Siskiyou County Water Users Association / SCWUA Spring Edition Newsletter 2018, "Save the dams, Save the salmon"

Tulelake Japanese Relocation Camp plan finalized: Press Release on the TuleLake Unit GMP/General Management Plan 5/31/18
***Tule Lake Unit World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument General Management Plan and Environmental Assessment Finding of No Significant Impact Modoc and Siskiyou Counties, California May 2018.
KBC News editor comments: Lava Beds National Monument Superintendent did not include in his press release that most of the Tulelake Community, settled by WWI and WWII veteran homesteaders, opposed their multimillion dollar GMP plan C and supported Plan A, including Modoc County, the City of Tulelake, Tulelake Growers Association, Tulelake Irrigation District, Macy's Flying Service, and our representative and U.S. Congressman Doug LaMalfa as well as surrounding communities that our airport services (40,000 sq miles). Our local concerns were drowned out by national groups like Tule-lake Committee (Japanese group suing our local airport and deems our local farmers and ranchers as "white supremacists"), our NPS who campaigned for the massive plan C with a national campaign, and Manzanar (WWII relocation camp) Committee's partner CAIR, Council on American-Islamic Relations, which advertised broadly. A driving incentive for these groups is "Under an incoming federal administration that threatens a Muslim registry and mass deportations if not incarcerations, the lessons of Tule Lake are needed more than ever."  http://resisters.com/2016/11/28/adopt-alternative-c-for-public-access-to-tule-lake/
   Stated in the General Management Plan includes how these developments will contribute to getting the designation changes to being Tulelake National Historic Landmark, opposed by our county and community due to the local impacts. The GMP supports willing sellers, easements, land exchanges, partnerships, donations, and acquisitions beyond the 1380 acres already acquired for their construction and agenda.
   HERE for our Japanese vs Tulelake Controversy web page of articles, documents, letters, litigation info against our airport

Comment period til June 15 for recreation sites after dam destruction, H&N 5/31/18

Dam removal leaves need for new recreation sites, followed by Comment Period extended to June 15, H&N 5/31/18. KBC Note: with the vast majority of Klamath and Siskiyou Countys' residents opposing Klamath hydro dam removal, the latest strategy seems to be planning destruction of old, and creation of new "recreation sites", and assuming the dams are coming out. After all, that's the statement from Department of Interior, tribes and liberals wanting rural America to be wild and pristine for their vacation enjoyment. Well, not to mention the 20 million cubic yards of sediment between the remaining mucky stream and the devastated communities and obliterated scenic reservoirs.

From The Archives: FERC ignores salmon mandates, recommends keeping Klamath dams, Capital Press 11/16/07. "Federal licensing authorities Friday recommended keeping PacifiCorp's four hydroelectric dams on the Klamath River, siding with the utility and ignoring calls from fisheries agencies to build fish ladders...Federal Energy Regulatory Commission chose trapping and hauling fish around the dams rather than building expensive fish ladders and reducing power production to help salmon..."

Water quality: State issues JC Boyle removal draft certification. Public hearings June 12 at OIT 5/30/18. "Klamath River Renewal Corporation (KRRC) submitted its application to the DEQ in September 2016 for water quality certification..."  Who is the KRRC?

Youtube of the Ammon Bundy presentation at Siskiyou County Republican Women event last week. "The Bundy's were fighting to save their ranch and we are fighting to save our water and dams." Louise: https://youtu.be/p9l6rC7xOyM 5/26/18

*** PUBLIC COMMENT: Klamath Dam Removal ODEQ Meeting Notice for June 12th, and Response by Senator Dennis Linthicum, Oregon District 28 5/28/18."...There is estimated to be in excess of 20 million cubic yards of accumulated sediment behind these structures...equivalent of 2 million ten-yard dump truck loads of silt, sediment and sludge which should be removed. Is ODEQ willing to dump that into the river system? ...if your company owned 100 dump trucks it would take 20,000 round-trip excursions to remove and discharge that much debris somewhere on our pristine landscape...there won’t be any reservoirs available for flushing-flows or regulating the volume of dilution flows and the result will be degraded river conditions..."

