ARCHIVE 35 - April 2005
also  see main archive page

Note from KBC: The way Klamath Project plumbing works, when you shut off water to the farms, you shut off water to the wildlife refuges. Water from farms returns to the refuges, then it goes into the Klamath River. Farm water does not just vanish

Your fences need to be horse-high, pig-tight and bull-strong.

Wolf Resolution, Adopted in Convention at Redmond, Oregon  by members of Oregon Women for Agriculture, posted to KBC 5/30/05

Comments sought on Chiloquin dam, H&N posted to KBC 4/30/05.

Pombo fires back at critics report on species act, Lodi News, posted to KBC 4/30/05.

Powerful U.S. Farm Groups Take Action To Re-Open Trade with Canada, Canada Newswire posted to KBC 4/30/05.

ESA Report to the Chairman, Committee on Resources, House of Representatives by the General Accountability Office, April 2005, pdf. GAO recommends that Fish and Wildlife Service keep track of where their funds go toward endangered species. This is an interesting document.

Lake levels/river flows. Klamath Lake storage is up 29,443 acre feet from a year ago. Posted to KBC 4/28/05.

Restoring the Land, H&N 4/28/05 "Most of this country has been fenced since 1992," Goold said. "Neat thing about this area is our neighbors. Everyone's willing to jump in and try it with you."

A Child Comes Around Poem by Deborah Ettinger 4/05

OREGON: Water rights group appeals refuge permit, Capital Press 4/28/05 “They (Fish and Wildlife) took an off-season right for every drop of water that will ever run through that basin,” Wolff said. “Eight-hundred and twenty cfs is a gigantic amount of water. It’s a basin at full capacity of flood stage.”
Conservationists, federal agencies spar over salmon, Corvallis Gazette 4/28/05.
Future of Columbia Basin dams awaits federal judge's May ruling, Oregonian 4/28/05

‘It’s uncertainty, in one word’, Capital Press posted to KBC 4/28/05

Activists Must Prove Harm to Species, Not Just Allege It, to Invoke Endangered Species Act, Pacific Legal Foundation posted to KBC 4/27/05

Klamath water--70 percent, April 27,2005, California Farm Bureau.

PRESS RELEASE: GAO Endangered Species Report: Little Reason to Expect Poor Recovery Record To Improve, House Committee on Resources 4/26/05

Michigan to cull UP's growing wolf population, Free Press 4/27/05. HERE for Wolf Page.

Bureau of Reclamation Water Data Update – posted to KBC April 26, 2005

Letter to Lonnie Baley, Malin, from his daughter Hollis
"Dad, please send this to anyone interested....." 
"This website has been set up in honor of the 2005 National MS Walk. Our team will be walking in Corvallis on Sunday April 24th. We have a team goal to raise between $200 and $300 which will be put toward the race for the cure to MS" "As most of you know, my brother, Scott Baley, was diagnosed with MS in 2001....Scott is an outstanding individual, my little brother, and my hero..." Hollis Baley   HERE for more information.

Home-grown structure emerges in Klamath Basin, Capital Press 4/25/05.

Family Farm Alliance to appear before NEPA Task Force April 23, 2005
Testimony by William Kennedy, Chairman of the Board of Family Farm Alliance, to NEPA posted to KBC 4/23/05

Klamath Water Users Weekly Update for 4/22/05
* Judge Recommends Dismissing Suit Vs PacifiCorp
* Eastside Landowners Water Woes Confirmed
* Pombo Addresses ESA
* NEPA Field Hearing
* Smith, Wyden Announce Support for National Drought Preparedness Act
* Council steers away from Trinity water shift
* Feds 'clarify' Trinity water request
* Refreshing News…

Trapped fish dying in droves, RecordNet.com posted to KBC 4/23/05. (If this were remotely near the Klamath Project, the dead fish would be blamed on the Klamath Project irrigators..KBC)

Never Relinquish Property to Environmental Organizations! by Nancy Levant posted to KBC 4/23/05.
For more on The Nature Conservancy go HERE.

Governor questions grazing on national monument, Albany Democrat Herald posted to KBC 4/23/05.

