Archive 19 - November and December 2003

State says Cob plant should be approved, H&N 12/31/03

Water users' fish die-off reports to be used in trial, H&N 12/31/03.

Don't give it back, 12/30/03 H&N (regarding National Forest reacquisition by Klamath Tribes.)

Winter is time to focus on ag research, Capital Press 12/30/03

Western Farmers Turn to Selling Water, 12/30/03 LA Times, AP Colorado."What was once the pride of Rocky Ford — a 13-mile ditch that settlers dug by hand shortly after the Civil War — will be nearly drained. When the water leaves, more jobs and local businesses are expected to dry up as well. 'Westwide, over the next 25 to 50 years, you will clearly see additional examples of what's happening in the Arkansas Valley,' said Bennett Raley, a Denver water lawyer who is now the Bush administration's point man for Western water issues."
      (Dewatering Klamath---Today the Klamath Basin has over a foot of new snow. The new 'naturalized flow study' tells how Link River used to go dry. BIA's Hardy Flow Study was taken from a period of the highest water years in recorded Klamath history, and the 2003,4 & 5 operation plan was based on those flows. The Bureau of Reclamation(BOR) last year and this year has made a 'water bank' that demands in 2004, 75,000 acre feet of water from our aquifer, storage and land idling (100,000AF in 2005, mandatory, agriculture downsize)  The wetter the year, the more water they will take from us, or they have said they will shut down the Klamath Project if we do not meet our requirement. This year is a bidding system, pitting farmer against farmer to keep water prices low.  If you don't bid, or sign a contract to sell your water to the BOR, they said they will demand the water later and will not compensate us like last year, or they may shut down the Klamath Project...NOTE BY KBC (jdk--go HERE for explanation of author)}

Activists endanger farmers by targeting water, Times News, Twin Falls, Idaho, by Dan Keppen, Executive Director Klamath Water Users Association 12/29/03.

TID well water level update 12/29/03.

Pombo eyes overhaul of ESA, Oakland Tribune 12/29/03

Species Act reform may be possible, Billings Gazette 12/29/03.

Environmental restoration and water conservation efforts undertaken by Klamath Water Users and Basin landowners.
       KWUA 1-page Fact Sheet of recent and proposed efforts, April 2003.
         KWUA 45-page summary of recent and proposed efforts, January 2003

Endangered Species Act at work in Klamath basin, 12/28/03 by Peter B. Moyle and Jeffrey F. Mount. sacbee.com.  "We found that in fact the higher lake levels and flows did not have a strong scientific basis, at least for protecting the listed species."
RESPONSE to the Dec 28th opinion article in the Sacramento Bee, 12/28/03 entitled, "Endangered Species Act at work in Klamath basin", by Pat Ratliff, Malin, Oregon. "As a landowner in the Klamath Basin let me say, very few of the stakeholders have ever been to the table, and I dare say, never will be. From the smallest tributary north of Klamath Lake to the last landowner at the coast, the *people* who live on this land are given little chance of interaction with those who you so accurately describe as the "players"

Parents of Erika Cheyne

Over 300 gather in Tulelake 12/27/03 The weather and the roads are crummy, and everyone is busy with the holiday season.    But, as typical in our farm community, over 300 friends and neighbors came to the benefit dinner for local young farmer Ben DuVal.     Having recently married Erika Cheyne, they had been planning their upcoming reception for today. However, Ben  was seriously injured in an automobile accident.

Bureau cuts river flows to fill lake, 12/28/03 H&N

Proposed power plant unwanted, 12/27/03, Oregonian.

Who is 'by KBC'? This is the short version of 'about us'. There justifiably has been confusion regarding "who wrote that?" or "who posted that?" If this does not answer your concerns, let us know.  thanks, KBC

Judges say no to Tribes' petition---at issue is water claims, 12/25/03 H&N."It's a huge victory for irrigated agriculture," Bartell said.

Why give up the forests?, H&N 12/26/03 "Tribal official Jeff Mitchell said, "the tribes would not face as many regulations:" Obviously a true statement as local, federal and tribal authorities cannot enforce existing laws concerning even littering on public land."