Feds OK expert panel for Klamath River dam removal review, Eureka Times Standard 5/26/18

Klamath Tribes sue to protect fish, H&N 5/25/18.
2 1/2 years ago: Record number of suckers recovered. Biologists find 732 juvenile suckers near A Canal screen, H&N 12/18/15. "A record number of juvenile Lost River and shortnose suckers were recovered from the headwaters of the A Canal earlier this year. According to a news release, biologists with the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) found the largest number of juvenile Lost River and shortnose suckers since fish salvage operations began in the Klamath Project in the late 1990s..."

Karuk Tribe questions restoration of Ruffey Rancheria, Eureka Times-Standard, 5/25/18.  Here for questions and answers from the Ruffey Tribe: Ruffey Rancheria Setting the Record Straight

Tulelake News: The Disputed Second Life of an American Internment Camp, CityLab, 5/24/18. "...The ( Tule Lake Committee, a Japanese-American civil rights organization based in the Bay Area.) group’s actions to halt the fence project—and their goal of eventually moving the airport—is not sitting well with Macy, or the Tulelake community at large. 'We’ve been here for 65 years and now people are coming in here and saying this belongs to us, you have to leave,' Macy told the Bee. “I think what happened to the Japanese in 1942, we’re back in the same boat, the tables have turned on us, we don’t have any money or political muscle to fight this in the courts.”...The City of Tulelake recently started negotiations with the Modoc of Oklahoma—a Native American tribe based in Ottawa County, Oklahoma—that wants to buy the airport. If sold, it is unclear how tribal sovereignty would interfere with the Tule Lake Committee’s preservation efforts. For the Japanese American members of the Tule Lake Committee, regaining access to the land beneath the airport would be more than another reparation. Instead, the land could serve as testimony to this dark chapter in the country’s history for future generations."

Klamath Tribes vs USBR, USFWS, NMFS 5/23/18
Klamath Tribes Press Release regarding sucker lawsuit 5/24/18
KWUA PRESS RELEASE - Klamath Water Users Association, Klamath Tribes action will hurt basin, fish benefits unlikely, 5/24/18.  "...why haven't Klamath Tribes shared this information...that lake levels will work now when they haven't for over 25 years..."
Dr. William Lewis Jr, National Research Council, at Science Workshop in Klamath Falls "Lewis explained that the suckers were listed since 1988 because of over harvest.  They stopped fishing in '87 but they did not recover. The lake has gone from 3' range under natural conditions to experiencing 6' deep in current dry years. With charts and graphs he showed the habitat and water quality, algae and chlorophyll. He said that the committee looked extensively at water levels, and they find 'no hint of a relationship'. He also said that there was no relationship between lower water levels and extreme ph levels. And "the committee cannot support the idea that water levels effect algae growth.' "It can not be achieved by lake levels." '92 was the lowest water year, and they expected it to be the least favorable for fish. 'The lowest water year produced the same amount of larvae as other years.' He said that fish kill information does not support that fish are dying by changing water level." 2/3/04

Water on the way to Klamath Project, H&N, 5/24/18. "...up to 3,500 acre feet is available for delivery to Klamath Project irrigators starting today and running through May 31 before deliveries start on June 1..."

Emotions run high as water dips lower, H&N 5/23/18. “I feel like we should have access to the water that’s above the projected Biological Opinion thresholds, and currently we do not, even according to the Bureau’s modeling...Reclamation is currently implementing the court-ordered dilution flows that resulted in 3,000 cubic feet per second in the Klamath River for 13 days, or roughly 50,000 acre feet. Ironically, POI and spore concentrations dropped prior to implementing the flows,” White said in a news release. “Then POI increased when the dilution flows began. Family farms and ranches have suffered this month for another failed experiment and continued mismanagement of the water.”

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."