PRESS RELEASE: Interior, Lower Colorado Basin Leaders Launch 50-year, $626 Million Wildlife Conservation Program, posted to KBC 4/23/05

Judge: Tribes' salmon suit too late by decades, H&N 4/21/05

A look into the future, Idaho Statesman, and Crapo: Drought, politics necessitate local water solutions 4/21/05.

Fishing report for Klamath and Trinity Flows, Ruth and Lewiston Lakes scheduled for plants, Times Standard 4/21/05

Organic farmers cultivating a growing agricultural industry, registerguard.com posted to KBC 4/21/05

See Prayer Page for prayer request sent to us by WWII Tulelake veteran homesteader David Carman 4/21/05

Lee and Wendell Schey, Tulelake

Horseradish Association manager retires -- Another of America’s "greatest generation" is honored. Klamath Courier posted to KBC 4/21/05 (Tulelake grows 1/3 of the horseradish in the United States--KBC)

BARNES RANCH: Put irrigation at the core of water proposal, H&N posted to KBC 4/21/05.

A gentler kind of drill, H&N 4/21/05

Lawmakers make trip home H&N posted to KBC 4/21/05.

BARNES RANCH: Flooding more ag land, Water intended for drought year storage now has 'refuge' written allover it -- and more will be flooded. Klamath Courier posted 4/21/05.

County goes with Cob's offer, H&N 4/20/05

Lake Levels and River Flows, including chart 4/20/05

Klamath Irrigators and Commercial Fishermen Meet, Oregon Trollers posted to KBC 4/19/05. We are rerunning this article to clear up recent misinformation regarding the relationship of fishermen and irrigators.
followed by Salmon trollers file for disaster aid for losses, LA Times 4/19/05. (There are zero fishermen groups in Oregon who are represented by Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen. KBC)

A positive step for Klamath, editorial LA Times by JOHN W. KEYS III Commissioner Bureau of Reclamation U.S. Department of the Interior Washington, D.C. (Is downsizing the Klamath irrigation by over 1/3 in drought and flood years, and depleting our aquifer 5 feet per year, "positive"? Positive for who? For those who built and paid in full for the Klamath Project to store irrigation water, which allows for higher-than-historic river flows and lake levels, and makes available free regulated water for power which was not available before the project....it is not "positive." See Waterbank Page for more info.

April 18, 2005  Dow Jones Newswires 1132 GMT [Dow Jones] Dismissal of a USD1B US lawsuit against Scottish Power's (SPI) Pacific Corp "has not been a share price issue," says an analyst. There was "a small likelihood they would have to pay out." Says case "dates back to things that happened 50 to 100 years back....none of these lawsuits have led to anything." Klamath Tribes have about ten days to appeal the ruling. ScottishPower shares fall 0.2% or 6p to 412.00p as of 1124 GMT. (JAM)

Council steers away from Trinity water shift, Times Standard 4/19/05.

State high court to hear farm rights suit COB proposed power plant in Bonanza 4/19/05.

STOP THE COB We have been told that the tax break for COB Enterprise Zone will be discussed or decided.  It is evidently not a hearing so we may not be allowed to speak Even if we just hear what is proposed or decided, at least we are informed.  Our presence, though, could have some influence so please attend.Tuesday 9 a.m., 4/18/05 Government Building 305 Main Street Notice by Lyn Brock, Bonanza

Barnes Ranch proposed acquisition for refuge, More study needed before going ahead with refuge addition, H&N by Dr Ken Rykbost 4/18/05 The author Ken Rykbost recently retired as superintendent of the Oregon State University Klamath Experiment and Professor, Department of Crop and Soil Science. Opinions expressed are mine alone and do not represent Oregon State University, the Klamath Experiment Station, or Klamath County.

Scottish Power: Judge recommends dismissing suit vs US, 4/18/05 AOL news, London. "PacifiCorp, received a magistrate judge's opinion, agreeing with PacifiCorp's request for summary judgement, recommending that the $1 billion lawsuit filed against it by the Klamath Tribes be dismissed as untimely."

