Our Klamath Basin Water Crisis Upholding rural Americans

Our Klamath Basin Water Crisis
Upholding rural Americans' rights to grow food,
own property, and caretake our wildlife and natural resources.

PACIFICORP
Table of Contents

Updated KBRA / Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement Page

Here for first KBRA / SETTLEMENT page

Emergency water delivery aims to help birds, fish at Tule Lake, H&N 8/13/21. "...Ducks Unlimited announced that, along with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Tulelake Irrigation District and local farmers, they had secured 10,000 acre-feet of water to deliver to the sump...The water will be “borrowed” from PacifiCorp’s hydroelectric reservoirs on the Klamath River...By lowering the reservoirs by 10,000 acre-feet and adjusting flows upstream, the action isn’t expected to majorly affect flows out of Iron Gate Dam or the elevation of Upper Klamath Lake... the PacifiCorp reservoirs will have to be refilled later in the year, ideally following a precipitation event in the fall or early winter..."

Tulelake Irrigation District requested PacifiCorp to loan 10,000 acre feet of water to refuges for wildlife, to be repaid by Lost River flows. Klamath Irrigators were denied all of their stored water this year by Bureau of Reclamation against court orders. We have the following letters from FWS, BOR and PacifiCorp but not from Klamath Tribes, NMFS or TID.

Bureau of Reclamation to PacifiCorp: Request for PacifiCorp Temporary Water Borrow for Tule Lake Sump 1B 8/4/2021. "Reclamation requests that PacifiCorp draw down reservoir storage by 10,000 (AF), which will allow Reclamation and Tulelake Irrigation District (TID) to use the volume to help support Sump 1B elevations...The borrowed volume will be paid back from Lost River flows after the irrigation season comes to an end in the Lost River; this is currently anticipated to occur in late September or early October."

PacifiCorp letter to Bureau regarding Request for PacifiCorp Temporary Water Borrow for Tule Lake Sump 1B, 8/5/21. "...The goal of this effort is to provide water into Sump 1B to protect endangered Lost River and Shortnose suckers in Sump 1B and improve conditions for migratory waterfowl that rely on that habitat..." NOTE: This water for the refuges was paid back by the Bureau out of our farm water storage. Project irrigators were allowed none of their stored water this year.

FWS to BOR, signed Memorandum regarding Request for Water Transfer to Tule Lake Sump 1B, 8/4/21. "The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) is following up with you regarding recent conversations between the Service, the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), and Klamath Basin tribes and stakeholders about the developing situation at Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) Sump 1B. As Sump 1B continues to dry up due to ongoing drought conditions and agricultural diversions, the Service believes action must be taken to protect migratory waterfowl, Lost River and shortnose suckers listed under the Endangered Species Act, and the habitat that Sump 1B provides these species...Tulelake Irrigation District (TID) has requested water be made available from PacifiCorp for Sump 1B, and PacifiCorp has indicated they have 10,000 acre-feet of water that can be used for this purpose..."

Bureau of Reclamation to FWS Memorandum regarding Request for Water Transfer to Tule Lake Sump 1B 080421. "...immediate action is needed to protect endangered Lost River and shortnose suckers, migratory waterfowl, and the habitat that Tulelake Sump 1B provides these species...Reclamation anticipates that the volume borrowed from PacifiCorp reservoirs will be transferred as soon as practicable, but no later than August 6, and occur at the rate of approximately 150 cfs...The borrowed volume will be paid back from flood flows or Lost River flows after the irrigation season comes to an end in the Lost River..."

BPA Transmission line Pacific Power customers could see higher electricity bills, H&N 5/19/22. "Pacific Power is asking Oregon regulators to approve an electricity rate hike that could increase residential customers’ utility bills by as much as 14%. KBC NOTE: So the states of Oregon and California are paying millions of dollars to destroy our clean green hydroelectric dams that supply power to 70,000 households, as well as flood control, water for fighting wildfires which has saved towns, lakes, communities, and ecosystems providing habitat for hundreds of species, some endangered. Pacific Power said if they destroyed the dams, our power rates would decrease. Some people believed them.

