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The Klamath Basin issue on the
California-Oregon border, where water
was held back from more than 1,400
farmers and ranchers in 2001, made
national news.
The water had been shut off when a
court ruling based on the Endangered
Species Act (ESA) forced farmers and
ranchers to do without their
irrigation water to protect sucker
fish and threatened coho salmon. The
water was eventually restored in 2002
after it was determined that the
shutoff was unnecessary due to
"insufficient scientific data as
determined by the National Academy of
Science." This region was left in
economic chaos as families and their
way of life have been forever
impacted.
Many environmental organizations were
enraged when, on March 28, 2002, the
water was once again flowing for
agriculture use. Some of these same
organizations had been responsible for
the water having being kept from the
area to begin with. Those groups
include, Glen Spain of the Pacific
Coast Federation of Fishermen's
Associations (PCFFA), Oregon Natural
Resources Council, Wilderness Society
(of which California's Democratic U.S.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein's husband
Richard Blum is on the "2001 Governing
Council"), Northcoast Environmental
Center, Sierra Club, Golden Gate
Audubon, Institute for Fisheries
Resources and known radical Felice
Pace of the Klamath Forest Alliance.
In California's Del Norte County, near
the mouth of the Klamath River, lies
the fishing town of Crescent City.
Most fishermen interviewed for this
story stated that they are not blaming
farmers and ranchers for the fish
kill. In fact, those interviewed are
supportive of the farmers and
ranchers. They did however express
anger towards Glen Spain and PCFFA for
claiming to represent them in this or
any issue. Spain has apparently used
the names of other fishing
organizations without permission in an
effort to further his reputation
within some environmental
organizations. Jon Brunsing, Del Norte
Fishermen's Marketing Association,
stated in a May 29, 2001, letter, "We
are no way affiliated with the PCFFA
or spokesperson Spain. It has been
brought to our attention that the
PCFFA is using our name on their logo
and we have asked them to remove it."
On Sept. 19, 2002, out of an estimated
100,000 salmon, approximately 33,000
salmon died and were discovered within
the first 20 miles of the lower
Klamath River. Some environmentalists
and Native Americans blamed the
Klamath Basin farmers and ranchers.
Others blamed government entities for
restoring the water while still others
claim the fish were deliberately
poisoned.
While allegations and rumors have run
wild with regard to the 33,000 dead
fish, it is ultimately the responsibly
of the California Department of Fish
and Game (DFG) and/or the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service to investigate
such incidences, use only accurate
data, scientific evidence and report
those findings. Unfortunately, we have
not seen that happen.
A good example of inaccurate
"scientific data" and incorrect
reports relevant to this issue
surfaced during the Klamath Basin
crisis. Jennifer Ludlow, research
engineer of the Institute for Natural
Systems Engineering, Utah Water
Research Laboratory at Utah State
University was a presenter at the
Klamath Basin Fish and Water
Management Symposium held at Humboldt
State University in Arcata on May 21,
2001. Ludlow's presentation centered
on impacts to coho salmon as it
related directly to river flow
activity. She stated during an
interview immediately following the
symposium that she was the person in
charge of compiling data for Dr. Tom
Hardy of Utah State University, author
of the "Hardy Flow Report."
When questioned specifically about the
Hardy Flow Report, Ludlow stated,
"There were problems. We used some
incorrect data and that is being
looked at now." When asked, if this
data was sufficient to change the
substance of the report, Ludlow
responded, "Yes, it very well could."
Ludlow went on to state that the
report might be available within two
weeks but that the study itself would
not be made available to the public.
When Ludlow was asked about the
reasoning for this, she stated, "We
have to turn it over to the justice
department."
On May 29, 2001, Hardy himself
arranged a conference call between his
office, myself and Doug Tedrick of the
Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) in
Washington, D.C. Tedrick works in
conjunction with Secretary of Interior
Gale Norton to coordinate Hardy's
efforts on the river flow/coho issue.
Nothing was accomplished as a result
of the call.
Nearly a year to the day later on Mach
28, 2002, a ceremony was held in
Klamath Falls, where Secretary of the
Interior Norton herself opened the
headgates to restore the water. In tow
with Norton were Secretary of
Agriculture Ann Veneman, Oregon's Sen.
Gordon Smith, a Republican, and
Tedrick. When confronted about
Ludlow's statements at that time
Tedrick confirmed them saying,
"Apparently, she misunderstood your
question. Yes, there was inaccurate
data used in the report -- but it was
not our data."
