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Archive 86 -
July 2009
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main archive page
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Around 1900, Link River,
between Upper Klamath Lake and Lake
Ewauna,
occasionally went dry before
the Klamath Project was built. There
was no hydropower, no hatcheries,
occasionally no fish (fish need
water), no artificially-raised river
flows or lake levels.
HERE for more
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$7 Million Klamath
BLACKMAIL by Reclamation: Did you know the the Bureau
of Reclamation has billed the Klamath Project Water Users
irrigation districts $7 million, for, something? There is no
account of where the Bureau spent the money but they claim the
irrigation districts owe them. Unless----the
districts lobby their representatives and change the purpose
of the Klamath Project. Presently the sole purpose is
irrigation. The former 30-foot-deep lake was rerouted into
canals, evaporation reservoirs, and the Klamath River to
provide fertile farmland; The feds and enviros want it
to include fish and wildlife. Coincidently, the KBRA/Klamath
Basin Restoration Agreement changes the purpose of the Project
to include fish and wildlife. And you and I, just peasant
farmers, have no vote and no voice at the elite KBRA
closed-door meetings bartering dams, land, water, water
rights, aquifer control, farms and communities.
State, local Republicans oppose removal of dams, H&N
7/31/09. (according
to the KBRA POLL RESULTS
of Klamath County registered voters
*
Only 11%
favor Klamath dam removal,
* 7% favor public purchase
of reservation land for the Tribes
* 5% favor the closed and confidential
negotiations involved in developing the KBRA and the AIP.)
Salmon
will have to be retrained,
Guest Opinion By Dan Rowe, MD,
MBA, Carson City, Nev. Pioneer Press, posted to KBC 7/31/09.
"having a biology degree from many years past, I know that
they are going to have to train the salmon to go back up the
Klamath River once these dams are torn down. They will have to
plant eggs or minnows at the top, repeatedly, which will cost
millions of dollars, just to get new fish to learn that they
have a new home. And certainly the cost of returning the river
to a natural state (less 4 dams) will be another several
hundred million dollars. Meanwhile, they are tearing down
billions of dollars of dams (their value in today's market)."
California Receives $18 Million
for Agricultural Water Enhancement Projects,
USDA - Natural Resources Conservation Service 7/31/09
..."restore 60,000 acres wetland habitat..." For more on
wetland controversy go HERE >
Walking Wetland Controversy, and Bureau
of Reclamation Issues, by KBC reporter July 19, 2009
Water Legislation: Complete
review of 2009 Session,
Water For Life Oregon Natural Resource Report 7/31/09
(regarding dam removal, water measuring, water right taxing,
etc."
Healthcare bill summary, 7/31/09.
Missouri Car Dealership Gives
Away an AK47 with Each Truck Purchase!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNmi-bBhWG8 4:56
minute YouTube video.
Winema-Fremont road proposal, H&N 7/31/08. "5,472
miles of roads considered maintenance level 1 will be closed
to public use. 400 miles of usercreated trails and roads will
be closed to public use."
Congressman Hastings Rejects Snake River
Dam Removal Efforts, 7/31/09.
“Dam removal is an extreme action that would have devastating
consequences on our region’s economy. These four dams are
valuable components of the Northwest’s clean, low-cost
hydropower system that thousands and thousands of jobs rely
upon. Dam removal would kill jobs, lead to huge increases in
greenhouse gas emissions, and there’s no scientific proof that
it would actually guarantee salmon recovery."
Klamath
River dam removal talks moving along, California officials
expect final agreement in coming weeks, H&N 7/31/09
Family Farm Alliance Water Review July 2009.
Klamath
Water and Power Agency board meeting 8/4/09. KWAPA will
discuss becoming member of the closed-door KBRA/Klamath Basin
Restoration Agreement.
Groups: Deal has greater
benefits, Off-Project
users: Settlement doesn’t resolve everything,
H&N posted to KBC 7/30/09.
Oregon forest plan pulled, Interior secretary scraps Bush
administration’s changes, H&N, posted to KBC 7/30/09
How
local legislators voted; area lawmakers voted no on dam
removal bill, H&N, posted to KBC 7/30/09
State
jobless rate highest on record, H&N, posted to KBC 7/30/09
Governor
signs tax increase package, H&N, posted to KBC 7/30/09
Green
advocacy groups are strongly political, by Nita Still,
Montague, letter to editor H&N, posted to KBC 7/30/09
Forest road closures to impact recreational use, H&N
7/30/09
"Irrigation
deliveries from Clear Lake were terminated July 7."