KLAMATH FALLS - Enviros squabble over governor's (Kate Brown) nominee (Greg Addington) to Environmental Quality Commission, The Oregonian, 5/21/18. "...Addington was the executive director of the Klamath Water Users Association...He was heavily involved in the 2010 Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement and the accompanying settlement to remove four dams on the Klamath River...In a letter to the Senate, Rothert said the historic Klamath agreements would not exist without Addington. 'American Rivers is confident that Mr. Addington would serve the EQC as a constructive member with great skill and integrity.' "
Here for KBC's Who's Who Page for American Rivers: "George Soros helps fund Earthjustice, who pays for American Rivers attorney fees..."

Malheur occupation's Ammon Bundy to speak in Yreka May 26th, H&N 5/16/18. "Bundy... plans to share his passion for individual land rights with Siskiyou County residents. 'I think they have some good reasons to be concerned with what’s happening in their area...The destruction of the dams is certainly a part of it...' "

Growers wait on federal drought declaration for aid, H&N 5/16/18, followed by contacts for Modoc, Siskiyou and Klamath Counties.

Local water supply faces threat, H&N letter by Scott Bunyard 5/16/18

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

Ecclesiastics 10:2 - "A wise man's heart directs him toward the right, but the foolish man's heart directs him toward the left."

State water actions taken without first determining what the actual facts are, by Senator Dennis Linthicum, Commentary for H&N 5/15/18. "Scientific examination would clarify that some wells do impact surface waters while others do not. OWRD seems to suggest that in all cases, at all times, and in all circumstances, groundwater wells impact surface flows...OWRD ought to know with certainty that an individual well is harming a senior water right-holder, before shutting-down specific water resources..."

5/12/18 - USDA FSA and NRCS / The Farm Service Agency offices in Klamath, Modoc and Siskiyou counties are planning an informational meeting on Tuesday May 15. The meeting will begin at 10 a.m. at the Merrill Civic Center 365 Front Street, Merrill Oregon. Topics include reporting requirements needed to maintain eligibility for USDA programs, an overview of prevented planting-failed acreage reporting and available disaster programs.  Representatives from crop insurance, Natural Resource Conservation District and Risk Management have been invited to present information.  For more information contact your Farm Service Agency office.  Klamath County 541-883-6924 x 2, Modoc County Farm Service Agency 530-233-4137 x 2, Siskiyou County Farm Service Agency 530-842-6121 x 2. Modoc County Farm Agency Employees will be available after the meeting to accept acreage reports.

Modoc County Department of Agriculture Grower Checklist (for chemicals), May 2018

WELCOME TO CALIFORNIA! California Farm Bureau Federation Friday Legislative Review, 5/11/18. "...given an additional $2.5 billion funds, the Governor included three main proposals..." "...proposes $28.3 million in 18-19, $21.7 million in 19-20, and 79 positions to fully staff the CalCannabis program at CDFA...." "...Manure management..." "...a new tax on all services purchased by businesses in California..."

'Ruffey' tribal recognition bill passes committee, H&N, posted to KBC 5/10/18

Mikkelsen visits Basin stakeholders, releases framework for water agreement, H&N 5/10/18.

Klamath Irrigation District holds off on water delivery, H&N 5/9/18. "...Martin said the court-ordered flushing flows by U.S. District Judge William H. Orrick that the Bureau is required to meet, is another reason the district did not start water delivery..."

SMART METERS - New power meters being installed in the Klamath Basin, H&N 5/9/18. "Could new "smart meters" for reading power usage pose threats in terms of harmful radiation, electronic security or rises in power bills?"
Smart meters are coming, Anne Marsh for Siskiyou Daily News, posted to KBC 5/12/18. "you have to pay if you don’t want one." "Side effects: Health...Safety...Billing Issues...Privacy...Loss of Jobs..."

Fish die-off below Keno Dam, H&N, preceded by Not a fish die-off, letter in response by Tricia Tryon Plass, Tulelake 5/8/18. "Adding a large, false inflow of water into the river at this time of the year and then drawing it down quickly, is going to leave a few fish trapped in artificially made pools... "

Funds ($1M) set aside for endangered species study, H&N 5/8/18

The State has turned off all of our water including our wells! by Brandan Topham, Sprague River, Newsletter 5/7/18. "Most of the irrigation wells have been drilled since 1950...we have river data for 32 years before the wells were drilled. In those 32 years the average flow is 860cfs. Since 1951 the average flow is 1052cfs. That means since the wells have been drilled there is almost another 200 cfs in the rivers. That does not sound like the wells are drying up the rivers...Every few years they keep changing the rules to shut off more stuff. This year they figured out how to shut off ~140 wells in addition to what they have been shutting off in the past for the Klamath Tribes. Last year they shut off every thing even with river flows well above average..."