California Fish and Game report
DFG issued a "preliminary analysis" of
the fish kill released on Jan. 3,
2003, which sites low, warm water as
the cause of "gill rot" in the dead
fish.
The DFG report also states, "Soon
after the fish kill manifested itself,
claims were made that toxic substances
may have been the cause. The North
Coast Regional Water Quality Control
Board Staff collected samples from
five locations on Sept. 26, 2002, to
determine if any toxic substances were
present at concentrations toxic to
fish. These scans test for a broad
spectrum of organic compounds
including organochlorine pesticides,
PCBs, and Glyphosate."
According to the DFG report, the fish
started dying on Sept. 19, 2002, and
the water samples were taken on Sept.
26, 2002. The samples were taken seven
days after the discovery of the dead
fish. The question arises -- would
concentrations of chemicals still be
present in the alleged test areas
after this length of time.
Sarah Foster of Worldnetdaily
interviewed biologist David Vogel.
Vogel worked for 14 years at the
Fishery Research and Fishery Resources
Divisions of the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service before starting his
own environmental consulting firm,
Natural Resources Scientists, in 1990
and is sharply critical of the report
-- not only its conclusions, but also
its methodology. He said he has not
prepared a point-by-point analysis and
rebuttal, but will do so in the near
future. Vogel said he was "shocked"
and "astounded" at the department's
conclusion that the fish kill was due
to insufficient water.
"Let me put it this way -- if it is
(the cause), you certainly can't use
Fish and Game's report to make that
conclusion," said Vogel, adding that
the most "striking feature" of the
report is that "the Department of Fish
and Game is building a strong case for
its lack of scientific objectivity."
Native American concerns
One of the major concerns by the Hoopa
Tribe is the fact that the U.S.
government, Bureau of Reclamation (BOR),
is and has been diverting as much as
90 percent of the Trinity River water
to the Sacramento River. This water
would usually flow into the Klamath at
Weitchpec, but instead is being
diverted and utilized in the Central
Basin of California.
According to Tom Patton a hydraulic
engineer for the BOR, the percentage
of water being released from the
Trinity Reservoir and diverted to the
Sacramento was 73 percent during the
fish kill. Government officials
assured Hoppa tribal members that the
amount released would be 50 percent.
Continued from page 4
They and numerous others believe that
amount would ensure the spawning
chinook and coho salmon would receive
enough cooler water to survive.
One person concerned about the Trinity
River water usage is U.S. Forest
Service wildlife biologist Tony
Hacking from Orleans. While expressing
his views he was critical of the large
amount of water the government drains
from Trinity Lake into the Sacramento.
Hocking stated, "The water pumped from
the Trinity never gets talked about."
Hoopa native Duane J. Sherman monitors
Native American fishing rights, the
Trinity River diversion, water levels,
water temperature and now the death of
the 33,000 fish. Sherman served as a
tribal council chairman for a short
time at the age of 28. Tribal elders
challenged his youthful ideas and
outspoken views, which resulted in the
end of his chairmanship. However, his
credentials are a tribute to his
tenacity and goals. Sherman was a
corrections officer for the Humboldt
County Sheriff's Department, worked as
a tribal police officer and was the
youngest member of the tribe to serve
as a tribal council member for four
years at the age of 21. He currently
attends Humboldt State University and
is working on his masters in sociology
and intends to obtain a law degree.
When asked if the fish would have died
if the Trinity River diversion water
had been flowing in the river, Sherman
stated, "The Trinity is 15 degrees
colder than the Klamath and if the
Trinity had been flowing as we were
promised, the fish would not have
died." When asked if he blamed farmers
and ranchers he responded with, "No --
but something different needs to be
done and soon."
Danielle Vigil-Masten, administrative
assistant to the Hoopa Valley Tribal
Council, echoed Sherman's words and
agreed with his statement that the
fish would not have died. Other tribal
members also expressed this sentiment.
Native American Donald D. Valenzuela,
a Yurok and tribal manger of the
Resighini Rancheria in Klamath, blames
the farmers, ranchers and George W.
Bush for using some of the water for
crops. The t-shirt he wears says,
"Bush Kills. Over 10,000 Dead Salmon."
When asked about the government's
diversion of the Trinity River water
to the Sacramento River, Valenzuela
shrugged it off as being
insignificant.