KWUA releases two Klamath River reports by fisheries scientist David Vogel, 12/24/04.

Bill Kennedy health update on the Prayer Page 12/24/03

The deal was made, H&N 12/24/03

Long Lake is a good price, H&N 12/23/03. "When we are able to send clean, cold water down the river late in the season, we will get the respect of those downstream who depend on this water for fish migration. This is a move toward exercising good stewardship of the resources in our hands."

Commentary: The Endangered Species Act at 30 - Why we need to change it  San Francisco Chronicle - 12/23/03 by Richard W. Pombo, Member U.S. House of Representatives. "The shortcomings and unintended consequences of the ESA have also led to decision-making that defies common sense. The inflexibility in the treatment of endangered species sometimes gives them priority over human beings, but does nothing that actually helps. In the recent case of the Klamath Basin and the endangered sucker fish, for example, it was determined that the sucker needed water more than the area's farmers needed it to irrigate their crops and feed their families. The result was a devastating loss of family farms, human life and economic vitality. "

Klamath Tribes' forest plan to regain 690,000 acres of the National Forest now available: www.klamathtribes.org/forestplan htm

OTHER PLACES not too far away: USGS moment-by-moment updates on the ongoing California earthquakes. 12/23/03

There is no NEGOTIATIONS page. It is now the 'TALKS' page. "At the Shilo Inn meetings, we are not negotiating agreements or settlements, and none of the irrigators have held themselves out as representing the agricultural community. The community should be assured that any sort of proposed settlement can never be implemented without congressional action, which will require a great degree of local and regional support. There is simply no chance of a "secret deal" being cut on this matter," KWUA Executive Director Dan Keppen."

Letter from Dan Keppen, KWUA Executive Director,  to Rolling Stones Magazine, 12/22/03.

Langell Valley wrong place for plant, and it's not even needed, regarding the proposed COB power plant, 12/22/03 H&N. "We asked the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality how it set the limits for allowable amounts of hazardous pollutants and were told that the limits are based on amounts which would not harm a normal, healthy adult. Of course, he stated, this might cause health concerns for young children, the elderly, and those who already have health concerns, such as the local citizens who have asthma or are on oxygen for other conditions." See COB for more info and articles.

11/19/03 "This is to inform that I have just talked to Dave Sabo (Bureau of Reclamation).  Later today, Iron Gate Dam Flow will be dropped from 1600 CFS to 1300 CFS.  Apparently, NOAA Fisheries has agreed to this action."  .Dan Keppen, Klamath Water Users Executive Director.

Court water victory on Upper Snake, 12/19/03.Boise, Idaho "The Coalition for Idaho Water today hailed the decision by a federal court in Portland to reject the effort by environmentalists to add Idaho water to an existing court case involving downstream federal dams and salmon recovery issues."

*Weekly KWUA update for 12/19/03
* Klamath Tribes Introduce Forest Plan - Community Concerns Continue to Grow
* 2004 Project Outlook - 75,000 AF Water Bank Looms on the Horizon
* California and Oregon Team Up to Address Upper Basin TMDLs
* West Announces He Will Not Run for Klamath County Commissioner in 2004

PETITIONS #1 and #2 regarding KBRT and National Forest
reacquisition, go to the TALKS page. Submitted by KBB and TKBA
 This petition is not sponsored by or affiliated with KWUA or TGA.

Tribal court may rule on forest management, H&N 12/17/03. "In September, the Tribes got a federal grant for $99,809 from the U.S. Department of Justice to set up the court."

Heavy snow helps water year, H&N 12/18/03 posted to KBC. In the Klamath Basin, through the wisdom of Dr. Hardy's science, our project operation plan states that if we get a lot of water, the farmers get less.  Like this summer when it was wet, the Bureau o f Reclamation threaten to shut off water to the project unless we pumped our groundwater at our own expense.  Despite the natural flow study showing that the river used to go dry and fish did not need these elevated water levels, a wet year means the Project may again be in jeopardy.  All we ask is BEST AVAILABLE SCIENCE, which is being ignored, and COMMON SENSE. (KBC editor comments)

There's no mystery, H&N letter 12/17/03. "It seems the Bureau of Reclamation is wondering why the lake levels have barely risen since the end of the irrigation season. Well, let's see. The federal government with the help of the Rangeland Trust spent thousands of dollars to various ranches above the lake to not irrigate their ranches...."

