Water agreement challenges; Perspectives vary on the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement, H&N 1/30/10 More groups join Klamath agreement, Times Standard 1/30/10 What’s at stake in Klamath water deal, H&N 1/31/10 TID special board meeting at office Feb 2, 11 a.m. "Public Comment" and "approve KBRA" Klamath Science Conference Feb. 1-5 Klamath Dam Removal by Rich Bodnar on KBC discussion forum 1/30/10. "Look at the "environmentalist" facts: land grabs, billions in demolitions costs, secret meetings, water rationing, loss of clean power, decimated property values, energy and water rate increases, disappearance of lakes used for recreation, loss of tax revenue, and decimated communities..." Klamath agreement fails to meet needs of American people, Capital Press by Bill Kennedy, Klamath Basin rancher, posted to KBC 1/29/10 Residents speak out on (Klamath) water agreement; 400 attend, H&N 1/29/10 (Del Norte) Supervisors hold off on signing (Klamath) pacts,; County says it needs more information on dams removal’s impact the Triplicate, posted to KBC 1/29/10 Verses from the KBRA Bible, Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement, the new Law of the Land, with comments by Rex Cozzalio, Montague TMDL's, Total Maximum Daily Load for the Klamath River and Lost River - implementation plan, comments by Rex Cozzalio, 1/29/10 Support, concern and questions expressed at TMDL workshop, Siskiyou Daily News 1/29/10 Klamath TMDL revisions presented to public, Siskiyou Daily, posted to KBC 1/29/10 Klamath Co. commissioners hear public comment on KBRA, KDRV, posted to KBC 1/29/10 PacifiCorp to raise rates, Capital Press, posted to KBC 1/29/10
Give change a chance in the Klamath River, Times-Standard, posted to KBC 1/28/10, letter by Trout Unlimited; American Rivers; Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations; Habitat Restoration Project Manager, National Center for Conservation Science & Policy; California Trout; Northern California Council Federation FlyFishers; Salmon River Restoration Council. "This will be the largest dam removal and river restoration project in the history of the United States...We also need improved streamflow and state and federal investment in broad-scale restoration from the sea to the headwaters...The KBRA will dramatically change management of the river giving more ability to Tribes and groups like ours to make the decisions on timing of flows and other restoration plans than leaving those responsibilities solely to government agencies." Letter by former Klamath County Commissioner Bill Brown to Klamath County Commissioners regarding the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement / KBRA 1/27/10. "While the current KBRA blew an excellent opportunity to bring forward real solutions, the reality is that this KBRA has caused division among our citizens for the benefit of the few." Who really has jurisdiction over Oregon’s water? H&N 1/27/10 Jackson Co. officials say Rogue Valley water supply "not in jeopardy" from KBRA, KDRV 1/26/10 Klamath Irrigation District Backs Deal, H&N 1/27/10. "Dave Cacka, the board president, .... said he has yet to hear a viable alternative and sees the document as the best way to move forward." (KBC NOTE: we would be happy to send Cacka the 4-hour version of the November 10 public input meeting that the district boards and Klamath Water Users Association/KWUA boycotted; 81 citizens voices expressed concerns and numerous solutions to our water and farm situation." Humboldt County signs on to Klamath dams agreement, Times-Standard 1/27/10 Final Klamath deal to go before (Humboldt) supervisors, 1/25/10. "If it signs the deals, Humboldt County would become a voting member in coordination and oversight groups, according to a Public Works Department staff report, which would allow it to influence the process and protect its interests." Bureau of Reclamation commissioner: (Klamath) Agreement offers more tools, H&N 1/27/10 Klamath water report 1/20 - 1/27/10 Modoc tribal meeting is Friday; Separation proposal will be discussed, H&N 1/27/10 January 2010 "Monthly Briefing" (PDF), Family Farm Alliance County to take public input January 27 on Settlement 'agreements'. CONFIDENTIAL-The Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement / KBRA rulers have a detailed comparison of the 2008 KBRA draft and the Jan. 7, 2010 final draft They are presently not allowing YOU to read this before any public meetings, before your rulers vote. Here is the pirated PDF file of CONFIDENTIAL DETAILED COMPARISON! Here is the text file. Here is the email summarizing the summary. Bible lesson #3 today, The Order of our Prayers, 1/24/10, Restore America. (Klamath) Deal ignores impact on Siskiyou County, posted 1/24/10, Capital Press by Siskiyou County Supervisor Marcia Armstrong June 2009. Rerun requested by Klamath Project citizen. "Let's call the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement what it is - many wolves and a sheep sitting down to decide what's for dinner." Sundays Bible lesson 1/24/10, Proverbs 11:12 - "He who is devoid of wisdom despises his neighbor, but a man of understanding holds his peace." (KBC NOTE - could this mean stealing your neighbor's water and not letting him have a seat, a voice, at the negotiation table?)
