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Our Klamath Basin Water Crisis
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ARCHIVE 29 - OCTOBER 2004
also  see main archive page

 Klamath Water Users Weekly Update for October 29, 2004
* 2004 Presidential Election Has Major Implications for the Klamath Basin
-
President Bush Tackles Klamath
- Klamath Whistleblower Incident
- Something Fishy About Karl Rove....NOT
* National Journal Speculates on Bush, Kerry Cabinet Members
* Oregonian Interviews Bush and Kerry on the Environment - Klamath Discussed
* Reclamation Releases RFP for FY 2005 Water 2025 Challenge Grant Program
* Increasing Stakeholder Involvement in Watershed Restoration
* You May be Eligible for Benefits Under the 2001-02 Crop Disaster Program
* Hearing to Consider Motion to Dismiss Fish Die-Off Trial Delayed

KILL THE LAND ......audio......listen, and listen, and listen, lest we forget. Thank you again Brian Burns, 2001.

President Bush needs your help -- HERE for details.

From the archives, transcribed forest tour by the Klamath Tribes: This tour was conducted October 17, 2003 for the purpose of showing local farmers, ranchers, businessmen, and the Klamath County  Commissioners, the Tribal biology and the proposed forest land acquisition.

Prayer thought for today, Sunday October 31.

Cob site decision next week, H&N 10/28/04.

Watershed issues workshop offered, H&N 10/28/04 "Oregon State University's Klamath County Extension office is offering a free satellite video conference about watersheds on Nov. 16."

Experts embark on salmon project, Outdoor Statesman Journal 10/27/04, "Many of the people who are participating in our project are interested precisely because they have spent their careers working on salmon-recovery projects that ultimately did not succeed," said Lach. "We've spent billions of dollars, caused a lot of social disruption, but to what purpose?"

Tulelake Irrigation District well water report 10/27/04. For past reports go HERE.

Defenders of Wildlife lawsuit challenges the Bush administration's decision to drop wildlife protection in national forests, 10/26/04, ems.org. (I'll bet they'd have a hard time convincing the millions of wildlife burned up in recent forest fires that managed timber harvest is bad for wildlife--KBC)

KBB update 10/25/04

2 H&N articles on the Klamath Conservation Implementation Plan, 10/25/04, 'Focus sought for water program', and 'Bureau takes new program for test drive.'


Irma Largomarsino, supervisor of the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service's Arcata Field Office, and NMFS biologist Jim Simondet


Hope and concern are the local reactions to the federal government's idea of a Klamath solution, the CIP,
 
by KBC 10/23/04.


Christine Karas, Bureau of Reclamation, deputy manager of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation's Klamath Falls office.

 

Bush Country in Southern Oregon Pioneer Press by Pat Ratliff and Liz Bowen posted 10/24/04


KBC photo of Liz Bowen, assistant editor and Daniel Webster new owner of The Klamath Courier taken at President Bush's speech in Central Point, Oregon.

 

Bureau takes new program for test drive, H&N 10/22/04.

Feds propose re-listing coho, Pioneer Press 10/20/04.Coho salmon comments for federal ESA re-listing are due Nov. 12. "A federal appeals court found that not all of the coho salmon were counted the first time."

BOR CIP Klamath Falls Oct 22 6-9pm

Refuge report earns an "F", Klamath Courier 10/20/04.

SCRAPBOOK, Basin pioneers, homesteaders and their times, H&N 10/20/04. For more on Klamath Basin settlers, go to Homesteader/Settler page.

It's harvest time for Basin strawberry plants, H&N 10/20/04.

25,151 marijuana plants confiscated in Siskiyou County, California, Pioneer Press 10/20/04. For more on local crops, go HERE.

Hatchery salmon policy meetings 9/28+10/12. Comment deadline 10/20
Coho re-listing comments due Oct 20

Hands across the basin, and States' presence key part of water process, H&N posted to KBC 10/19/04--an article and editorial regarding the signing of the recent Klamath River Watershed Coordination Agreement.

Tulelake Irrigation District water level report posted 10/19/04

ESA TODAY..Lamprey: over $8million in 10 years for research, restoration, posted to KBC 10/19/04.