PRESS RELEASE: from Chairman Richard Pombo, Committee on Resources. Judge Bans Winter Access to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, 12/17/03. Closing winter access to snow mobiles will decimate these small communities and businesses, and set a horrendous precedent "What the extremists were not able to accomplish by changing the law, they are attempting to accomplish by using the courts via a handpicked judge in Washington."

No commission at stake, H&N Letter to the editor by Rich McIntyre, American Land Conservancy, 12/16/03.  Barnes would cost $9.1 million, and according to Barnes neighbor Paul Little, it would store less than 5000Acre Feet, go HERE. More on storage, including Barnes, go HERE. To hear McIntyre describe Barnes, go HERE for audio and story. The Hatfield working group (of which McIntyre is a member) presented Barnes options at a workshop. Some of these options were to open flood this property and/or open to the lake  Since the notion of Barnes for storage is ludicrous, this looks like one more federally-funded land acquisition for wetlands, which evaporates twice the water as agriculture.  Check out how much ag land has been converted to wetlands in the guise of 'saving water' and 'storage', and how much water it has depleted. KBC editorial.

Tribes release forest plan, H&N 12/16/03  "That's when the Northwest Forest Plan, designed to help save the endangered spotted owl, went into effect. Shimamoto said the Northwest Forest Plan guides management on some of the Fremont-Winema national forests and the rest of the forests are guided by a plan with restoration as the core goal.The groundwork report to congress that led to President Clinton's Northwest Forest Plan was written by the "gang of four," four prominent forestry scientists from across the country who came together on the report."

Klamath Tribes will unveil vision for reclaiming lands, 12/16/03 Michael Milstein, Oregonian. "The only logging in the early decades of the plan would be designed to thin flammable forests that have become clogged from decades of fire suppression. The tribes would seek an estimated $7 million to $9 million in federal funding for forest management." Mr Milstein, it would be nice if you came and spent time with the over 5000 people that are not at the table yet who live near or within  the reservation. Hear what they say too.  KBC editor.

Farmers/ranchers want their share of the water, 12/16/03 Mail Tribune.  The ESA is also threatening our Rogue neighbors community and economy. "Losing that water would kill the pear industry here," he said. "If that water supply is reduced, not only will it hurt the irrigators, but it will hurt the aesthetics of the valley and dry up a lot of shallow wells," he added. "This could affect almost everyone in the valley."

CA extension office mint and onion meetings Dec. 16.

Reliable water the reason Klamath Project was built, by Dan Keppen, Klamath Water Users executive director, H&N op/ed 12/15/03. "The community should be assured that any sort of proposed settlement can never be implemented without congressional action, which will require a great degree of local and regional support. There is simply no chance of a "secret deal" being cut on this matter."

Glimpse into Closed Door Sessions, H&N 12/14/03.  "Jim Root, board member of the Klamath Basin Rangeland Trust and one of the group's spokesmen, said making the meetings open to the public would have a 'chilling effect'on the discussions." At the table were men from Klamath Tribes, Klamath Water Users, The Nature Conservancy, Hatfield Committee, Water for Life, Klamath Basin Rangeland Trust, and some irrigators.

Tribes present their case, H&N 12/14/03

Tribes prosperous until land was taken away, H&N letter to the editor 12/15/03.

Scientist Vogel addresses flawed Hardy flows. Key concerns outlined in the report: GO HERE for summary and report. 12/12/03

BOR extends EIS scoping period Due Dec.15  Link to EIS

Weekly KWUA update for 12//12/03

Friday, Dec 12, Papa T's restaurant in Malin is holding a fund raiser for Ben DuVal medical fund. The day's proceeds from Papa T's will be donated to the fund.  Please come! Ben is a Tulelake Basin farmer, just married, was in a horrible accident and had his leg amputated.
See prayer page for Ben's hospital address.