Klamath TMDL, by
Siskiyou County Supervisor Marcia Armstrong, posted to KBC
1/24/10. "The
North Coast Water Quality Control Board will be receiving oral
comments on the Klamath and Lost River Total Maximum Daily
Loads (TMDL) on Wednesday, January 27 at
KBRA Bible Lesson #1 - QUOTES from your new law of the land; * You must support numerous new claims on your water, even those "unquantified" and thou shalt not "protest, contest, object, or block..." 1/24/10 California Unemployment 12.4 percent, Sacramento Bee, posted to KBC 1/24/10 Governor discusses Klamath in D.C.;Meets with Obama adviser about water agreement, posted to KBC 1/24/10 No cheap power rate for Project irrigators in their leaders' Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement/KBRA, 1/23/2010 by a KBC editor. "...Dept of the Interior representative said there was "a snowball's chance" of that low of rate, and said it would be closer to 5 to 7 cents. That would be added to an estimated 4.5 cent delivery charge. So in essence, the rate could be 9.5 - 11.5 or more, possibly more than current tariff rate." Irrigators review water agreement final draft, FOLLOWED BY Irrigators raise questions about agreement FOLLOWED BY Herald and News Readers' comments, 1/23/10. H&N reader comment: "If there is no guaranteed water delivery to all farms in all years; if the farmers are still constrained by all of the ESA demands (which will soon include salmon in the basin if the KBRA goes through); if they are not guaranteed that litigation will be held to a minimum; if they are not guaranteed freedom from the CWA and EPA/ODEQ and CA Water Quality Control Board enforcement of the TMDL's, and they are not guaranteed anything more than the going rate for electricity, why would they want to implement the KBRA ?"
* The KBRA back-room self appointed rulers are presently
banning the public/taxpayers/citizens from viewing their
detailed description of changes in the final draft of the KBRA;
you must not know how this deal will effect your land and
water rights. Only your new KBRA rulers have that privilege. Irrigators talk about pros, cons of water agreement; About 100 show up for first of series of meetings H&N 1/22/10 Off Project irrigator Tom Mallams discusses KBRA with Jackson County Commissioners, YouTube 1/22/10 Klamath Basin Settlement Agreements, column by Siskiyou County Supervisor Marcia Armstrong, posted to KBC 1/22/10 TMDL workshop (Jan. 27th) addresses changes to the Klamath plan, Siskiyou Daily News 1/21/10 AUDIO: KMED Bell Meyers interview with Oregon Senator Doug Whitsett 1/21/10 regarding KBRA/Klamath Agreement regarding Rogue Valley and water rights, "the tribes and environmental communiity can only sue the Klamath Project for their water after they have made every effort has been made to shut down Rogue Valley diversions and every other irrigator outside the Project." Jackson Co. investigates whether KBRA could affect Rogue Valley water supply, KDRV 1/21/10 Klamath Tribes approve KBRA, H&N 1/21/10. (KBC NOTE: Project irrigators are not allowed to vote...? Agreement would put federal rights over state’s, H&N letter by James Ottoman 1/21/10 Water Water Everywhere Four: The Bond, California Progress Report, posted to KBC 1/21/10. "Middle of the Night Additions:... money to help tear down the Klamath River dams and money to help build an additional dam in San Diego County." New tax measures punish farmers, Tracey Liskey, Capital Press 1/21/10 Less than average snow pack creates anxiety for irrigators, H&N 1/21/10 Klamath Resource Advisory Council 1/21 to 3 p.m. * KWUA Klamath Settlement PUBLIC meeting 1/21/10, 6.p.m. OIT auditorium. Clean Water Act fix may not be navigable in 2010, E&E 1/21/10 Siskiyou County has 60 days from the date that the agreement is signed by PacifiCorp, the states and federal government (and becomes effective) to hold public hearings and deliberate before making its final decision as to whether or not it will sign the documents. Marcia Armstrong, Chair, Siskiyou County Board of Supervisors The Leopards Spots, by Jim Beers, regarding Jamie Rappaport Clark's article: Interior Department's decision imperils wolves, Endangered Species Act. "This woman was the last Director of the US Fish & Wildlife Service that I served under. She was the Director when AT LEAST (according to a Government Accounting Office Audit) $45 to $60 MILLION hunting and fishing dollars were STOLEN by USFWS appointees (of Clinton) and their "sock-puppet" USFWS managers FROM THE PITTMAN ROBERTSON AND DINGELL-JOHNSON EXCISE TAXES." AUDIO: KMED Bill Meyers interview with Tom Mallams, Klamath Off Project Water Users President, about Rogue Valley and the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement/KBRA. Letter by Klamath Water