Thank you President Bush for coming to Southern Oregon and encouraging us farmers, timber workers, and Americans. Your speech was awesome!!! HERE FOR QUOTE'S, and why farmers and timber workers support you.  BUSH: "I'm real fond of (Congressman) Greg Walden and his wife.  You're well represented in the House of Congress. Greg is a solid man; all he does is talk about water, and forests, and the people of this district." 10/15/04

photo by KBC


Diana Stubbs lugs Stasney Farm's award-winning hugest potatoes
at Merrill's 67th Annual Potato Festival this weekend. KBC 10/17/04.

Jake Woodson was on the Lost River team at the Pop Warner Football Game -- Lost River beat Bonanza.

It was gorgeous weather, a perfect day for the family to browse booths, watch a parade and go to a free Lion's Club BarBQ (unlike today--it's snowing)

There were over 40 entries in the hay contest, with judges from Idaho, Washington and Utah.  That story and contest results will come later.
10/17/04

 

Thousands cheer for President Bush, Siskiyou Daily News 10/16/04

Judge blocks Klamath logging plan, The Oregonian posted to KBC 10/17/04.

AgLifeNW Magazine, October Issue
Hearing underscores need for common sense,
by Dan Keppen, Klamath Water Users Association Executive Director, submitted by KBC. KWUA is a nonprofit corporation that represents 1400 family farms and 5000 water customers served by the federal Klamath Project in California and Oregon.  
HERE for article    HERE for KWUA website.

Final USGS Water Quality and Sucker Distribution Update for 2004 10/14/04

A year ago this week  Congressman Walden spoke to locals in Merrill regarding Iraq, potential Klamath Tribal forest acquisition, Chiloquin Dam, water storage, our forests, and an energy bill. HERE for story.

Klamath Water Users Association weekly update October 14, 2004. Go to Klamath Water Users Association update 101404for update:
* Klamath Water Users Applaud Signing of Landmark Watershed Agreement
* Interior Secretary Announces Klamath Watershed Coordination Agreement
* Complete Text of the Klamath River Watershed Coordination Agreement
* Klamath County Commissioner Clarifies the Record for ONRC

10/14/04: Attached are local, regional and national news articles regarding yesterday's announcement of the historic Klamath River Watershed Coordination Agreement:
1. Associated Press
2. Los Angeles Times
3. The Oregonian (Portland)
4. Eureka Times-Standard
5. Redding Record Searchlight

PRESS RELEASE: Interior Secretary Gale Norton Announces Klamath Watershed Coordination Agreement, Office of the Secretary 10/13/04.
MEDIA ADVISORY:
Klamath Water Users Applaud Signing of Landmark Watershed Agreement 10/13/04

Storage according to Waterwatch/Hatfield Committee/American Land Conservancy's Rich McIntyre
Klamath farmers stand in the way of progress, according to Waterwatch/Hatfield Committee/American Land Conservancy's Rich McIntyre, High Country News posted to KBC 10/13/04 "Failure of leadership, not a lack of water, dooms the Klamath " 
For more info on Barnes, Long Lake and McIntyre, go to our STORAGE page.
*
WaterWatch past vice-president Rich McIntyre is also American Land Conservancy (ALC) counselor, advocating instead for government purchase of Barnes property, the cost being $9.1 million, commission going to ALC.
* 94,549acres of ag land has been converted to wetlands in the guise of 'saving water' and 'storage', and how much water it has depleted.

* "Wearing many hats seems quite the norm anymore,"  as submitted on our Discussion Forum by Buster Keester, regarding Rich McIntyre, 9/22/03. This was sent regarding McIntyre's threat to sue KBC, also included in that link.
*
Rich McIntyre and the Barnes Ranch proposal September 18, 2003, by KBC including Audio
* Barnes Ranch won't work for water storage, by Barnes' neighbor Paul Little, 11/13/03. KBC transcript from video
* Letters to Oregon Senator Gordon Smith, signed by Klamath County  Commissioners John Elliott and Al Switzer, posted to KBC 3/25/04. Our commissioners support the study of Long Lake water storage, for a potential of 300,000AF cold water not requiring a dam. WaterWatch does not support the study. "WaterWatch continues to advocate for purchase of farmland as a means of addressing the Klamath water crisis...A shift from farmland to wetlands will increase average water use per acre by more than 1 acre-foot." "...(this) would leave less water in the system for downstream uses"

CalFed authorization sent to the President, Northern California Water Association 10/13/04, pdf file.