One
family, two sides of the irrigation district, H&N 7/29/09.
“It
doesn’t make a lot of sense to me when there’s not a need to
keep water in the lake. We brought the lake down lower before,
and the fish survived just fine,” he said. “The people in
charge, they have an agenda it seems like, and that’s what
they’re doing. They want control over all this water..."
Drying out, H&N,
posted to KBC 7/29/09.
"About 40 of the 113 irrigators in the Langell Valley
Irrigation District are impacted by the shutoff."
Many connected
through land, water,
H&N, posted to KBC 7/29/09. "Tears
well up in Struve’s eyes as she describes the hardest part of
the water shutoff. “It’s hard to see your place just dry up.
If it’s a year that there’s no water, that’s one thing. But to
have to see your pastures just drying up, it’s hard. There’s a
lot of people, they depend on that,” she says. “They depend on
their crops.”
Suction dredging permits halted by Alameda County court,
Siskiyou Daily News 7/29/09.
California departments and
agencies paid by you,
7/29/09
Schwarzenegger cuts Williamson Act, Capital Press, posted
to KBC 7/29/09
Politicians play football with Williamson Act,
Capital Press, posted to KBC 7/29/09
Klamath Water
Users Association quarterly newsletter, posted to KBC
7/29/09.
California Farm
Bureau Federation Friday Review posted to KBC
7/27/09. "After
working though the night on July 23, the Legislature completed
it’s work on the State Budget Act and 28 implementing
“trailer” bills and adjourned until August 17th for
its Summer Recess"
Klamath weekly water report 7/28/09
Klamath weekly water report 7/20/08
As many as 1
million fish suffocate at Lake Elsinore,
The Press-Enterprise 7/27/09. 'Klamath Fish Kill can no longer
can be claimed as 'worst ever in the West.' ' (KBC NOTE:
In 2002 there was a fish
die-off of Trinity River fish in the Klamath River.
Klamath Water Users Association warned that diverting more
warm water into the River could harm the fish, however the
tribes and gov't agencies demanded more water. Fish died.
Studies showed that the water was lethally warm. Lo and
behold, the tribes, enviros, and agencies have blamed the
farmers for killing those fish 200 miles away-Klamath farmers
who use 5% of the water at the mouth of the Klamath. They say
LOW flows killed those fish, although there were years with
lower flows and no fish die-offs. And they blame the
Klamath River dams for killing the fish in 2002, promoting
their agenda to dismantle 4 Klamath River hydro dams providing
power to 70,000 households.)
Restoration Projects For Klamath Watershed Announced,
Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Bulletin 7/24/09
A new
twist in dam removal on the Snake River,
7/23/09 Seattle Times
New
clean water bill should clarify federal law, not muddy it,
by Dan Keppen, guest writer H&N 7/26/09
Forecast: Record
700,000 Coho Headed For Columbia, Strong Summer Steelhead, Fall
Chinook Run, CBB
July 24, 2009
Glen Spain, NW Regional Director Pacific Coast Federation of
Fishermen responds to Glen Briggs "Please don't restore my
Klamath," and Briggs responds to Spain's letter. posted to
KBC 7/26/09. Briggs
Walking Wetland Controversy, and Bureau
of Reclamation Issues, by KBC reporter July 19, 2009
NOAA seeks public comment on
Proposal to Protect
Threatened Green Sturgeon by 7/20/09
Medicine Lake
Traditional Spiritual Gathering, Medicine Forest Service
Campground closed to non-Indians, 7/18/09.
California Farm Bureau
Federation Friday Review of bills and laws, July 17, 2009.
"Senator Florez has still not amended
the bill to exempt dogs used by hunters, farmers, and ranchers,
despite his promise to Senator Wolk. This bill currently
requires all dogs and cats in California to be spayed or
neutered, unless the owner obtains an “intact” permit for the
dog, or keeps the cat indoors at all times."
