Klamath KBC cip toc

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

BOR and CIP
Bureau of Reclamation
Conservation Implementation Program

Bureau of Reclamation Map of the Klamath Basin

Bureau of Reclamation Hydrology database of the Klamath Project.

August 2009 - $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.

Press Release: Klamath Project 2011 Operations Plan Released, Bureau of Reclamation 4/6/11
Klamath Project 2001 Operations Plan 4/6/11

Bureau of Reclamation 2010 Klamath Project Operation Plan 5/6/10

2009 Klamath Project Operations Plan
Klamath Project Operation Plan, Bureau of Reclamation, posted to KBC 4/8/08
PRESS RELEASE Reclamation : Klamath Project 2007 Operations Plan Released; Supplies Expected to Meet all Responsibilities, 4/9/07. "Reclamation has developed access to supplemental water of up to 100,000 acre-feet, if it is required, to meet Project needs...the WSES water comprises off-stream storage, land idling, and ground-water pumping."
Bureau 2006 Operations Plan, 4/06
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
Bureau of Reclamation Water Data Update – April 12, 2005
Operation plan 2004
Our new Biological Assessment is out, 10/24/07 Page 29, Element Four, Water User Mitigation Plan: "Work with the KWUA to establish a Water User Drought Mitigation Plan which could be implemented to lessen the impact to water users when the Project experiences a water shortage. The Plan initially will be managed by Reclamation for a four-year transition period, after which it will be the sole responsibility of the KWUA under a Joint Powers Agreement..." Please, will someone explain the meaning of this to the KBC readers?? We at KBC weeded through several pages of this BA. Dikes to Klamath Lake will be breached, thousands more acres of farmland will be converted to swamps further evaporating water and raising the PH as proven before; these are the things that the National Academy of Science told us NOT to do to improve water quantity and quality.
PRESS RELEASE: Biological Assessment, Bureau of Reclamation posted to KBC 10/24/07

6/19/07: In September 2004 the Bureau of Reclamation disclosed their intentions for a CIP, Conservation Implimentation Program. "The purpose of the CIP is to (1) largely restore the Klamath River ecosystem to achieve recovery of the Lost River and Shortnose suckers and substantially contribute to the recovery of Coho salmon, (2) contribute to the Tribal Trust responsibilities of the Federal government, and (3) allow continued, sustainable operation of existing water management facilities and future water resource improvements for human use in the Klamath Basin."
(KBC Note: We are now June 2007. Public CIP planning meetings have not happened with the public. CIP money has been spent funding Dr. Thomas Hardy who, contracted by the BIA, created science for our biological opinions, The Nature Conservancy projects, Karuk and Yurok studies, and more.
HERE is todays PRESS RELEASE on the CIP today from the Bureau of Reclamation. For proposed CIP structure go HERE. Request for funding for grants was May 1 - June 29, 2007; we irrigators heard about it today. Irrigators were told that the Bureau would hold a series of public meetings to create the working structure, however this press release states that the Bureau designed the structure and will meet with the governors to tell them how the proposed structure works.)
For Bureau's CIP draft #3, go HERE
For Bureau's CIP draft #2 plan, go HERE

Bureau of Reclamation builds water reserves for Klamath Basin irrigators, KDRV News, posted to KBC 1/12/11

New leader at the (Klamath) BOR — again; Jason Phillips agency’s fourth new manager in eight years, H&N 11/23/10

Klamath Falls - Reclamation office gets new manager, H&N 11/9/10

Letter from Bureau of Reclamation Susan Fry to Ron Cole, Fish and Wildlife Tulelake Refuge Manager, regarding FWS takeover of leaseland management, posted 7/23/10. "Ron, I understand you held a meeting with Lease Land growers on July 14^th and announced that FWS had “fired the Bureau” and would be taking over the lease land program. Since I have not heard from you regarding the lease land program since April/May, I am surprised to hear of this announcement..."

