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Archive 88 - September 2009
also  see main archive page

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

Press Release: KWUA, KWAPA and UKWUA. UKWUA represents approximately 5% of Off Project Water users. The other 95%, Klamath Resource Conservancy, were denied a seat at the table.9/30/09
Summary: Draft Klamath Hydro Agreement 9/30/09
PRESS RELEASE: PacifiCorp - Klamath Dam Agreement Unveiled, 9/30/09

PRESS RELEASE: (Interior) Secretary Salazar Announces Draft Agreement on Klamath Dam Removal Proposal, DOI 9/30/09. “If it was not for the good-faith efforts of a wide range of stakeholders and the engagement of the public, we would not have reached this milestone” added Salazar." (KBC NOTE - Go HERE to see what the public has to say, and HERE.. The public was left out of the closed door meetings, including representatives of thousands of acres of ag land. If they had wanted input, would they have waited until today to allow us to see their plan for our power, land and water rights?)

PRESS RELEASE: Governor Kulongoski's statement on Klamath dam removal proposal, 9/30/09

PRESS RELEASE: Gov. Schwarzenegger Issues Statement Regarding Draft Klamath Hydroelectric Settlement Agreement

Could Klamath Dam Removal Deal Set Future Precedent? OPB 9/30/09

PRESS RELEASE: Solar Energy Project to Aid Klamath Irrigators, PacifiCorp 9/30/09

Klamath Dam Removal Settlement Expected This Week, OPB, posted to KBC 9/29/09

Dam removal deal near; Negotiations are expected to conclude today, H&N 9/29/09

Guarino to take (Klamath) dam removal letter to Portland, (Letter by Siskiyou County Counsel Tom Guarino), Siskiyou Daily News, posted to KBC 9/29/09

Nothing is perfect, including Basin proposal, H&N letter by Ann Fairclo 9/15/09. "

(Klamath) Tribes’ land purchase would be huge mistake (in Willamette), H&N letter 9/29/09

California Admission to the Union; Mining Claimants legal authority under Federal Law, February 13, 1850

Obama Administration Orders Study on Removing Dams on Snake River to Help Fish, CNS News 9/28/09

Man-made surge would create danger to salmon, by James A. Waddell, (Karuk Tribal Member) Siskiyou Daily News 9/29/09

EPA representative describes relationship to Klamath TMDL by David Smith, Siskiyou Daily News 9/25/09. "According to the Environmental Protection Information Center Web site, the consent decree was entered at the conclusion of a lawsuit filed against the EPA titled “Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations, et al. v. Marcus.” The site states that the suit was aimed at compelling the EPA to create the TMDLs for 17 north coast rivers and streams..."

California Admission to the Union; Mining Claimants legal authority under Federal Law, February 13, 1850

Klamath Water Report 9/29/09
Klamath Water Report 9/21/09

(San Joaquin) River restoration: Ready for dry run, 9/29/09

Obama Administration’s New Policy on Oceans Keeps an Eye on Land, CSN News 9/28/09

National Sheepdog Finals, 7677 Lower Klamath Lake Rd, Sept 22-27.

THE FORUM - Discussion about the KBRA, KBC and Ms Becky Hyde. Scroll down to Sept 18th.

My advice to the San Joaquin Farmers -  TURN YOUR WATER ON, by Jeff Head, 9/18/09. Jeff Head from Idaho stood with the Klamath Farmers in 2001 water shut-off, helped assemble irrigation pipe at the headgates, and turned the water on. He also wrote the book: "The Stand at Klamath Falls: How rural western farmers and their supporters stood up to entrenched environmentalism, activist judges, and agencies of the Federal Government in southwestern Oregon...and prevailed." Another writing:  America at the Crossroads of History.

“DROUGHT Parched river endanger fabled Klamath salmon run,” 9/17/09 letter from Carolyn Pimentel, Interim Scott River Watershed Council Coordinator, to Mr. Fimrite, Staff Writer San Francisco Chronicle, in response to "Key salmon spawning rivers all but dry," SF Chronicle 9/13/09. "The Scott River Watershed Council would like corrections made to the inaccuracies stated about the Scott River in the above referenced article.  We would appreciate a follow-up article given the same front page attention as the original article with the attached photo and graph, and the following corrections and pertinent additional information"

Klamath TMDL peer reviewer concerns addressed in report, Siskiyou Daily News 9/18/09

Klamath TMDL both supported and opposed at meeting, Siskiyou Daily News 9/18/0

PLP vs State of California Complaint (PLP = Public Lands for the People Inc.) California Suction Dredge Miners are demanding a Jury Trial for the taking of their rights to mine on public land, posted to KBC 9/18/09.