Tribes, their foes, schedule meetings, H&N 12/10/03

Group questioning leadership of Klamath Tribes, 12/10/03 H&N.

Good data on river should ease conflict, 12/9/03 H&N.

2004 water bank blackmail, ESA double standard, and TID targeted again, KBC (jdk),  December 9, 2003

Land Trusts and conservation easements, a NEW SECTION of KBC.  Are these groups looking out for your best interests? Here is a extensive collection of well-researched information on the benefits and consequences selling easements to your property. 12/8/03.

Report looks at flows of the past, study could change current of Klamath River controversy H&N 12/7/03. Friday the Bureau of Reclamation released their draft report, "Before that (the project), the Link River would go dry some years because no water was flowing up over the reef and on down the Klamath River system." "Before the report becomes final, it will be reviewed by peer scientists.."

Link River dry, before the Project was built.

This fact needs peer review??  BIA/Dept. of Justice funded Dr Hardy, whose Hardy studies were deliberately based the highest water years in recorded history,  to take our stored irrigation water. Regardless of his flawed reports, they rehired the same guy to make another study from these  natural flows.  Currently the Department of the Interior is demanding a 100,000 acre foot of water downsize from irrigators in the next 2 years regardless of historic flows, regardless of water year type, and regardless of the 'BEST AVAILABLE  SCIENCE'.    KBC editor

Undepleted Natural Flow of the Upper Klamath River,'  Final Draft by the Bureau of Reclamation, 12/8,03. Here is the Model Spreadsheet, Summary Report, and News Release .

Letter to KBC from Kurt Thomas of KBRT (Klamath Basin Rangeland Trust) to update us regarding the 12/1/03 meeting with KBRT, Tribes and irrigators, 12/4/03

Interior's Bettenberg....listen to our community!
The sooner private talks open up, the better, editorial by Herald and News regarding Interior's Bettenberg talks with select group from Rangeland Trust, Tribes and irrigators, 12/3/03. Also letters in H&N 12/3/03  Get it out in the open, and Voices need hearing. Go to NEGOTIATION page and read how the LOCAL PUBLIC feels.

Bush's speech signing Healthy Forest Act into law, written and audio speech 12/3/03.

PRESS RELEASE: 12/3/03 Resources Field Hearing Will Study California Wildfire Recovery, Environmental Restoration "Catastrophic wildfire is one of the single greatest threats to our environment today," -- Chairman Richard W. Pombo

KBB is up and running again
It is with great pleasure to announce the Klamath Bucket Brigade's new website address, from KBB Barb Hall, Office manager. Go HERE for history, science, and important facts--same as before but better.

12/3/03  GOOD NEWS FOR OREGON!!!!
WALDEN PRESS RELEASE: President Bush Signs Bipartisan Healthy Forests Bill Into Law, 12/3/03. "The bill that became law today will be a vehicle for enormous improvements to our forests, watersheds, critical species habitats and rural communities.  Moreover, the work required to remove hazardous fuels from forests floors will produce much-needed jobs in our rural areas."
PRESS RELEASE: Smith, Experts Call for Salvage of Biscuit Fire, 12/2/03. "Seventy-five to one hundred percent of the forest canopy was killed by the fire, leaving no capacity for natural reseeding.  It further destroyed almost half of the suitable home ranges of the Spotted Owl while releasing 40 million tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the air."     " 'Oregon once led the nation in timber and high-tech, we are now leading in hunger and unemployment,' Smith said.'

Property Rights on the minds of Oregon Cattlemen, posted to KBC 12/3/03.

Reservation Deal Protested, H&N 12/2/03. Tribal Chairman's comment regarding the protest of secret meetings and giving the Tribes 690,000 acres of the Winema Forest was,  "It's like going into court, you don't invite all the spectators to testify unless they've got a legitimate claim." 