Contaminated water and drugs
The DFG report states, "No substances
were found at concentrations toxic to
fish and therefore, were not a factor
in the 2002 fish kill." However, that
may not be the case. According to the
Del Norte Sheriff's Department, the
Humboldt County Sheriff's Department
and Larry Hand of the California
Conservation Corps (CCC), a CCC crew
run by John Buttons discovered several
large glass flasks used for cooking
methamphetamine on Ohpah Creek, a
tributary of the Klamath River just 21
miles from the mouth of the river. The
flasks were found in the summer of
2002 and were left on Simpson Timber
Company land above the Ohpah Creek
Ranch. It now turns out the flasks
were part of what is known as a "meth
dump." That is where the unused
residue and cooking utensils from labs
are discarded. A Humboldt County
Sheriff's Department official used a
recent dumpsite at Colusa, to explain,
"Mexican nationals had dumped their
old chemicals and supplies into an
irrigation canal."
Many law enforcement officers confirm
massive environmental damage has
occurred at marijuana growing
locations, including on the Shasta
River. Detective Mark Merrill of the
Siskiyou County Sheriff's Department
explained that marijuana growers use
such compounds as rat poison,
insecticides and pesticides to kill
unwanted animals that penetrate their
operations.
Shasta County Sgt. Tim McDonald and
numerous other law enforcement
officials confirmed Merrill's
statement. All emphasizing that, "The
chemicals end up in creeks and
watersheds," which ultimately ends up
in rivers such as the Klamath. In
addition there are months of human
waste, paper, food cans, propane
canisters, food wrappers as well as
other forms of garbage that are found
strewn about.
According to the Drug Enforcement
Division of the Kansas Bureau of
Investigations, such items as, common
cold tablets containing, ephedrine or
pseudoephedine, acetone, alcohol
(isopropyl or rubbing), toluene,
engine starter (either), drain
cleaner, (sulfuric acid), Heet
(methanol/alcohol), table salt, car
batteries (Lithium), sodium methyl,
propane tanks (Anhydrous ammonia), Red
Devil Lye (Sodium Hydroxide), matches
(red and yellow phosphorus), muradic
acid, hydrochloric acid, phosphine,
iodine, acetone, freon, hexane, white
gas, laundry soap and diesel fuel are
all used in the production of meth.
The chemicals are then cooked in such
items as Pyrex dishes or large glass
flasks like the ones found on Ohpah
Creek. Coffee filters are then use to
filter the items cooked.
Several members of the DFG stated they
were familiar with the chemicals
listed and stated, "Of course they
could kill fish. The fish did have
gill rot, but there is the possibility
they may have survived. If there was
any of these chemicals in the river at
any level, it would have stressed the
fish and yes, it could have been a
factor in the kill."
When asked, J. Scott Foott of DFG, the
specimen examiner who did the
pathology report of the dead fish,
agreed that if there were chemicals in
the water at any level it could have
been a factor in the kill. He also
stated, "It depends how badly they
were infected. Yes they may have
survived." He also emphasized that,
"The water temperatures were similar
to other years -- there was a series
of contributing factors."
All law enforcement offices
interviewed have stated there is a
serious problem with drug activities,
however as a result of insufficient
funding and manpower it is impossible
to do the necessary work. With
California Gov. Davis' $34.6 billion
deficit, his new budget cuts and
hiring freezes, law enforcement
statewide (to the delight of drug
producers) have had additional cuts in
drug enforcement money.
According to Siskiyou County Sheriff
Rick Riggins, they don't yet know what
the budget impact will have on his
department or drug enforcement
efforts. "There are several positions
here that depend on state funding and
we won't know until March exactly what
will happen," Riggins said.
Two persons interviewed claimed there
are five meth labs between Weitchpec
and the river mouth. One of the labs
is known to both civilian and law
enforcement as the "Crystal Palace."
When asked, one Siskiyou County law
enforcement official said, "If the
truth were know, there are probably 50
labs." A member of the Humboldt County
Drug Task Force said, "We know there
are numerous marijuana gardens along
the lower Klamath but we are unable to
do anything because of lack of
cooperation from locals and because of
finances." The entire 41 miles of
river between Weitchpec and the river
mouth has no roads and is completely
isolated from any civilization.
There are dozens of documented cases
of Mexican and Asian drug cartels
using remote areas to both grow
marijuana, and manufacture meth. These
cases include the Klamath River area.