California unemployment rate hits 12.2 percent, Sac Bee 9/18/09

Klamath Marsh plan open for comment by 9/18/09

Klamath Water and Power Agency public meeting 9/18/09

A KBC reader posed this question after reading that Resource Conservancy, representing 98% of off Project land, is denied a seat at the Klamath Restoration Agreement/KBRA table, while the new Klamath off-Project group lead by Becky Hyde and  Karl Scronce, is at the table representing less than 2%.
   
Tom Mallams, president of Klamath Off-Project Water Users Association said, "Resource Conservancy represents over 125,000 acres. Scronce doesn't own any land but has a ... verbal lease on about 450 acres by Modoc Point. Becky 's property is 480 acres. Their whole group represents maybe 2,000 acres."
    The question: Why do the tribes want Hyde at the table and not Resource Conservancy? See Becky Hyde page on Whose Who.
Klamath Tribe document explains how they want the Off-Project land, so perhaps Resource Conservancy's presence at the table would be inconvenient for the tribe's goal.

Four minute Tea Party Freedom Speech by 11 yr old Sara Warmack, "You can make a difference, I can make a difference, and together we Will make a difference!"

Tulelake Irrigation District well water report, posted to KBC 9/17/09

State water bond and Klamath dam removal, by Siskiyou County Supervisor Marcia Armstrong, Pioneer Press, posted to KBC 9/17/09

Saving the sucker, how the fish was listed as endangered, and Critical habitat: Providing safe havens for fish by Jill Aho, Herald and News, posted to KBC 9/17/09
KBC NOTE:
"In 1986 the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service staff responsible for whether or not to pursue these (ESA) listings believed there were only 12,000 Lost River suckers in Upper Klamath Lake...they didn't believe they were endangered. A couple years later...we now know for a fact that number's exceeded by tens of thousands of Lost River suckers. Now they flip flop and say they are endangered. What constitutes endangered? David Vogel, fisheries scientist with 29 years experience, 14 years working for the Fish and Wildlife Service."
 
Sucker holds significance for tribes, H&N, posted to KBC 9/17/09. KBC COMMENT: According to Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement advocates, power ratepayers and taxpayers must pay millions/billions$ to decimate four Klamath River dams because salmon must come into the Klamath Basin and beyond because they supposedly provided food for the Indians. In this article, tribal biologist said the indians staple was suckers; they would have starved without suckers. What was it, suckers or salmon?

Scientists cautiously optimistic about recovery, H&N , posted 9/17/09. “Basically, it was felt that you had to have certain high lake levels in order to protect the habitat for spawning and shoreline vegetation for young suckers, and you didn’t want that lake to get too low or it would affect algae blooms. "(But) a lot of research has indicated lake-level management is less critical to the survival of the fish than we previously thought.” (KBC NOTE: Dr. William Lewis, National Academy of Science, speaks about suckers in regards to lake levels and land acquisitions to improve sucker populations. The NRC was/is ignored.)

California Farm Bureau Federation Friday Review, Legislative and governmental update, posted to KBC 9/17/09

Reversing past changes to the watershed, H&N, posted to KBC 9/17/09

Klamath Water and Power Agency public meeting 9/18/09
Sent to KBC:
"Oregon public meetings law allows for executive sessions for a number of reasons. If you are interested in the extent of those exemptions just Google ORS, then click on chapter 192, then scroll down to 192.660 (2) (f) for the specific exclusion."

Agreement’s opponents not using delay, deception, Letter to editor, H&N by Milly Lewis 9/15/09. "Is this the very same Kandra who thought it perfectly OK to meet with selected other elites, behind closed doors, with total secrecy strongly enforced, to draft an agreement that will be forced on us, the peasants of Klamath County? Even though we do not agree with the provisions?" HERE for more opponents of the 'agreement.'

Nothing is perfect, including Basin proposal, H&N letter by Ann Fairclo 9/15/09. "

Is removing dams sensible when power water short? H&N letter by John Poorman, Lakeview 9/15/09

Water report by Bureau of Reclamation for 9/7 to 9/14/09

Whitsett, Garrard don’t deserve attacks over water, H&N letter by Edward Bartell 9/13/09. "I am troubled by the attacks on State Sen. Doug Whitsett, by Greg Addington, Klamath Water Users Association executive director,  and Steve Kandra, a board member. It is monumentally ungrateful of them to smear the senator after he and Rep. Bill Garrard worked day and night to secure the roughly $20 million in rate shock protection for Klamath Basin irrigators....I find it hard to believe that it is sheer coincidence that  Kandra’s cousin and fellow Klamath Water Users Association board member Karl Scronce, who I understand sold his off-Project farm, was one of the founders of this dissident (off-project) group."