Bureau of Reclamation weekly water report, posted to KBC
7/18/09
Officials meeting about dams, H&N, posted 7/17/09"
Water stakeholders work toward September goal, H&N 7/17/09
Governor signs Klamath dams bill; Federal officials meet about
water agreement, H&N 7/15/09
County supervisors concerned about
Oregon Senate Bill 76,
Pioneer Press 7/15/09
Proposed Dam Removal Studies,
Guest Opinion by Grace Bennett,
Siskiyou County Supervisor, Pioneer Press 7/15/09
Dam
removal makes no economic sense,
by Bart and Mary Kent, Siskiyou
Daily News, posted to KBC 7/15/09
Klamath
Dams: Sediment studies being formulated, Siskiyou Daily News
7/15/09
The (Calif. state water board)
panel knew nothing,
by Nita Still, Pioneer Press, 7/15/09
The
Great Auk; Dam removal part of Wildlands Project,
Letter to editor by Dick Short,
Pioneer Press 7/15/09
Senate Deals North State Harsh
Economic Hand,
Passage of SB 670 Means Bankrupt
Businesses & Lost Jobs,
Senator Sam Aanestad, CA 7/14/09. "The North State leader
says the passage of
SB 670 will place an outright ban on the practice of Suction
Dredge Mining in all California rivers, streams and other
tributaries, even though there is no scientific evidence or
proof that the mining practice is harmful to the environment."
See Miners Page
State lawmakers
OK temporary dredging ban targeting salmon habitat, Sac Bee
7/14/09. "Supporters
say the bill includes language negotiated with the
Schwarzenegger administration, so they expect him to sign it."
County comments on
Klamath TMDL analysis/ action plan, Siskiyou Daily News,
posted to KBC 7/14/09.
“We have a full scale EIR going on in regard to suction dredge
mining,” noted supervisor Armstrong. “We have sent you
information about the lack of bad effects from dredging. It
seems like you’ve already made up your minds about dredging.”
Congressman Greg Walden's Oregon
Congressional Connection, posted to KBC 7/14/09
Rise in county gun
sales tied to fewer cops, what Obama might do, Sacramento
Bee, posted to KBC 7/14/09
Tulelake Irrigation District
Agenda July 13, 2009
Questions,
public comments probe Klamath TMDLs, Siskiyou Daily News,
posted to KBC 7/13/09. "A
woman representing the Klamath Riverkeeper organization spoke
during the session as well, voicing her support for the TMDLs,
saying that she supports fishermen
and tribes and would like to see the TMDLs be as stringent as
possible and that she does not want to see the process left to
self regulation." (KBC NOTE: it's interesting to note
that Riverkeeper, supporting TMKL's that will severely impact
agriculture and suction dredge mining, opposes the Klamath Basin
Restoration Agreement, however
Riverkeeper's
board is comprised of Craig Tucker, Karuk spokesman at the
KBRA table , and Leaf Hillman, on the Karuk Tribal Council)
Family Farm
Alliance Calls for Withdrawal Of Biased, Unscientific Order for
Delta Smelt, FFA NEWS RELEASE 7/13/09
"This is the
first time that the Alliance has engaged in litigation, and it's
not a step we take lightly," said Alliance President Patrick
O'Toole. "But in this case, we had no other choice. Preserving
the scientific basis for these decisions and ensuring the
fairness and transparency of all the proceedings under ESA is a
vitally important issue for all of our members throughout the
western states."
Economy, Political Leadership Shed New Light on Resource
Priorities, By Dan Keppen, Director Family Farm Alliance,
letter to Siskiyou Daily News, posted to KBC 7/13/09. "But
using questionable means to get there, and elevating fish and
fur at the expense of family farmers and farm workers in these
dire economic times is something that appears to be losing
ground with the public and politicians."
(KBC NOTE: Keppen is referring to California's Central Valley,
where 40,000 farm workers have been laid off. The
Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement
changes the purpose of the Klamath Project to make fish and
wildlife a priority of our stored irrigation water in the
Klamath Project, rather than simply "irrigation." It is a 50
year 'agreement', permanently downsizes agriculture, gives
control of water use to a select few unelected officials within
the closed-door settlement group, permanently destroys 4 hydro
dams, supports the biological opinions and Endangered Species
Act and Clean Water Act which shut down Central Valley, and
Klamath Basin in 2001, and permanently plants endangered species
in the Klamath Basin, demanding they flourish or the water
agreement will be changed.)