Users Association/KWUA director Greg Addington is discussed. Mallams explained off-Project support of Project irrigators during the 2001 water shut-off. Bill Meyers said he felt KWUA throws Off-Project irrigators "under the bus" in Addington's email. Yesterday Klamath Water Users Association put a notice on their website that tonight is the previously unadvertised "public briefing" on the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement. There have been no ads or flyers or notices to KWUA constituents, only a mention in an article. Their website states it is a 'public briefing Q&A' rather than public input. Klamath County "public input" meeting will be Jan. 27. KID/Klamath Irrigation District intends to vote on the KBRA Jan 26. Opinions about the final draft (Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement), Stakeholders share their views, prepare for public process, H&N 1/19/10. "Carrier said there will be no more public comment opportunities offered by the state as no additional public hearings or comment periods are necessary for the state to sign the agreement." (KBC Note: Public process? "The state" has offered NO public hearings or comment periods in this backroom deal opposed by 100% of public input at November 10th public meeting hosted by local senator and legislators. The Klamath Water Users Public meeting this Thursday, 1/21, is mentioned in this article, there have been no ads and no notice on the KWUA website as of today. KWUA boycotted the November public input meeting. Why no notice to all the constituents of their first public meeting?) Klamath Water Report 1/11/10-1/18/10a (Klamath) agreement would harm agriculture, basin, H&N by guest writer Brandon Criss, Butte Valley, posted to KBC 1/18/10. "The KBRA makes abundantly clear in “Appendix B-3 Proposed Oregon Legislation for 2011 Legislation Session” page B-4 that states that “The use of lottery bond proceeds is authorized based on the following findings: That water right retirements and reduced water delivery in the Klamath River Basin in Oregon through the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement will negatively affect land values and the agricultural land base in Oregon’s Klamath River Basin and that the use of the lottery bond proceeds will further economic development by mitigating the negative impact of such water right retirements and reduced water delivery on the economy of the region.” Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement Finalized, Sublegals: Vol. 16, No. 2, 15 January 2010 - Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen, and Institute for Fisheries Resources. "The KBRA also establishes a separate, science-driven 50-year fisheries habitat restoration process and a program to curtail higher upper basin irrigation withdrawals and put between 130,000 to 230.000 additional acre-feet of water annually (annual amounts varying depending on rainfall) into the lower river to aid salmon restoration." On Wednesday, Jan 13 in Merrill, Klamath Water Users Association director Greg Addington and KWUA attorney Paul Simmons held an open meeting for the Klamath Project irrigation district directors regarding the KBRA and Klamath dam removal agreements. HERE is the audio of that meeting. County to take public input January 27 on Settlement 'agreements'. We need more dams for future populations, H&N letter to editor by Harvey Houston, Klamath Falls 1/16/10 (Langell Valley and Horserfly irrigation districts) Irrigator assistance possible, Kulongoski makes request for disaster determination, H&N, posted to KBC 1/16/10 Tulelake Irrigation District
board of directors, January 14, voted unanimously to
tentatively approve the KBRA and Klamath Hydroelectric
Agreements. The first public input meeting will be
1/21/10. They did not attend the public input meeting in
Klamath Falls, and evidently they deem the wishes of their
constituents unimportant. Facts these directors know:
County faces deadline on settlement, Commissioners have until Feb. 9 to take a position, H&N 1/15/10 Central Calif - Federal Fish Agency Refuses to Answer Any Questions On Scientific Basis for Its Restrictions on Water Deliveries, Family Farm Alliance, posted to KBC 1/15/10 Herald and News Correction: On 1/6/10, the Herald and News misreported that Senator Whitsett irrigates 1800 acres of land on Off-Project land. Whitsett actually irrigates 18 acres with well water. H&N apologizes for their mistake. Klamath restoration deal released to public, Capital Press 1/14/10 Follow the Money, by Oregon Senator Doug Whitsett 1/14/10 Using water wisely; Study finds irrigation is decreasing in the Basin, H&N 1/14/10 Public Meeting January
21st, Thursday, on Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement.