This has resulted in concerns for the
safety of all users; either national
forests and/or Bureau of Land
Management lands or those who simply
explore for recreation. All of these
activities have been intensely
compromised by these organized
criminal drug activities. Shasta
Interagency Narcotics Task Force
Commander Russ Reeves (retired) refers
to the groups involved in growing
operations as "cells" because he says,
"Many of these foreigners that work
the fields, are so low in the scheme
of things they do not even know who
they work for." He further stated that
much of the money obtained from
marijuana growing is used to finance
illegal meth operations. Reeves went
on to say, "These same meth producers
then ship their product to other
states. We have been successful in
tracking some of that."
John Martinez, until recently, was
employed by the Karuk Tribe in Happy
Camp for nearly four years. Martinez
has tried to expose those who have
taken to illegal activities on and off
tribal lands. He has successfully
documented information about such
illegal activities on the Klamath
River but when he and others have
spoken up they found themselves
without help from anyone. According to
Martinez, they have been the victims
of character assassinations, death
threats, gunshots at homes and threats
of being set up. "I feel that if I did
not leave my job immediately I would
further jeopardize my safety and those
close to me," Martinez stated. "I
believe my safety is still in danger
for having exposed potential illegal
drug-related activities."
Several community leaders and teachers
along the Klamath River have confirmed
the upswing in drug usage within their
communities. On several occasions
these same people have gone to the
Karuk Tribal Council and asked for
help. Some have contacted council
members personally, only to find the
help they were seeking, not available.
Some claim they have traveled to
Medford, Ore., to meet with federal
authorities -- once again they
discovered their efforts have been in
vain. According to Gary Lake, a Karuk
Tribal councilman, community leaders
and residents have come to the council
and ask for help on drug related
issues.
Lake stated, "As a private citizen I
report it to law enforcement myself
and nothing has been done." Lake
confirmed much of what Martinez had
previously stated. He also said, "I
have been threatened many, many times
myself."
All of this raises a big question.
Could the illegal marijuana and meth
producers dumping chemicals, poisons
and waste above the fish kill into
creeks, watersheds and river be
accountable for the dead fish or at
least have magnified the impact of the
gill rot?
Public safety
A law enforcement official from the
Del Norte Sheriff's Department stated,
"There have been armed boats traveling
up and down the river (Klamath), but
we have not been able to determine
why." Deputies from across Northern
California, California Highway Patrol
and U.S. Forest Service Law
Enforcement Agents are quick to affirm
the danger. Forest Service Law
Enforcement Officer Michael Irvine of
Fort Jones underscored his concerns
and pointed to organized crime who he
feels are responsible for the risks
the general public now face when
visiting public lands. California
Highway Patrol Officer Keith Ericson
echoed the words of Irvine when he
said, "The danger on public lands is a
very big concern as a result of
marijuana grow operations." According
to Darrell Plemons, chief of
operations for the Tehama County
Sheriff's Office, "The situation (drug
activity) has increased over the last
few years to a dangerous epidemic."
Conclusion
Many environmental extremists,
government entities and some members
of the press tell the American public
that salmon populations are declining.
What they fail to mention is that this
fish kill took place during the third
largest fall chinook salmon run ever
recorded.
These same environmental groups and
their financial backers with huge
bankrolls continue to use national
media to further their social and
political objectives at the cost of
rural American farming and ranching
families. In addition, information is
now surfacing that proves some of the
marijuana operations on the Salmon
River in Northern California are
linked to individuals attached to
so-called environmental organizations.
The Salmon River also flows into the
Klamath River near the town of Happy
Camp.
It is understood that both the DFG
report and this story fail to
establish what actually led to the
fish kill. However, the chemical
allegations have undeniable merit.
While someone from the California
Department of Fish and Game has given
a "preliminary analysis" of the fish
kill and national media creates the
illusion that farmers and ranchers in
the Klamath Basin are to blame for the
deaths of these fish. Journalists who
likely have not visited the area, have
also failed to bother to entertain
other possibilities?
Barry R. Clausen has been a
contributing writer for many news
outlets, including, Range Magazine and
the Siskiyou Daily News. Clausen has
been featured on major television news
shows including several appearances on
FOX News. He has written two books on
ecoterrorism and has been featured on
many television shows and in hundreds
of news articles. He can be reached at
(530) 241 4884 or at swatch@cwnet.com. |