PRESS RELEASE: Walden, Kupillas to Meet with Veterans Affairs Secretary Over Future of White City Dom, 12/2/03.   "Eliminating or substantially reducing the level of care offered at the Dom would have a devastating effect on the veterans of our region who depend on the facility, in addition to the more than 400 local residents who are employed at the SORCC," said Walden.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) had been instrumental in assisting Klamath Basin irrigators in conservation practices.  Our irrigators have been more than willing to take conservation measures, with several hundred projects this year. To read about their programs, go HERE

"Don't give the forest back to the Indians!" and "We want representation!" a complete transcript from video of concerns from today's protest, by KBC 12/1/03  "Most of the passersby were beeping and waving and shouting appreciation for the protestor's message."

Fight Reservation, by Dr. Calvin Hunt, 12/2/03, H&N letter.  "Their constitution and amendments dated Nov. 25, 2000 Section 2 states: The Sovereign Powers Authority and Jurisdiction of the Klamath Tribe and its government shall extend to all persons and activities within the territory which formerly constituted the Klamath Reservation and is consistent with federal law.
     The program of the sovereign Klamath Tribe is analogous to that of the United Nations organization in designating national heritage sites and parks such as Yellowstone and Yosemite, totally disregarding the sovereign status of the United States and its citizens and dealing only with the U.S. Congress."

Who owns public land, WorldNetDaily 11/29/03, Henry Lamb. "The U.S. Court of Federal Claims found, in Hage v. United States, that the ranchers, not the federal government, may be the true owners of the property referred to as "public" land. " This is a Klamath Basin and an Oregon issue.

Editorial: Indian vs. Indian,  Sovereignty can put tribal members at risk SacBee, posted to KBC 11/28/03. 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!
In the Klamath Basin we still have the right to vote,
worship, own property, and grow food.
We have family values and community spirit. 
Today we take the time to enjoy our bountiful harvest, 
and we thank God for our blessings.

Letter from President Bush, Thanksgiving

(FOREIGN) Food-Borne Illness From Produce on the Rise, New York Times, posted to KBC 11/27/03.

Purchase adds new land to wilderness area, 11/27/03 Siskiyou Daily News

In the State of Hypocrisy, speech by Gail Hildreth 11/25/03 to the Klamath Falls Planning Commission. "In a state that already has the most stringent requirements for land use in the United States, I have to ask myself, the planning commission, and all those in attendance here, why the state of Oregon is in the process of further restricting our individual private property rights. ...Meanwhile, the state of Oregon and Klamath County are allowing, uncontested, the siting of the largest gas fired electrical generating facility in the western United States, in a strictly zoned Exclusive Farm Use agricultural area just east of Klamath Falls."

Endangered species listings may backfire, 11/26/03, Society for Conservation Biology
Response by Steve Cheyne, Klamath Falls 11/26/03 "Biologists and conservation organizations, as well as government bureaucracies, have done a remarkably efficient job of making enemies of the people they need to befriend in order for significant conservation work to proceed.  Keep in mind that a farmer or rancher who is in a profitable economic situation will be far better able to spend some money on conservation and apply for some grant money if critical habitat designations were not so onerous."

Emissions Appalling, H&N posted to KBC 11/25/03

Constitution of the Klamath Tribes. "ARTICLE IV - JURISDICTION - "All waters which originate in or flow through the Klamath Tribe's jurisdiction, or which are stored within the Klamath Tribe's jurisdiction, whether found on the surface or underground, are a valuable Tribal resource of the Klamath Tribes, and are to be protected for the present and future use of the Klamath Tribes." More on Tribe, water user, Klamath Basin Rangeland Trust, and DOI Negotiations.

Got it right, Three cheers for Cal Hunt, 11/25/03 H&N. "The choices made by the tribal members may not have been the right ones, but they were made, and the taxpayers have paid dearly for those choices." Dr Hunt's article is HERE.

