Our Klamath Basin Water Crisis
Upholding rural Americans' rights to grow food,
own property, and caretake our wildlife and natural resources.

Archive 72 - May 2008
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

Levee patch sought in Klamath Falls, H&N, posted to KBC 5/31/08

Good fishing is good business, The Daily Triplicate, posted to KBC 5/31/08. "salmon returning to the Klamath this year are projected to be strong. That will provide for an in-river allocation of 22,500 fall chinook for recreational anglers, the second largest in 30 years. The tribal allocation will be 27,000 fish. " (KBC NOTE: Why do the Indians want the Klamath dams out? Are the salmon on the 'brink of extinction?' )
County decides to postpone ramp repair, May 28, 2008 by Nicholas Grube, Daily Triplicate: "They are actually looking forward to this season to get out of debt," Crandall said of some Klamath area business owners. "They've been handed a tremendous opportunity that nobody else in California has—fish, they got fish."

08. "...Klamath salmon runs are dwindling...Tribal members hope to build support for the removal of the lower four Klamath River dams."

Letters: Klamath River is important issue in District 5 race - Del Norte County, May 30, 2008, Crescent City Daily Triplicate

Lack of science doesn't faze dam removal junkies, Special Report, MyOutdoorBuddy (c) MAY2008 by Frank Galusha, EasyWriter. (Includes letters by Jeffrey Mount and Peter Moyle, UC Davis professors and National Research Council members, to FWS Western Manager Steve Thompson, and Joseph Grindstaff, Deputy Secretary California Resources Agency, regarding science behind dam removal.)
Lies about the Klamath dams drift downstream, by Karuk Spokesman Craig Tucker, 5/27/08, Redding Record Searchlight
Klamath dam removal poses serious risks, Redding Record Searchlight, posted 5/20/08, by Siskiyou County Supervisor Marcia Armstrong, District 5.

County decides to postpone ramp repair, May 31, 2008 by Nicholas Grube, Daily Triplicate: "They are actually looking forward to this season to get out of debt," Crandall said of some Klamath area business owners. "They've been handed a tremendous opportunity that nobody else in California has—fish, they got fish."

ODFW to blame for salmon decline, Myrtle Point , posted to KBC 5/31/08, Coos Bay World. "Now they are ... starting at 1 million in 1996 trickling down to 640,00 this past year. You could have at least 1 million smolt every year. Now ODFW wants 200,000 of these smolts ventral fin clipped. This is proven to equate a 20-percent morality rate. These people do not seem to care how many of the fish are killed."

U.S. Bureau of Reclamation names chief for Sacramento office, Sacramento Bee, posted to KBC 5/31/08

California Farm Bureau Federation Friday Review 5/30/08. "This week's issue addresses bills approved through the Assembly and the Senate, in addition to AB 2402 (extending the rest time for motor carriers), AB 2714 ("loss of load") and SB 1663 (tire-hauler funding)."

Levee leaks concern, Homeowners near Marina No. 2 notified; some water going into field, H&N 5/30/08

Dam issue jams Klamath settlement; Power company process independent of stakeholders' agreement, Capital Press 5/30/08

Family Farm Alliance May Issue

Public Comment Made To Siskiyou County Board of Supervisors by Leo Bergeron, posted to KBC 5/30/08. "We, the citizens of Siskiyou County appreciate the firm stand taken by the board in voting to oppose both dam removal and the restoration agreement."

New BiOp Based On Best Science And Better Collaboration, Say Feds, NW Fishletter, posted to KBC 5/30/08

(Eminent Domain) - Important issues ahead in California’s primary by Geri Byrne, Modoc County Republican Party chair, H&N 5 28/08

Bureau of Reclamation water report, posted to KBC 5/28/08 -- lake levels and river flows

An Oregon staple explodes in value, Oregonian, posted 5/28/08

Rising costs lead farmers to go high tech, Capital Press 5/28/08

Klamath Compact
Klamath Compact Appendix B

Once-beautiful part of river now spoiled, May 26, 2008 H&N letter to the editor by Mark Jahn, Chiloquin. "..we are not allowed to mess with the riparian area on our own property, yet this project (?) was budgeted and allowed without a vote or even prior notice." HERE for more on The Nature Conservancy

This week's California Farm Bureau Federation Friday Review covers the actions of the Senate and Assembly Appropriations Committees, 3/23/08

Letter to the editor by Larry Toelle, Ft. Jones, on voting for Siskiyou supervisor, 3/23/08

Klamath irrigators hang fire on July water, Capital Press 5/23/08

KBC responds to Ph.D. Haberfeld's accusations: Ph.D. Steven Haberfeld, Indian dispute resolution services director, sends scathing letter to Klamath Basin Alliance and off-Project representatives, calling them "racist," "nonnegotiable," with "baseless hatred," "distorted arguments," "deliberate misinformation," "unpure motives," and "race prejudiced," for Basin Alliance inviting an Indian to speak at a meeting. The 2 off-project men he defamed had nothing to do with tribal member Philip Brendale's invitation to speak with some invited guests. By KBC 5/24/08.