The
KBRA / Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement contains dangerous
provisions locally and nationally,
by Kathy Lehman, Ashland, OR
Debate over
river dredging nears climax in Legislature Dredgers fear for
livelihood, defend mining practices, Trinity Journal July 8,
2009
Activists block timber sale, H&N 7/7/09. "
The blockade was the culmination
of a nearby forest gathering of Earth First!"
For Klamath Dam Removal Earth
First protest, go
HERE
Bill to Restrict Ammunition Sales
Takes a Step Forward;
Please contact the Senate Appropriations Committee! NRA 7/07/09
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July 7, '09 The Ca Regional Water
Board met in Klamath Falls to discuss Klamath River Total
Maximum Daily Loads and Action Plan. Although the historic
Klamath Lake was undrinkable and laden with natural minerals,
the board has models that they think tell how bad the water was
before we humans made it worse, and we need to try to purify it
before it is diverted into the Klamath River. Remember, Link
River historically went dry, and the water where we now farm
historically did not go into the Klamath River. Very few
attended because they didn't know about this public meeting.
KBC. Public comment is extended to
August 23rd. See TMDL mandates in documents
here >***Basin
Wide TMDL (water quality) plan for public review from Calif.
North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board, 7/2/09
***Notice
of Availability of Draft Document, Public Comment Period, and
Public Workshops, For the Klamath River Total Maximum Daily
Loads and Action Plan Addressing Temperature, Dissolved Oxygen,
Nutrient, and Microcystin Impairments:
Regional Water Board staff, in conjunction with staff
from EPA Region 9 & 10 will host
public workshops
to present the Public Review Draft Klamath River Total Maximum
Daily Loads:
7/6/09, 6 p m Klamath Falls,
Oregon State University Ag Extension Office
7/7/09 6:00 p.m. Yreka
Miner's Inn
***The
North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board will be giving
a presentation on the Klamath TMDL to the Board of Supervisors
on Tuesday July 7 at 10:25 a.m. (second floor, Courthouse Yreka)
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Klamath TMDL in a
nutshell, by Siskiyou County Supervisor Marcia Armstrong
7/3/09
***Basin
Wide TMDL (water quality) plan for public review from Calif.
North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board, 7/2/09
Excerpts from the
Klamath TMDL compiled
by Siskiyou County Supervisor Marcia Armstrong 7/2/09
Cal/EPA Environmental Justice Action Plan for Klamath, May
18, 05.
Lead Agency:
State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB)
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Cal/EPA Environmental Justice Action Plan for Klamath, May
18, 05.
Lead Agency:
State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB)
Fish farming in
the (Klamath) basin, H&N, posted to KBC 7/6/09
Merger and Buyout of America,
by Toni Thayer
7/5/09. "...In her
early years, she had morals and ethics, and she was known for
righteous ideals, like individual freedoms, liberties and
justice..."
The Changing of America News
website. This site's creator Toni Thayer was formerly a
hardcore environmentalist, until, she learned of the big
business and political power behind the guise. See Range
Magazine article by Thayer:
Don't Trust the Trust.
Siskiyou monument proposed;
Conservationist group asks for 600,000 acres in S. Oregon
H&N 7/4/09
In the early 1920's
until 1949, the Federal Government invited war veterans to apply to win
homesteads in the Klamath Basin with "water appurtenant to that land" to feed a hungry world.
This 'Greatest Generation' was honored for defending FREEDOM in
America and on foreign soil.
Veterans came in groups to Tulelake in the Klamath Project; they
were young people in their early 20's. They had no roads, no
electricity, no water. They built our community.
Read their stories!
God Bless America, and those who fought and toiled so
we could be free, and well-fed. |
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“Freedom in the
USA?” by Karuk tribal member James Waddell 7/4/09
By Karuk
Tribal member James Waddell:
"The Death of Honor; and the
Desertion of Our Children,"
posted 7/4/09
Water
storage appraisal nearly done, H&N 7/2/09 (The Klamath
settlement agreement' demands most of the potential stored water
from Long Lake to be sent to the ocean rather than used for
irrigation.)
Socialism is just around the corner, Pioneer Press, letter
by Jack Layton 7/2/09
Clean Water Act raises
hackles, Capital Press 7/2/09. "The
move brings the country one step closer to the largest federal
land grab in our history, the National Cattlemen's Beef
Association said."