PRESS RELEASE: Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) WATERBANK 2004, "Reclamation is seeking the public's ideas for ways to develop up to75,000 acre-feet of water..." 11/24/03. EXCUSE US!!!
*  Klamath Water Users spent hundreds of hours designing a 65-page water bank last winter that would work.  You the BOR and DOI threw it away.
*   You promised re-consultation on the Project Operation Plans after the NAS report, the Best Available Science, was completed. The NAS committee  reconfirmed its findings from an earlier report that found no evidence of a causal connection between Upper Klamath Lake water levels and sucker health, or that higher flows on the Klamath River mainstem help coho salmon.  You reneged on re-consultation.
*   We've shown you researched proof that Dr Hardy, hired by the Department of Justice and Bureau of Indian Affairs, used the period of the highest river flows in recorded history, 30% higher than normal, to form the Hardy Flow reports, with no outside peer review. Irrigators we not welcomed at the table.  You still use the flawed science and he is rehired.
*   We've found possible storage within Long Lake,  for 350,000 - 500,000 acre feet (AF), supported by  local and county agencies and Tribes. Have you promoted those studies?
*  Last year Project Operation plan demanded 50,000 AF. You waterbanked 58,500AF. You demanded 78,000AF, the excess at irrigator's expense, with the blackmail of turning off Project water with $200 million worth of crops in the fields. The wet spring meant taking more Project water.
*   There has been no water credit for the 94,000 Upper Basin acres of land taken out of agriculture that was bought by The Nature Conservancy and government agencies. 
*   There has been no credit given for over 600 water conservation projects within the Klamath Project.
*   And now you ask the public for input when you've thrown out our hundreds of hours of efforts to give you input, and our hundreds of projects you promised would help alleviate downstream demands? KBC

PRESS RELEASE: Walden on Medicare Reform, 11/24/03 WASHINGTON, DC – "The percentage of Oregonians who are covered by prescription drug insurance will increase from 60.4 percent to 96.6 percent. Some 54,000 low-income Oregonians who are not eligible for the Oregon Health Plan and who do not have any prescription drug coverage will be covered by the new prescription drug benefit."

Bureau seeks ideas for water bank, H&N 11/24/03

Property rights writer Jay Wally had a stroke, posted to KBC 11/23/03  Jay was here in 2001 standing by the farmers.  He's been on the convoys, helping those who have been violated by our government.  He has been here for KBC when we needed a shoulder, advice and encouragement. KBC.  "Jay, and his wife Sara, do not have health insurance or life insurance. As the costs of his medical care are rising, the Paragon Foundation is sponsoring a fund on Jay's behalf."  Please send cards, and see Prayer Page.

PRESS RELEASE: Senate Gives Final Approval to Silvery Minnow Language, Domenici-Bingaman Work Heads to White House, posted to KBC 11/23/03

Weekly KWUA update for 11/21/01  US FWS Attributes 'Combination of Factors' for 2002 Klamath Fish Die-Off

Savage Rapids removal passed, Mail Tribune, 11/20/03. This is our Oregon neighbors on the Rogue River.  We have not heard how this may affect those irrigators. KBC

PRESS RELEASE: House Overwhelmingly Passes Bipartisan Healthy Forests Restoration Act, Congressman Walden's office 11/21/03

Twisting the spigot won't solve water issues, H&N 11/19/03.  "The United States Fish and Wildlife Service's report on the 2002 fish die-off in the lower Klamath River bears an important resemblance to one issued in October by the National Research Council"
 

Link River, 1900, DRY

By rerouting the waters that were here, the Klamath Project was built with irrigator's money to store water from our closed basin to irrigate our crops.  This photo shows the common pre-project flows. The river sometimes went dry before we built the dams and storage.     This is water that historically had no way to reach the ocean, before our diversion canals were built to divert water from the Klamath Basin. The 2004 Project operation plan calls for the Project to downsize 75,000 acre feet of irrigation water, and 100,000 in 2005, regardless of the year type, and regardless of the Natural Research Council's findings, that artificial lake levels and river flows are not crucial to fish. 11/20/03

Interior, Tribes, and irrigators look for solutions using false science. The Tribes want 690,000 acres of our National forest back that they sold, Rangeland Trust (KBRT) will use government money to buy Upper Basin water easements, Project Irrigators want certainty in irrigation supply, and the Interior Department wants us to find solutions based on outdated, false science. We interviewed KBRT regarding yesterday's meeting with Interior..  KBC 11/18/03.