Ph.D. Steven Haberfeld, Indian dispute resolution director, writes to Basin Alliance saying Tribal Member Philip Brendale is not allowed to come to the Klamath Basin. Larry Toelle of Siskiyou County Responds, 5/23/08

Letter by Becky Hyde who blasts: Klamath Basin Alliance, Cherokee descendant and author Elaine Willman who was former National Chairman of Citizens for Equal Rights, and tribal member and tribal law expert Philip Brendale who is coming to town next week. He was getting screwed by his tribe, took the case to the Supreme Court and won. Response by a KBC editor, May 20, 2008.

Correction: Someone inadvertently sent an invitation by Klamath Basin Alliance, to dozens of people on their email list. ALSO Herald and News advertised this meeting wrongly as a public meeting. Tuesday's meeting with tribal member Philip Brendale was by invitation only due to space and perceived interest. According to Basin Alliance, guests invited personally by BA will have priority being seated.

Klamath dam removal poses serious risks, Redding Record Searchlight, posted 5/20/08.

Bureau of Reclamation weekly water uodate 5/20/08

Study the tradeoffs before removing dams, Herald and News, posted to KBC 5/20/08

31,000 Scientists Debunk Al Gore and Global Warming, Newsmax, posted 5/20/08. "An incredible 31,072 Americans with university degrees in science, including 9,021 Ph.D.s, have signed a petition that flatly denies Al Gore’s claims that human-caused global warming is a settled scientific fact." (KBC NOTE: This came from Oregon!)

Bond needed to clean up old gold mine, Corvallis, OR Gazette-Times, posted to KBC 5/20/08. "Atlanta Gold said requiring a bond for its voluntary effort to clean up arsenic-laced water from an old mine is an unfair infringement of its right to mine on public lands under the 1872 Mining Act. We are offering to do this voluntarily and we are being penalized for it..."

Low West Coast salmon returns; why the variations, CB Bulletin, posted to KBC 5/20/08. "In 2005 a southward shift in the jet stream, delayed favorable winds and upwelling for the California Current, which normally begins in spring. The winds instead arrived in mid-July, causing high surface water temperatures and very low nutrient production within the nearshore marine ecosystem."

Salmon Population Declines In California, West Coast, Science Daily, posted to KBC 5/20/08. "Both hatchery and naturally produced fish have been negatively affected, and returns of coastal stocks in Oregon, in the Columbia River, and in British Columbia were all low in 2007. The decline seems to be a coastwide phenomenon, probably related to ocean conditions."

Water rights of non-Indian purchasers of Klamath Indian Reservation lands, To: Commissioner of Indian Affairs From Solicitor 3/14/58

Proposed settlement won’t end court cases, nor guarantee water, H&N by Chris Howard, Klamath Basin Alliance, 5/19/08

Letters: Siskiyou County supervisor is incorrect on Klamath dams, by Karuk Spokesman/anti dam activist Craig Tucker,
FOLLOWED BY response from Siskiyou Supervisor Marcia Armstong, The Daily Triplicate 5/19/08

Siskiyou County Board's opposition to dam removal, Letter to the editor by Marcia H. Armstrong, Supervisor District 5 (representing the communities downriver of the dams) Siskiyou County 5/11/08. "Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement is premised on dam removal, which poses significant concerns for communities downriver from the dams. There is an estimated 20 million cubic yards of sediment stored behind the dams. The 2006 Klamath River Dam and Sediment Study was not comprehensive..."

California Farm Bureau Federation Friday Review, May 16, 2008. The revised budget proposal:
SB 1562 - authorizing counties affected by the 2007 freeze, wildfires and windstorm to receive a tax deferral,
AB 2168 - known as the "Farm Stand" bill,
SB 1404 container plant labeling for water use,
SB 1527 known as the "Cow Palace" bill,
AB 2386 regarding selecting a union as the agricultural employees collective-bargaining agent,
AB 2714 amending vehicle codes to address "loss of load",
SB 1663 known as the "Used Tire Hauler" bill,
AB 2402 extending the amount of time a commercial motor carrier can be parked at a roadside rest area,
AB 2065 regarding invasive aquatic mussel species.