PacifiCorp lends more water to Reclamation, H&N 5/22/18. " '...the question for the Bureau is how much of that 9,500 acre feet will actually be able to go to the Project and how much of it is to just keep required Upper Klamath Lake levels,' Gravely said."

Survival mode: Pacificorp, irrigators to share water, H&N 5/16/18

Pacific Power article lacks objective balance by Ed Silling, Klamath Falls, followed by Pacific Power states case for lawsuit against city, posted to KBC 1/30/15

Pacific Power sues (Klamath Falls) city. Eminent domain, public utility district at heart of lawsuit, H&N 1/17/15.

BOR, PacifiCorp reach agreement on reservoir releases H&N, posted to KBC 8/16/14. "According to KWAPA Executive Director Hollie Cannon, the combination of consecutive drought years and new rules in place to protect endangered fish in the Klamath watershed means irrigators are given less surface water, forcing them to turn to groundwater..."

Utility’s retort to city power, Pacific Power looks to protect market in Klamath, H&N posted to KBC 5/15/13

PacifiCorp (Klamath Dam removal) surcharge increase approved, The Daily Independent, posted to KBC 11/2/12. "In a non-binding 2010 local ballot measure, 79 percent of Siskiyou County voters opposed the removal of the dams."

Dueling briefs in PUC process, Siskiyou Daily News, posted to KBC 8/6/12.

Senator Doug LaMalfa, Calif. 4th District, and Assemblyman Jim Nielsen, 2nd District, letter to Calif. PUC objecting to power surcharge to destroy Klamath River hydropower dams even when Klamath Agreement does not have public or congressional support, posted to KBC 7/24/12.
End PacifiCorp Rate Increase to Destroy Klamath Dams: Congressman McClintock letter to California PUC 7/17/12. "...regarding PacifiCorp's application to accelerate the collection of the $13.76 million Klamath surcharge authorized by the Klamath Hydroelectric Settlement Agreement. I object to this request to impose another rate increase on PacifiCorp's California customers based upon the unlikelihood that Congress will ever pass the KHSA into law...As chairman of the Water and Power Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee I can tell you that sentiment in the House is very much opposed to destroying four hydroelectric dams capable of producing 155 MW of reliable hydroelectricity and the concomitant destruction of the Iron Gate fish hatchery that produces 5 million salmon smolts each year...."

PacifiCorp seeks ITPs for Klamath dam operations, Siskiyou Daily News, posted to KBC 5/11/11. "
NEPA document for Klamath Dams and Pacificorp May 2011

PacifiCorp continues with dam removal preparations, Capital Press 3/4/11

California judge approves Klamath dam removal surcharge, Siskiyou Daily, posted to KBC 2/25/11. "The ruling, issued by Judge Karen V. Clopton, approves PacifiCorp’s request to add a $13.76 million surcharge for its approximately 45,000 California customers to cover its obligation for dam removal costs under the Klamath Hydroelectric Settlement Agreement."

PacifiCorp, counties reach dam deal, H&N, posted to KBC 11/14/10. "Opponents of the dam removal had argued for years that local residents had been excluded from negotiations."

Appeals court upholds Klamath power rate hike, Capital Press 10/5/10

KLAMATH OFF-PROJECT WATER USERS, INC. v. PACIFICORP, Sept. 29, 2010

RE: Requests for Rate Increases Pacific Power, letter to Calif. PUC by Marcia Armstrong, Siskiyou County Supervisor District 5 9/3/10. "Siskiyou County is subject to temperature extremes of as much as 110 degrees F and -27 degrees F. Snowfall can be several feet high. Elevation of populated areas can be as high as 4,000 feet...This could be a potentially life-threatening increase."

Pacific Power rate increase public comment

PacifiCorp to raise rates, Capital Press, posted to KBC 1/29/10

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

PacifiCorp loses challenge of fish ladders over dams 9/28/2006
Judge Parlen McKenna: Decision on Klamath River Dams - Docket Number 2006-NMFS-0001 Sept 27, 2006

PacifiCorp: Klamath River Hydroelectric Project Dam Statistics, posted 8/17/06

Unintended Consequences

The government and Klamath Basin farmers have spent millions of dollars purchasing efficient sprinklers to conserve water. However, Pacific Power, disregarded the fact that their regulated water to create power comes from Klamath Project design and efficiency. They've significantly raised the irrigators' power rates, so many irrigators are forced to return to flood irrigation.