Dear Friends, by Senator Doug Whitsett 4/18/05

4/16 townhall meeting Senator Whitsett and Reps Garrard and Gilman

Joint Committee on Ways and Means  TODAY 4/16/05 Public Hearings Schedule Today in Klamath Falls. For details go HERE.

PRESS RELEASE: Smith, Wyden Announce Support for National Drought Preparedness Act posted April 16, 2005

TID well water levels posted 4/16/05

Weekly KWUA update for April 15, 2005
* Klamath Irrigators and Commercial Fishermen Meet
* Former KWUA exec testifies before Congress
* Refuge expansion proposed
*Wyden launches online list of drought resources
* Editorial supports funding for research and extension

Water Users go on the air today, Friday the 15th, noon, KFLS radio in Klamath Falls

Little east side water to go around, H&N posted to KBC 4/15/05

Preventing a spud flood, H&N posted to KBC 4/15/05

(Trinity) Diversion to Klamath possible, Interior officials suggest plan will prevent fish kill, Redding Record posted to KBC 4/15/05

Lake Levels River Flows 4/15/05

Power Costs in TID current rate and tariff rate.  Professor Jaeger from OSU and other  'environmentalists' see this as a means to turn our once-lake and current farmland into a desert void of people and 489 species of wildlife.
Example, Pump at Site #1 currently costs $77 for power.
Pump Site #1 at PacifiCorp's  proposed tariff rate it would be $6362.
Go HERE for POWER PAGE  4/13/05

A poem written by Judge Roy Moore from Alabama: Judge Moore was recently sued by the ACLU for displaying the Ten Commandments in his courtroom foyer. He has been stripped of his judgeship and now they are trying to strip his right to practice law in Alabama.  PRAYER PAGE 4/13/05

WATER STORAGE:
Report on todays Family Farm Alliance Senate hearing 4/13/05
Family Farm Alliance Press Release 4/13/05, regarding water storage.
Testimony to U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources on water storage by:
FFA President Pat O'Toole,
Testimony of Dan Keppen, Executive Director Family Farm Alliance, Submitted to the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources 4/13/05
Attachments to Keppen's testimony 4/13/05

FFA Senate Water Conference Draft Testimony 4/13/05

PRESS RELEASE: Subcommittee Examines Challenges for Grazing and Range Conservation, 413/05 House Resource Committee.

National News: Gov't backs off cutting aid to farmers Libby Quaid AP, 4/13/05

Cooperation, luck keys to irrigation season, H&N 4/13/05, "The Bureau of Reclamation has approved an operations plan built on a 15 percent cut in water use by irrigators. That's on top of a water bank plan that will probably take about 25,000 acres out of production in order to cut the demand by about 50,000 acre-feet. Pumping will provide another 35,000 acre-feet and wildlife refuges, 15,000, for the 100,000 acre-foot water bank."

PRESS RELEASE: Family Farm Alliance offers new supply tool to help U.S in meeting West's future water needs, 4/13/05.

PRESS RELEASE: Future Role of Water Storage to Be Discussed, posted to KBC 4/13/05, House Resource Committee.

 The Facts about BARNES RANCH by geologist Gail Hildreth Whitsett 2/18/05. Much more on Barnes go HERE.  Ag land that has been acquired and converted to wetlands in the guise of 'saving water' and 'storage', and how much water it has depleted.

Channel could save Clear Lake suckers, H&N posted to KBC 4/13/05.(KBC note. Suckers in Clear Lake have healthy populations. They do not have the kind of habitat that is being created in the Upper Basin, using this swamp ideal for additional land acquisition. Clear Lake suckers are doing just fine and not considered endangered.)

Plan Limits Water Use in Klamath Area, LA Times, posted to KBC 4/12/05 "Rob Crawford, a Klamath farmer in Tule Lake, Calif., took exception to complaints by environmentalists. He said farmers are cooperating to conserve in every way possible: holding off early irrigation, installing more efficient water systems, planting less-thirsty crops."