9/12/09: Pioneer Day, Tulelake Honker 10am-1pm, watch parade from lawn.

Tulelake Butte Valley Fair 9/10-13/09

(Siskiyou County counsel) Guarino letter: Stop neglecting us in dam negotiations, Siskiyou Daily News, posted to KBC 9/7/09. “As you may or may not know, the position of the County of Siskiyou has been that it does not believe that there is sufficient information or scientific study to support a determination at this time that removal of the dams is appropriate. This bill presupposes that dam removal is the appropriate solution....These harms include loss of property values and property taxes, loss of recreational activities, loss of clean hydroelectric power, and increase in the costs of power for the ratepayers in the County, as well as environmental impacts and restoration mitigations for which adequate funding has yet to be identified."

A note from Bob Davis, Siskiyou County, regarding the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement, 9/7/09. "I am still waiting for someone to show the words that guarantee farmers water...."

A compliment to KBC from Bob Davis, Siskiyou County: "I approve of anything you wish to do. You have earned our faith in you." Bob

Letter to editor H&N, "If the dams are gone, what will stop the flooding?" Bill Haugen 08/29, Klamath Falls, posted to KBC 9/7/09

Rafting companies say dam removal could hurt business, Medford Mail Tribune, posted to KBC 9/7/09

Forest Service unfair to four-wheel drive group, H&N letter to editor by Larry East Jr., posted to KBC 9/7/09
Wildlife part of roads discussion, OHV users say they are being scapegoated, H&N, posted to KBC 9/7/09

The following is an excerpt from the proposed California water bond, posted to KBC 9/7/09, regarding Klamath dam removal.

Farmer vs. farmer: Klamath water controversies well up, Capital Press, posted to KBC 9/5/09. "Mitchell (Klamath Tribal member at negotiation table) said the contestants stayed out of the settlement negotiations of their own volition, and characterized the group's motion to vacate the agreement as an unnecessary complication."
Nicholson sent to KBC the following response: "It is odd that Jeff Mitchell's remembrances diverge from what is factual. It can easily be verified that Resource Conservancy, which represents the Upper Basin contestants, asked for a seat at the table. This request was never honored." (KBC NOTE: Resource Conservancy represents more than 100,000 acres on Klamath Off-Project land.)
* Here is the Klamath Tribe document of intensions in the closed-door KBRA/settlement agreement: putting land into tax-exempt trust, ...intends to "buy back private lands....and secure funding for purchasing retired water rights, conservation easements...assert tribes senior water rights...expand gaming...exchange for federal lands..."

State to respond to adjudication request, H&N, posted to KBC 9/5/09

Dam removal agreement almost finished, H&N, posted to KBC 9/5/09. Includes comments by KWUA, Karuk Tribe Craig Tucker, and PCFFA Glen Spain. More on Tucker and Spain.

Klamath water report 8/24-8/31/09

County pleads for restored Williamson funding, Siskiyou Daily News, posted to KBC 9/5/09

(Klamath) Irrigation upgrades, H&N, posted to KBC 9/5/09

Cops jump on swine-flu power: Shots heard 'round the world. Pandemic bill allows health authorities to enter homes, detain without warrant, World Net Daily, posted to KBC 9/5/09

Study: no infections from algae bloom exposure, Siskiyou Daily News, posted to KBC 9/2/09 "The warning signs are being posted by the Forest Service, Karuk Tribe and other groups along stretches of the river and at the reservoirs.... Supervisor Cook said he would like to contact the Forest Service and see why they are posting the warning signs along the river when there has been no case of toxins entering anybody’s blood stream.

Congressman Greg Walden's Oregon Congressional Connection, Forest Health 9/2/09

Siskiyou Crest National Monument, opinion by Siskiyou County supervisor District 4 Grace Bennett 9/2/09

Shasta river irrigation project: good news on the Klamath, Mt Shasta Herald 9/2/09

What's Next? (mandatory vaccinations) by Nita Still, Nontegue 9/2/09

Harold Foster is (Siskiyou) Cattleman of the Year, Pioneer Press 9/2/09

Klamath Water and Power Agency public meeting 9/1/09

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              Page Updated: Sunday November 22, 2009 03:13 AM  Pacific


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