Water rights holders face new fee hikes, CFBF (California Farm Bureau Federation) 10/13/04.

Ensuring Healthy Forests, Department of the Interior writer 10/13/04. For more on our forests and fires, see FOREST Page.

October 10, 2004 Prayer Page on forgiveness.

Idaho Power Co. files for 25 percent rate hike on Ore. irrigators, Capital press 10/9/04

Sharing the Land
Range Magazine
Fall 2004
.
"Wildlife and agriculture sharing the land can be spectacular and burdensome."

Story by Klamath Basin Farmer Steve Kandra. Photos © Larry Turner.

 

During spring and autumn migrations, millions of snow geese forage on private fields along the Oregon-California border.

KWUA weekly update for October 8, 2004
*Defenders of Wildlife Lists Klamath Basin Refuges as "Endangered"
* Refuge Report the First in a Planned Series by Defenders of Wildlife
* Defenders' Klamath Refuge Assessment Laced with Inaccuracies
* KWUA Addresses Upper Lost River and Clear Lake Reservoir TMDL Assessment
* Local Filmmaker Develops Television Series to Celebrate
Rural America

Media Advisory by Klamath Water Users Association: Defenders of Wildlife Refuge Report Misses Mark 10/8/04.
The 10 Most Endangered Wildlife Refuges - Klamath National Wildlife Refuge, Refuges at Risk, Defenders of Wildlife 10/8/04
U.S. wildlife refuges facing threats, Seattle Post-Intelligencer AP Oct 8, 2004 (Klamath on list)

California Waterfowl Association dinner in Tulelake October 9, 2004

Upper Lost River and Clear Lake Reservoir Watershed TMDL Analysis, Klamath Water Users Association (KWUA) posted to KBC 10/8/04. This is a letter from KWUA to Mr. Bill Hobson,
California Regional Water Quality Control Board.

DOI Federal Register for Bull Trout, 10/8/04

KBB update 10/8/04

Grange Lawsuit Back on Track, October-November issue 2004, pdf file. "The Grange has accomplished what nobody else has been able to do, and that is to force a de-listing from the endangered species list."

Webster buys Klamath paper, Pioneer Press 10/8/04.

Decision to pull protection for bull trout brings lawsuit threat, Seattlepi 10/7/04. "Environmental groups say they will sue the federal government over its decision yesterday to remove critical habitat designation for the threatened bull trout in 90 percent of the Columbia and Klamath river basins."
For a brief look at where the hard-working farmer's money is going to constantly defend his livelihood and his land from frivilous lawsuits, go HERE
:..ESA litigation, lawsuits, and court decisions.

OWRC (Oregon Water Resource Congress) summer edition of their newsletter regarding Klamath Irrigation District and Klamath Water Users, posted to KBC 10/7/04

Note from Klamath Water Users Association regarding our refuges 10/7/04: "Earlier this year, the Oregon Natural Resources Council, WaterWatch of Oregon, and other long-time critics of family farms and ranches, released a report entitled “Refuges in Peril", which portrayed Klamath national wildlife refuges. While at the same time Klamath Project irrigators and federal agencies greeted the recent release of the 2004 Klamath Project operations plan with a sense of renewed optimism, these farming critics were already forecasting doom for the region’s national wildlife refuges."  
    
As usual, the doom and gloom prediction proved wrong. The Tule Lake and Lower Klamath national wildlife refuges are wetter than they have been for years, federal officials said this week.
     "Some people are telling me that this is as good as it looked five years ago," said Ron Cole, refuges manager. "It is certainly a change from when I got here a year ago."
  
Irrigation season OK, forecasting hard, H&N 10/6/04.

Lake Levels River Flows H&N 10/6/04.