Bureau of Reclamation  Water Data Update – posted to KBC April 12, 2005

One stormy winter, SFGate 4/12/05

PRESS RELEASE: Klamath Project 2005 Operations Plan Released posted to KBC 4/11/05
Klamath Project 2005 Operations Plan, Bureau of Reclamation 4/7/05  pdf file
Bureau's water data update for 4/4. KBC 4/11/05

Federal Law Provides for Agriculture Power Contracts

For more on POWER, see POWER PAGE

Farmers told restraint now means water later The U.S. Government asks Klamath Basin farmers to limit irrigation to avoid forced cutbacks as drought sets in, Oregonian 4/10/05. (With waterbank at 30% of irrigator's water, water we stored for irrigation plus our aquifer, and another 15% demanded by the biological opinions, irrigators must forfeit 45% of their irrigation water this year. This will make lake levels and river flows higher than possible before the irrigation project was built because of flawed Hardy Science. The National Academy of Science said that these artificially elevated lake levels and river flows are "not justified."

Solution sought for hungry geese Farmers are losing money, but the birds are federally protected, Statesman Journal posted to KBC 4/10/05 (Read this article and reread this. In Klamath Basin the 'environmentalists' and tribes want farming off the refuges--our farmers are feeding the geese. In Oregon they want taxpayer's money to grow grain on the refuges.)

Refuge West of Salem

Lake Levels River Flows go HERE 4/6/05

Klamath Project 2005 Operations Plan, Bureau of Reclamation 4/7/05  pdf file.

See Waterbank Page for details on the Bureau's 2005 mandatory waterbank.

April-May 2001 archives go HERE

Karuk Tribes uses wrong treaty, Pioneer Press 4/8/05

Weekly Klamath Water Users Update 4/8/05
* Greetings from new Executive Director
*  KWUA on the radio
*  Drought forum held
*  Oregon Legislators to hold Klamath Town Hall Meeting
*  Task Force to study NEPA

Decommissioning the Dams is Not Enough, A Golden Opportunity for Justice on the Klamath by Felice Pace.  After Felice Pace physically assaulted too many people in the Shasta Valley, he is now employed by the Yuroks at the mouth of the Klamath River.  His allegations about the farmers are false. For Klamath Irrigator's presentation of facts regarding power rates, see POWER PAGE.  

Name of Shasta Nation is used for a casino scam at the opposite end of the State of California, by Liz Bowen, assistant editor, Pioneer Press, Fort Jones, California 4/8/05

15-percent irrigation cutback sought, H&N 4/8/05. Actually this would be a 45% irrigation cutback. The Bureau of Reclamation 'water bank' has demanded 100,000 acre feet of water from the Klamath Basin, or 1/3 of our irrigation water.  Add 15%. Even after hundreds of conservation projects and approximately 100,000 acres of ag land have been converted to wetlands, the remaining irrigators have no assurance.  They have nothing but fear, being targeted to supply our stored irrigation water and our depleting aquifer to send water down the river to make higher-than-historic lake levels and river flows. See waterbank page.

News from the Front #82: Cutting Off Irrigators Again, Buchal 040805

PRESS RELEASE: Senator Whitsett, Representatives Garrard and Gilman to hold Town Hall Meeting in Klamath Falls April 16, 4/7/05

Counting every last drop, Lake, Modoc and Siskiyou Counties H&N posted 4/7/05.

Measure 37 changes in works A Senate bill aims to spell out application guidelines and ease restrictions so some property owners can build on farmland, Oregonian 4/7/05

Oregon's governor tries to lessen impact of continuing drought, US Water News 4/7/05.

Drought may boost power bills, Statesman Journal 4/6/05 (The farmers paid for the Klamath Project which allows regulated, free water to go to the power companies for affordable power for cities, tribes, and communities and for irrigators. The tribes and ecoterrorists want to take out the dams, causing less available power with higher rates. Power companies, supported by tribes and ecoterrorists, plan to raise the power rates to farmers by 2400 percent in 2006. ?!?!?!?! KBC) More on power, go HERE.
Public Utility Commission to receive drought condition update Salem-News posted 4/6/05

Notice for Oversight Hearing on "The Role of the Power Marketing Administrations in the 21^st Century", House Resources Committee 4/6/05

Congressman Richard Pombo Commentary: 'ESA has a zero percent rate of success', AgAlert California Farm Bureau 4/6/05.