Time and place to be announces by KWUA/Klamath Water Users
Association.
KMED
Bill Meyers interview with Tom Mallams, Off Project
irrigator, regarding Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement/KBRA
and water for Rogue Valley. 1/12/10 Final Klamath Basin agreement released, Oregonian, posted to KBC 1/10/10. A Must Read! along with the comments by Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen spokesman and Eugene Attorney Glen Spain, Klamath Tribal Attorney Bud Ullman, Tribal biologist, Oregon Wild, Water Watch.Spain provides the very reasons only 5% of Klamath County residents polled support the agreement. Also he encourages WaterWatch to get Congress to deny farming on our wildlife refuges. KBC Responds California Regional Water Quality Control Board agenda for Yreka, Santa Rosa, and Klamath, Calif., posted 1/10/10. HERE for more on workshop and TMDL comment period.
Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife
Bulletin, posted to KBC 1/10/10 300 turn out for Senator Wyden's Klamath town hall, H&N, posted 1/9/10. "(The Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement) is not the kind of thing you do in the dead of the night without allowing people to comment,” he said." Quote from Lee Juillerat, regional writer Herald and News 1/3/10, For political Leaders: "Agree to disagree, but genuinely listen and seriously consider arguments from those you disagree with." KBC NOTE: Now that's a foreign concept to our local commissioners and "leaders." 300 people attended a public input meeting on the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement, and Klamath Commissioners, Klamath Water Users Association, Family Farm Alliance, PacifiCorp, all boycotted the meeting, where concerns and solutions were presented by those who will be effected by the KBRA. An organic incentive, and Conservation money available, H&N, posted to KBC 1/9/10
**Klamath
Basin Restoration Agreement/KBRA released 1/8/10 draft for 30-day
public review . Klamath water agreement done, H&N 1/8/10 Science conference scheduled, H&N 1/8/10. KBC NOTE: It will be in Medford. KWUA Greg Addington and UKWUA Becky Hyde will speak, "Unbiased Science" for Sec on Interior Salazar. Update from Tom Mallams, President Off Project Water Users Association, regarding the final KBRA document. Mallams is at the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement table on power issues, 1/7/09 From the archives: Storage still crucial to support farming, H&N editorial. KBC NOTE: The KBRA unveiled to the citizens today denies creating any off-stream storage to benefit agriculture.
Oregon
Senator Whitsett on Oregon Water adjudication,
Part 1 of 2, 11/8/09, YouTube
Video. US Senator Ron Wyden town hall Today, Wed Jan 6, 4:30pm Klamath Community College in the commons. Court may keep Oregon Water Resources Department out of KBRA negotiations *Corrected*, Siskiyou Daily News 1/5/10. "Also sought by the plaintiffs is an injunction restraining the OWRD and its director from participating in the KBRA negotiations or signing the KBRA without first having “publicly disclosed all records of the confidential negotiations that have previously taken place, affording the public meaningful participation in the negotiations consistent with ORS 539.010..." Final (Klamath) water deal near, H&N, 1/5/09. KBC Note: Last week we had 3 people from different people from different areas of the Klamath Basin call and tell us the "deal"/KBRA, is falling apart. Each said 3 mandates for the Project irrigators have been thrown out: water certainty, end of litigation, and 3 mil power rate, not to mention shelter from ESA mandates which was initially touted to the irrigators.
Sarah Palin will be speaking at the Redding Convention Center Feb 8 at 3 PM. Make reservations now. Klamath County Natural Resource Advisory Committee meeting cancelled for Jan 7. The meeting will be rescheduled after the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement, behind closed doors, is finished, then made public.
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