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Yreka's Siskiyou Daily News
http://www.siskiyoudaily.com/articles/2003/09/05/news/news2.txt


Water option proposed

Updated: Friday, September 5, 2003 12:37 PM PDT


The Klamath Basin struggles with water allotments in dry years when lake and river levels must be maintained. -- Photo courtesy Pat Ratliff/Klamath Media


YREKA - If there is not enough water in the Klamath River for both the fish and farmers, the logical solution to the problem is to store more water.

That was the proposal before the Siskiyou County Supervisors on Tuesday as Klamath County Commissioner John Elliott made a presentation about the feasibility of using the Long Lake Reservoir as a deep water long term storage for the Klamath River.

After hearing his presentation, the supervisors approved with a 5-0 vote writing a support letter to the Klamath County Commissioners for a technical study and analysis of the Long Lake Project.

Elliott said that the Klamath Basin farmers and ranchers are working to solve water issues of the Klamath River system and have proposed a water storage project that would develop an area known as Long Lake.  

"This project may have the potential to be a significant part of the overall solution for water issues in the Klamath Basin." Elliott said. "This proposal is for a feasibility study funded through the Water Supply Enhancement Act."

Long Lake is an enclosed long narrow valley about five miles long and up to one mile wide just southwest of the Upper Klamath Lake at an average elevation of 4,260 feet. The proposal is to pump excess winter water from the Klamath River into the natural reservoir and store it for release back into the river to stabilize water flows in the summer.

According to Elliott, Long Lake is capable of storing 350,000 acre feet of water in its natural state. That storage could be extended to 500,000 acre feet with the construction of an earthen dam at the saddle on the top of the ridge.

"The water depth would average approximately 200 feet, providing stored water at a significantly cooler temperature and with less evaporative loss than Upper Klamath Lake," Elliott said. "The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation did a study of this proposal in the late 1980s but their findings were inconclusive and suggested that more study would be required to determine the project's feasibility."

Elliott said that it is unlikely that the Long Lake water would be used for irrigation purpose. It would help agriculture because the water would provide cool water with a stable flow for the river leaving water allocations intact for agriculture. No stream or tributary is associated with the Long Lake Valley so the project should not have a negative environmental impact to the Klamath River watershed.

Supervisor Joan Smith, who serves that district, said the farmers have been looking for long term solutions and storage is a key element.

"The principle landowners have already committed to the study," she said.

"We will be able to see what effect cold water introduced 200 miles upstream will have on salmon health," Elliott said. "The horns of the project are the self defeating conflict between lake level demands and down stream flows. Now, the only way to get both is to rob agriculture. This will break the bond between the two. It is an alternative relief valve for the project."

Elliott said it is estimated the 150,000 acre feet of water could be pulled out of the Klamath River in winter and spring months without disturbing downstream flow. Obviously it will take several years to fill Long Lake.

"It could also help mediate some of the flooding issues," he said. "We want to even out the flow in the Klamath River so we have higher flows in August and September."

Debra Crisp from the Tulelake Growers Association said after reviewing the proposal, technical studies are warranted.

"Funding is in place and this should move forward as soon as possible," Crisp said. "It is a viable project and should produce a deep cold water storage that we have been requesting for four years." - By John Diehm



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