFG, cautioning not to release millions of
hatchery fish when a parasite was in the water. Low and behold, they
released the tiny fish before a scheduled decrease in water diverted to
the river, and of course blame the Klamath Irrigators. Controversy brews in Siskiyou, Pioneer Press, posted to KBC 6/5/04. "The California Department of Fish and Game is seeking restrictions and regulations on water right allotments or use, so that agriculture water can be used in coho streams to increase water flows. Mountain-grown alfalfa, grain and pasture are the largest agricultural crops grown in Siskiyou County, along with beef cattle. Government restrictions have jeopardized practical timber harvest." PRESS RELEASE: Progress Reported in Effort to Return Nation's Air Tankers to Service; $500 Million in Supplemental Firefighting Funds Included in Interior Bill, Walden, posted to KBC 6/5/04 It's a boy! KBC see prayer page 6/4/04
Important notice!!! Road to Medicine Lake boat dock is open! 15" trout from beach. Limit out in 30 minutes....night crawlers and power bait. Wildfire suppression/GAO report, posted to KBC 6/4/04.
Director's visit will be a first for Lava Beds, H&N 6/4/04. Saturday June 12th. Come to the new visitor center dedication!! Transformed into the best, H&N posted to KBC 6/3/04. The world's best blue cheese starts at Bonanza View Dairy in the Klamath Basin. And "By late July, the dairy will be producing certified organic milk." See CROPS page.
KWUA weekly
update for 6/4/04 Please go to Prayer Page---our babies need your prayers. June 3, 2004.
Biscuit fire
salvage numbers drop, Mail Tribune 6/2/04. Why in Oregon the highest
unemployment in the Nation? Why are our forests burning up and rotting?
1/2 million acres burned in 2002--Bambies, little spotted owls, old
growth trees. Today it rots. Of 500,000 acres burned and rotting, maybe,
perhaps, 19,400 acres of dead trees may be salvaged, creating 6900 jobs
according to forest supervisor Conroy. On much of that
acreage, helicopters must be used because they can't make roads. Kulongski threw in 64,000 acres to expand wilderness area and is
disappointed it is not more (no roads, no fire suppression, no bambies,
no owls, no old growth if there's a fire). It's NATURAL!! Go here for
how the 'environmentalists' , those destroying our economy and our
forests, are reacting: PRESS RELEASE: Biscuit Fire Decision Makes Sense, Illustrates Need for Review of Post Fire Process, Walden Says. posted to KBC 6/2/04 Feds keep all ESA stocks listed, but upbeat about future, Fishletter 6/2/04. Oregon fishing industry on the rebound, newportnewstimes.com posted to KBC 6/2/04. "And the numbers of salmon coming across the Columbia River dams have astonished scientists, while the numbers in many (though not all) coastal streams have also jumped. Perhaps most important is the huge fact that the ocean has returned to conditions favoring larger fish populations. The changes are cyclical, based on a return of strong cold water upwellings. These sweep nutrients up from the seafloor, making them available to fish up and down the water column." ATTENTION/CORRECTION: It has been brought to our attention that, contrary to statements by a Herald and News writer and statements by an Audubon representative, Klamath Water Users Association (KWUA) has not formally become partners with the Audubon Society, and has not formally become a partner in the Bald Eagle Conference with Audubon and other groups. For more on KWUA interaction with Audubon, see their May 6 Weekly Update. According to Audubon's Eshbaugh's speech last week, Audubon is changing and becoming informed, thus supportive, of Klamath Basin farming. KBC (jdk) Best of the Blue, Capital Press 6/1/04. "Rogue River Blue Cheese, made from milk produced at the Bonanza View Dairy (in the Klamath Basin) and transformed into cheese at the Rogue Creamery in Central Point, was named the world’s best blue cheese for 2003 at the 16th annual World Cheese Awards in London, England, earlier this year."
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