Who is the largest wholesale water supplier and the second largest producer of hydroelectric power in the United States? 11/18/03

Bettenberg back for water, land talks, 11/18/03 H&N

Here are the naturalized, or 'pre-project' summary flow draft reports, part 1 and part II. We understand that Dr. Hardy, the author of Hardy Flow Report that molded the 2003 project operation plan (who took the highest water years in recorded history to model from) has been hired again to develop Hardy III, this time with these 'naturalized' flow reports. 11/18/03

Klamath Basin Rangeland Trust responds to USGS regarding surface water and water quality issues, and also to Edward Bartell, 11/18/03

PRESS RELEASE from Department of the Interior:  New U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service study says “combination of factors” caused salmon die-off in Klamath River in 2002. 11/19/03

Past, present cloud Tribes' meetings, H&N 11/17/03

Conservation easements too good to be true, 11/17/03, Illinois Leader. It would be a good idea for Klamath Basin folks being courted by conservancies and trusts to check out the fine print.

No special consideration, H&N letter posted to KBC 11/17/03, by Terri Mander of  Sprague River, regarding Tribal land acquisition.

Tule alkali content rising, H&N posted to KBC 11/17/03, by Hank Christensen.

PRESS RELEASE: Walden Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Allow Oregon to Continue Receiving Extended Emergency Unemployment Benefits, 11/14/04. With Oregon being targeted by environmental groups to revert back to a prehistoric fantasy, destroying the logging, farming, grazing, and fishing industries, they are the highest unemployment rate in the nation.  Congressman Walden takes care of people. For more on Oregon, go HERE.

Tulelake Irrigation District (TID ) well water level report, 11/14/03.  For past reports, see TID well reports.

Tribes haven't convinced their Chiloquin community, by KBC news reporter 11/14/03 " 'My father owned land in Merrill, and he sold it, and I want it back!'  Dean Haskins of Merrill did not feel that giving them back land that they voted to sell is right."

Tribes, public meet again, H&N 11/13/03

Weekly KWUA update for 11/13/03:

Energy plant threat to rights, H&N 11/13/03. "These Langell Valley landowners selected their property carefully. They chose to live and work in a rural farming community far removed from the noise, lights and pollution of industrial America. They chose to invest in Langell Valley because of the extremely light traffic load, and because that traffic consists nearly exclusively of their neighbors"

PRESS RELEASE from Resource Committee Chairman Richard Pombo, Long, Devastating Road to Healthy Forests, Senate Democrats must stop playing politics and appoint conferees, 11/13/03

Klamath Tribes-a sovereign nation on the dole, by Dr Calvin Hunt, 11/13/03. "There were 2,133 voting members.  77% of the Klamath Indians chose to sell."

Tribes field raft of questions, H&N 11/11/03

House will vote on Basin funding request, H&N 11/11/03

Press Release: Walden Secures $2.6 Million to Reimburse Klamath Basin Irrigators’ Operations and Maintenance Fees, 11/11/03

There's room for wildlife, livestock, H&N 11/10/03.

 Land Trust Tax Favoritism proposal, 11/11/03

Water talks focus on key areas, H&N 11/9/03.
Basin talks are just the start of things, H&N 11/9/03

Klamath County Commissioner Steve West brings common sense, and Dr. Ken Rykbost shares Hardy flaws with Fishery group in Yreka, 11/9/03.  HERE for story.

Closed meetings continue, H&N 11/6/03. "When the meetings started, Thomas said he hoped a solution could be found in 60 to 90 days" (the community has been told that the participants do not represent anyone but themselves, and also that the community would have total input in any solutions or negotiations. With 2 months of meetings already and absolutely no involvement from the public, how is it that they could find a solution in that time period  if they intend to include the community? KBC)

PRESS RELEASE Walden named Healthy Forest Restoration Act Conferee, 11/6/03

Weekly KWUA update for 11/7/03:

An Upper Klamath Basin Solution,  This 12 point plan, being discussed by the group from the Tribes, KBRT, KWUA and Upper Basin,  was given to us by Thomas from Rangeland Trust to post on our website.  He encouraged people to contact your representatives to show your support.  If you send us a copy of your letters, we will post it. DOI's Bill Bettenburg will be meeting with this group on Friday to show models.