Agency proposes to list southern green sturgeon as threatened, Mercury News 4/6/05.

DOI Release: Interior, Lower Colorado Basin Leaders Launch 50-year, $626 Million Wildlife Conservation Program, posted 4/6/05. Forwarded by Klamath Bureau of Reclamation Christine Karas, "MSCP joins with UC RIP, SJ RIP, PRIP, GCMRC, etc.  We have the support of 4 cabinate level people to develop a "cip-like process" for the Klamath.  What should it look like?"

Public-lands ranchers: Should you trust this man? by Paul Larmer. "Andy Kerr, who has been an environmental activist for more than 20 years, was a key figure in the struggle to curtail logging in the Pacific Northwest in the 1980s and 1990s. Today, he is the director of the National Public Lands Grazing Campaign, which seeks to pass legislation that would allow the federal government to buy federal grazing allotments from ranchers and permanently retire the land from grazing. HCN executive director Paul Larmer"

PRESS RELEASE: Task Force on Improving National Environmental Policy Act Created Pombo taps Rep. Cathy McMorris to lead, House Resources Committee 4/6/05

Link River ladder ready for migration, H&N 4/6/05.

Restructuring the Oregon Fishing Industry, Newport News Times 4/6/05. "the commercial fishing industry contributed $342 million in personal income to the Oregon economy in 2004. According to the report, that made 2004 "the best year the industry has had since 1988," and was "about 39 percent higher than the average of the previous ten years."
NEWS RELEASE: (West Coast) 2005 Chinook Salmon Quota for Southeast Alaska Announced, Alaska Dept of Fish and Game 4/6/05. "The continued strong returns of Chinook stocks to West Coast rivers from Oregon to Alaska, and stronger returns to West Coast Vancouver Island, have produced the high Abundance Index (2.05).  Most of the Chinook salmon stocks covered under the Pacific Salmon Treaty have benefited from a recent upturn in ocean survival, which created the strong returns."
Salmon miss coming-out party, Monterey County Herald 4/6/05. (Go figure. Chinook population was huge in 2004 but Monterey journalist spins this where Klamath Irrigators horrendous existence will ruin fish runs this year. P.S. Every practicing commercial fisherman we talk to supports the Klamath farmers. KBC)

Distribution of Anadromous Fishes in the Upper Klamath River Watershed Prior to Hydropower Dams—A Synthesis of the Historical Evidence, pdf file, April 2005, 11-page report by John B. Hamilton, Gary L. Curtis, Scott M. Snedaker, and David K. White. Hamilton and Curtis are fishery biologists at the U.S.Fish and Wildlife Service Yreka Fish and Wildlife Office, Yreka, CA. Hamilton can be contacted at John_Hamilton@fws.gov. Snedaker is a fishery biologist with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management in Klamath Falls, OR. White is a hydraulic engineer—fish passage specialist with NOAA Fisheries in Santa Rosa, CA.

Help for ag students, H&N letter 4/5/05. (Scholarship information, Oregon and California)

PUC 'hearing' was a farce, H&N letter posted to KBC 4/5/05.

PRESS RELEASE: Family Farm Alliance Invited to Participate in Two Important Congressional Panels, Focus to be on Storage Needs, Cost Containment Issues 4/4/05

Water, water everywhere, but it's becoming scarce, Oregonian 4/4/05

Tough water season begins as headgates open, H&N 4/4/05

Bill would give public more say on power plants, bendbulletin 4/3/05. "He (Rep Bill Garrard) said that concern was solidified when the state didn't respond to his letter about a controversial plant proposed near Bonanza in Klamath County." More on the Bonanza power plant go HERE.

Power rate hike threatens Klamath, Capital Press April 1, 2005

PRESS RELEASE: Walden is Oregon's home care legislator of the year,  4/1/05.

Weekly USGS river flow graphs, go HERE (thank you Barb at KBB)

Energy Facility Siting hearing in Salem 4/1/05