PRESS RELEASE: Reclamation begins emergency dilution flows early Monday (May 7) in Klamath River; Water releases from Iron Gate Dam will continue through May 21; public urged to take safety precautions 5/7/18. "The emergency dilution flows will utilize approximately 50,000 acre-feet of water from Upper Klamath Lake..."

Psalms 16:8: "I will keep my eyes always on the LORD. With Him at my right hand, I will not be shaken."

When can we kill wolves? Ranchers press speakers on protections for predators, H&N 5/5/18.

California Farm Bureau Federation Friday Legislative Review 5/5/18. Pests, land use, marketing, nutrition, pot

$10.3 million in drought relief OK'd, H&N 5/4/18. "The top-level approval frees up the funds for the Bureau of Reclamation to issue a proposal to distribute the money to on-Project irrigators, Walden said. A proposal from Reclamation could be released as early as Friday or on Monday at the latest... The money is slated to fund pumping, land idling, and disaster relief."

Walden to speed up relief for on-Project irrigators, H&N 5/2/18. "Bureau of Reclamation’s Klamath Basin Area Office Manager Jeff Nettleton also addressed the order issued by Orrick, with intentions to appeal it."

Project water delivery discussed following judge's decision. Walden, BOR to address irrigators today, H&N 5/2/18. "A tentative time frame for Klamath Project water delivery of somewhere between June 1 and 15 was announced Tuesday by the Bureau of Reclamation...Part of BOR’s plan going forward, according to officials, is that the agency is considering asking for a total 14,500 acre feet of water from the Horsefly and Langell Valley irrigation districts. That amount, coupled with 10,500 acre feet borrowed from PacifiCorp reservoirs, could help irrigation districts make it through the month. 'They feel like that would cover KID (Klamath Irrigation District) and Tulelake Irrigation District through the month of May...' "

Tensions rise as OWRD regulates wells in Sprague River; 35% revenue loss expected in Upper Basin, H&N 5/2/18. "...More than 80 notices to shutoff groundwater wells within up to a mile of surface water in the Upper Basin. Up to 114 of the 140 known wells in the area could be regulated...'They were regulated last year even though we had 140 percent of snowpack.' "

SF Judge denies Klamath Basin water users motion to delay, modify injunction, H&N 5/1/18. "Plaintiffs in the case, the Hoopa Valley Tribe and the Yurok Tribe, contend that their cultural heritage and economic wellbeing revolve around the salmon's health, as well as * Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations (PCFFA), *Institute for Fisheries Resources (IFR), and *Klamath Riverkeeper."

KBC Editor - Who litigated against the irrigators, and their prerogatives?: * PCFFA attorney Glen Spain writes how they created IFR to get non-profit funding by, namely, George Soros-funded Earthjustice. HERE IS PCFFA/Glen Spain/IFR page. Browse the lawsuits against Klamath River miners, lawsuits against Klamath Irrigators in the Takings Case of 2001, lawsuits against Klamath Irrigators' power rate deal with Pacific Power (when Klamath Project was built and paid for by Klamath farmers, Pacific Power wanted the free regulated river water for inexpensive power in exchange for at-cost power rate for irrigators).
*Klamath Riverkeeper Page Craig Tucker is Karuk Tribe spokesman, former community organizer, Green Peace activist and Friends of the River Activist. His goal: get rid of all the Klamath irrigators and "removal of four dams on the Klamath River which would represent the largest dam removal project in history." Tucker was on the steering committee of *Klamath Riverkeeper before it spun off from umbrella group Klamath Forest Alliance, and he’s presently on the board.  

Federal Judge Upholds Fish Disease Prevention Flows on Klamath River; Hoopa Tribe Celebrates Victory in U.S. District Court, Two Rivers Tribune 5/1/18.