Letter to KBC from man in Scotland regarding Scottish Power and tribes and demolishing our dams, followed by response from KBC. "So the business transaction was, as a partner, they would have use of more water than possible without the Klamath Project, and we would be entitled to reasonable power rates. That way electricity and agriculture could both be achieved, with great benefits to our economy and food/power availability. So we irrigators and consumers of power and food look at the power companies as partners, not destroyers." KBC 10/7/04.

Protesters try to block Biscuit salvage logging, The Oregonian briefs posted to KBC 10/6/04. "Protesters in Southern Oregon tried to block the harvest of the first trees burned in the 2002 Biscuit fire..."
Delay catastrophic for Biscuit, The Oregonian letter to the editor 10/6/04.

PRESS RELEASE: Doolittle: House Sends CalFed to President's Desk, Storage Vital to Entire Program 10/6/04

PLF fights for water rights in the West, October 2004. "There are other, similar water rights cases coming up through the courts, too, including a billion dollar claim stemming from the water taken from Klamath Basin farmers by the federal government to support the habitat of two sucker fish in the Upper Klamath Lake and the southern Oregon-northern California population of coho salmon in the Klamath River."

REGIONAL DAM NEWS: Court rejects challenge to Snake River dams, the Oregonian 10/6/04

President Bush responds to farmers

America's farm policy will be debated during the next farm bill reauthorization. What policies would you propose to ensure that farming and ranching remains a viable industry?

Farm Bureau News

 

If they restore habitat, irrigators should get their water assured, Mike Connelly H&N 10/6/04

USGS Real Time data at Sommes Bar, CA. for river flow is up and running again...go HERE. Thank you Barb Hall from Klamath Bucket Brigade, for your research and keeping us updated! Go HERE for more on weather, flows and maps.

Klamath River Basin Fisheries Task Force meeting location change and updated agenda for October 2004. Posted to KBC 10/4/04

PRESS RELEASE: Walden Named “Small Business Advocate,” “Friend of the Shareholder”, 10/4/04.

Congressman Walden applauds House passage of Weeds bill, 10/4/04, Walden's office.

Please pray for our President, 10/03/04, see Prayer Page.

Yurok Tribe Will Lead Meeting Today In Klamath, Eureka Reporter, posted to KBC 10/2/04. "The rally’s purpose is to “urge the public to call upon the BOR to protect the tribal trusts that call for adequate river flows to preserve and restore all natural fish species to all regions of the Klamath Basin.” {Again and again, the Klamath Project uses only 3.5% of the water at the mouth of the Klamath River. The flows are now 30% higher than they were before the Klamath Project was built to store 'irrigation' water. The National Academy of Science, the highest peer review in our country, said that there is no scientific basis for lake-level/river-flow management. But we get the same Indians and green media repeating the same myth until people actually believe it. Thus, Hardy flow false-science and 'tribal trust' water are depleting Klamath Basin aquifer 5 feet per year according to Oregon Water Resource Dept.--KBC}

Northern California pot garden raid turns into a shooting, between Mexican Mafia and a Siskiyou County Sheriff Sergeant, Pioneer Press posted to KBC 10/2/04. "Approximately 2,100 plants were seized and ultimately turned over to federal authorities, Sheriff Riggins said."

OCTOBER 2004: World Champion Nick Macy, Tulelake, won 3rd in September 2004 Reno air races. Congratulations Nick!!


photo ©  Pat Ratliff


photo ©  Corinne Byrne


photo ©   Corinne Byrne

USGS Water Quality and Sucker Distribution Update 10/1/04. Water Quality Table of Contents go HERE

TRIBAL UPDATE: Shasta Indian Nation claims Siskiyou County as its aboriginal land, posted to KBC 10/2/04 Pioneer Press.

Logs to slow streams, build new fish habitat, H&N 10/1/04

Siskiyou sheriff pounds Mexican pot trade Pot raids worth up to $50,000,000, Pioneer Press posted to KBC 10/1/04. "Those in other areas should take a closer look at their Green groups and see what they are tied to. There is a lot of  $$ in the illegal drug trade to add support to Green enviro groups -- and is another reason to get rural folks off the land and out of the forests."

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