7/3/06 KBC photo

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

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

PacifiCorp offers alternative salmon plan Klamath River - The utility proposes caution and trucking until runs are re-established, The Oregonian 4/29/06

Siskiyou and PacifiCorp testimony harmful to Project irrigators; Tulelake Irrigators meet with County Supervisors, Klamath Courier 3/30/06 "Project irrigators paid in full for the Klamath Reclamation Project which puts millions of dollars worth of free water into Klamath River for PacifiCorp to produce cheap power for its ratepayers. In exchange for free regulated water, Project irrigators were given an affordable power rate. However, PacifiCorp has led Siskiyou County supervisors to believe..."

Klamath farmers' utility bills to rise, Jackson Hole Star Tribune, posted to KBC 1/29/06.
(KBC offers a response/correction, and note to PacifiCorp."PacifiCorp has said it loses $8 million to $10 million a year," quotes AP Bernard. What he did not say was that PacifiCorp would have NO regulated power on the Klamath without the Klamath Project; Link River frequently went dry before the Project was built. And all the water in our closed basin lakes had no way to reach the river, so there was less water. So yes, that's $8-10 million less money PacifiCorp can profit off the free water provided by the Klamath Project which provided inexpensive power to their customers for 50 years.

PacifiCorp sale set to be wrapped up early, Scotsman, posted to KBC 12/29/05

Buffett gets OK to buy utility, H&N 12/25/05

FERC OKs MidAmerican purchase of PacifiCorp, Reuters, posted to KBC 12/18/05

U.S. Energy Agency OKs Buffett's PacifiCorp Buy, Forbes, posted to KBC 12/18/05

PacifiCorp deal reaches critical stage, Portland Business Journal 12/6/05

MidAmerican waiting period on PacifiCorp buy ends, posted to KBC 8/25/05

PacifiCorp is purchased, Pioneer Press 6/2/05

PacifiCorp's year earnings hold steady despite mild weather, revenue decline, Oregonian 6/2/05

Scottish Power sells PacifiCorp to Warren Buffett LINKS

PacifiCorp sale upsets tribes, H&N posted to KBC 5/28/05

What’s not to like about PacifiCorp purchase, H&N posted to KBC 5/28/05

PacifiCorp Klamath River Re-licensing

Klamath final license application

PacifiCorp maps (pdf file) and Briefs on the Klamath River Dams, 8/2/04. For more power issues, go HERE "As summarized by ODFW (1997): "Because of existing habitat problems, loss of native stocks, risk of disease introduction and potential competition with remaining native redband trout, it does not appear feasible, or prudent, to attempt re-establishment of anadromous salmon or steelhead to the Upper Klamath Basin in Oregon, now or in the future".

ARTICLES:

PacifiCorp sale to enterprise still planned, H&N posted to KBC 10/16/05

PacifiCorp says sale won't affect issues, H&N 10/11/05

Billionaire Warren Buffett outlines plans for PacifiCorp Idaho Statesman 6/21/05

PacifiCorp PRESS RELEASES: PacifiCorp to be acquired by MidAmerican Energy Holding Company posted to KBC May 25, 2005

Buffett Returns to the Deals TableWith a Big Bet on Energy Sector, Wall St.Journal posted to KBC 5/25/05

Buffett buys PacifiCorp for $9.4 billion, MSNBC News 5/24/05

PacifiCorp has some strange bedfellows, H&N 5/19/05 "PacifiCorp probably has enough problems with its relations in the Klamath Basin, but now comes a host of people who want to use the power company's rate structure to attack irrigated farming in the Basin."

Project farmers' power bills may go up, PacifiCorp says, H&N posted 2/19/05.

Audubon sues, PacifiCorp dam license challenged, 5/26/04 AP H&N. For more on Oregon and its economy, see Oregon Page.

Pacificorp files on the Klamath River Hydro Project Relicense, 3/18/04 NW Fishletter.