Forests' fate causes concern along Sprague, 11/5/03 H&N Area residents concerned about national forest land becoming Tribes' reservation

Tribes meetings to give answers, 11/5/03

Several in ag named to enviro task force, Capital Press 11/5/03

Klamath report spreads the pain of habitat repair, Redding Record Searchlight posted to KBC 11/5/03  "Are environmentalists willing to concede that the farms have a valuable place, and work toward preserving a threatened human type, the rough-handed Klamath horseradish grower?"

Ag Department forcing law that would target farmers, by Dr Doug Whitsett 11/5/03. "insertion of this statute as an area rule may prevent such common accepted agricultural practices as flood irrigation, pasturing of livestock in an area where runoff could carry their waste products to the waters of the state, agronomic application of any fertilizer, field burning, and even planting trees along the banks of streams where their leaves may fall into the water."

PRESS RELEASE: Walden Helps Secure Emergency $1.1 Million Labor Department Grant to Assist Laid-Off Klamath Falls Workers, 11/5/03

Water parties take 3rd tour, 11/4/03 H&N.

Klamath Basin farmers, Brookings fishermen tour South Coast, 11/4/03 Curry Pilot, "In perhaps the most promising part of the tour, Klamath Basin representatives said they would attempt to lobby a northern California Congressman to reinstate funding for the Klamath Fisher Management Council (KFMC). "

PRESS RELEASE: Pombo Calls For Healthy Forests Conferees, Conference, 11/3/03

Klamath coho rule bound to change, Capital Press posted to KBC 11/4/03

Proposal Senseless, H&N posted to KBC 11/04/03 "The Council's recommendations to improve the Basin environment included the following from page 2: 'Ridding Lake of the Woods of exotic game fishes and replacing them with native suckers.' "

Attitude adjustment eases Basin water war, H&N posted to KBC 11/4/03

A region on the ropes, rural ranchers and farmers fight to survive as their political power withers The Oregonian 11/04/03

Department of Justice will appeal order to reconsider their denial of the delisting petition for sucker fish, 11/02/03, attorney James Buchal, KBC discussion forum. "...the Fish & Wildlife Service refused to consider enormous increases in sucker populations (or a failure to count them properly at listing) as evidence that the fish might not be endangered after all.....All that the District Court’s order required the Service to do was conduct a status review of the suckers.... it has no accurate population estimates for the suckers, even though it has been fifteen years (and millions of dollars in studies) since the 1988 listings."

Behind the Inferno, bad policy fuels California's wildfires, by U.S. Rep Congressman Doolittle, 11/1/03. "In California, where overzealous environmentalism often trumps common sense, our forests are suffering from rampant disease and destruction. In just a matter of days, over 600,000 acres of Southern California's forests have been reduced to mere ashes due in part to overgrown forests that have been infected by the largest bark-beetle infestation in the last 50 years."

Oregon's trawl fleet will be cut by a third, Oregonian 11/01/03.
Coos County Commissioner addresses government buyout of coastal fleets--will this help their economy? by John Griffith, 11/02/03. "In theory, those who remain in the business could make decent livings again if the allowable catch remains the same. The fear is that the government will continue to slice the allowable catch, as it has every year since the early 1990s, and starve out those who remain. It's a huge concern. The greens keep pushing for marine reserves and threatening or actually filing litigation to reduce the allowable catch. It is unrealistic to think they will stop simply because catcher capacity has been reduced by about half. "

Becky Hyde from the Upper Basin, some Tribal Members and Project irrigators, and Rangeland Trust representatives have been meeting.  Irrigators want assurance for irrigation water, Rangeland Trust wants to buy water easements with Federal $, and the Tribes want 690,000 acres of the National Forest again. Facilitator Hyde sent KBC these questions and comments from some of the folks (that didn't walk out) attending this tense meeting.   For more info, go to Negotiations.