***Klamath River Compact Commission, Investigation into methods to control algae in the Klamath River Basin.
http://klamathwaterlib.oit.edu/cgi-bin/showfile.exe?CISOROOT=/kwl&CISOPTR=553&filename=550.pdf
"Excessive algal growth in the Klamath River Basin is a natural phenomenon that has been present for many years." June 1962. (Note that Iron Gate was built in 1962 and at that time, algae was already a documented historic problem). "In order to operate effectively this project should be free of all political pressure and therefore should be supported..." (KBC NOTE: what a concept!)

Report of the Oregon Klamath River Commission on Water Resources and Requirements of the Upper Klamath Basin December 1954. http://soda.sou.edu/awdata/031217g1.pdf page 37 regarding Klamath treaty.

Salmon closure hits Winchester Bay hard, Oregonian, posted to KBC 5/13/08

LEFT: The waters of Upper Klamath Lake and the closed headgate, in the inlet at lower right, in 2001 in Klamath Falls. BELOW: The mouth of the Klamath River as it empties into the Pacific Ocean. 5/11/08

Thomas Christy Palmer Sept. 24, 1949 - May 5, 2008, Tulelake, CA. "In short, he will be missed."

California Farm Bureau Friday Review 5/9/08.
SB 1512 - consolidate the usage of multiple meeters for solar installation
SB 1617 - fire protection fees on all inhabited structures in State Responsibility Areas

Horse lovers celebrate their passion; Arabians are centerpiece amid art, music, food and carriage rides, Capital Press 5/9/08, Malin, Oregon.

PHOTO: Sara Bagg plays with 17-day-old Arabian filly Ceilki, the official greeter for the celebration.

Water pressure grows; Four Basin city councils endorse proposed agreement, H&N 5/8/08. "Mitchell and Steve Kandra, a Klamath Water Users Association board member, have met with the councils of the county’s towns, businesses and other organizations to answer questions and secure endorsements. Kandra said there is a lot of misinformation, and other groups had no information on the agreement." (KBC NOTE: yes, they went to the councils of 4 little towns who had not read the agreement, and presented their pitch, and the town councils voted to endorse the plan with no public input. The only people left out of this settlement agreement are the people who have had no vote.

A standout proposal, by Todd Milbourn - tmilbourn@sacbee.com May 8, 2008, Sacramento Bee. KBC NOTE: (Klamath Tribes, with land given to them in the Klamath Settlement Agreement (they sold their reservation)... intend to expand their gaming. No taxes. No accountability for profits. They are the only group or race that can give unlimited money to elected officials, and give jobs with preference to their own race. Click Here for info on Going to Pieces tribal expansion book and to view the full-length online video.)

KBC NOTE: (Klamath Tribes, with land given to them in the Klamath Settlement Agreement (they sold their reservation)... intend to expand their gaming. No taxes. No accountability for profits. They are the only group or race that can give unlimited money to elected officials, and give jobs with preference to their own race. Click Here for info on Going to Pieces tribal expansion book and to view the full-length online video.)

A website by the Yurok people, not the tribal leaders: http://www.yurokvoices.com

The New Economics of Hunger; A brutal convergence of events has hit an unprepared global market, and grain prices are sky high. The world's poor suffer most. Washington Post, posted to KBC 5/7/08. "For the 1 billion people living on less than a dollar a day, the world's worst food crisis in a generation is a matter of survival." (KBC NOTE: How will the Klamath Basin contribute to world hunger? After the World Wars, veterans came to the Klamath Basin to feed a hungry nation. The Klamath Basin Settlement Agreement demands downsizing off-Project irrigation by 30,000 acre feet of water, downsizing Project farming considerably, and taking out 4 Klamath River dams that provide power for 70,000 households annually. The Nature Conservancy and gov't agencies have taken 100,000 acres out of ag land and made swamps with most of it, decimating our cattle business and evaporating water that could water more farms or fish. States demand replacing oil with ethanol, already doubling and tripling the cost of corn and grains. The Humane Society forced the ban on killing sea lions which eat thousands of endangered salmon. Shortage of salmon has caused ban on Pacific Coast salmon fishing and cost billions of dollars in studies and restoration projects. People are starving to death. Enemies of the human race are among us.)

PRESS RELEASE: Despite Record High Gas Prices, Democrats Again Vote To Stop ANWR Oil Production; Democrats Vote To Keep 10.4 Billion Barrels Of American Oil Locked Up in Alaska's Arctic, National Resources Committee 5/7/08. (KBC NOTE: farm fuel has doubled in the past couple years thanks to locking up American oil, further raising the price of food. People are