(Klamath Project) water releases begin, H&N 5/13/10

(Klamath Project) Water deliveries to begin no earlier than May 15, H&N 5/11/10

***Bureau of Reclamation 2010 Klamath Project Operation Plan 5/6/10

$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.

Walking Wetland Controversy, and Bureau of Reclamation blackmail Issues, by KBC reporter July 19, 2009

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.)

PRESS RELEASE: Pablo Arroyave Appointed as Deputy Regional Director for Reclamation's Mid-Pacific Region, Bureau of Reclamation 5/9/09

***2009 Klamath Project Operations Plan

PRESS RELEASE: Reclamation Announces Start Date for Klamath Project Water Deliveries, Bureau of Reclamation, posted to KBC 4/5/09

Obama Announces Nomination For New Bureau Of Reclamation Commissioner, CBB, posted 3/21/09. "Connor served in the Department of the Interior, including as deputy director and then director of the Secretary's Indian Water Rights Office"

The Bureau of Reclamation told us, "The 2009 Operations Plan will not be released until after April 1st. We wait until we receive the April 1st forecast before it's finalized."

* NEWS RELEASE: Reclamation Announces Delayed Water Deliveries for Klamath Project, 3/10/09. "The current lake level and lower than average estimated inflow may potentially delay the start of operations to mid-April with deliveries in late April."

Bureau of Reclamation Tulelake leaseland bid winners, posted to KBC 3/10/09

PRESS RELEASE: Susan Fry Selected as Area Manager for Reclamation's Klamath Basin Area Office, BOR 11/19/08

(Klamath) Bureau head to leave. H&N, posted to KBC 8/27/08

Klamath BOR manager changing jobs, H&N, posted to KBC 8/4/08

Bureau of Reclamation funding......posted to KBC 7/24/08

Note by Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Bob Johnson regarding death of former Commissioner John Keyes III, 6/2/08

Plane crash in park claims 2 (former Bureau Commissioner Keyes), Salt Lake Tribune, posted 6/1/08

Donald R. Glaser named Mid-Pacific Regional Director for the Bureau of Reclamation, Commissioner’s Office, Washington, D.C.5/2/08

8/15/06: Senator Doug Whitsett, Oregon District 28, asked these questions to the Bureau of Reclamation and the US Fish and Wildlife regarding Barnes Ranch acquisition.
10/9/07: Upon request of the "final" answers, today Cecil Leslie from the Bureau of Reclamation sent these to KBC stating, "Attached are our responses to Senator Whitsett's questions; the Draft answers are our final answers." HERE for more on Barnes Ranch and other "irrigation storage" letters, scams, science.

From Cecil Leslie, Bureau of Reclamation regarding Barnes Ranch questions from OR Senator Whitsett, "We had a meeting with Senator Whitsett and the Water Users in September of 2006 to go over the questions on your web page. We answered all of the questions at that time. No further response is forthcoming, and you can remove the questions from your web page."
However, "Senator Whitsett has not received anything other than a draft report regarding the Barnes property as of September 1, 2007" according to his staff. In fall 2006 we and Whitsett were told by the Bureau that the final answers would be coming soon.

Bureau of Reclamation information on 2007 funding for the Klamath River Watershed Restoration Program. HERE for grant details. 5/23/07

Bureau of Reclamation public meeting, Managing for Excellence, May 30-31

Water obligations will be met, Reclamation expects to make full deliveries to irrigators, H&N posted to KBC 4/14/07

* Notes of Pablo R. Arroyave, Bureau of Reclamation Klamath Office, for KWUA annual meeting, posted to KBC 2/22/07

Reclamation Proposes New Grounds to Fire E-Mailing Biologist, posted 1/16/07. (KBC Note: here is an interesting scenario that has nothing to do with Klamath. Rex Wahl was executive director of Forest Guardians, a radical environmentalist group in NM that has unconditionally opposed logging. Then the Bureau of Reclamation made him a GS-12 Environmental Specialist earning between $55,000 and &72,000 pay plus benefits.)

BOR UKL fish screen comments 11/30

* Finalize CIP Dec 6-7, POSTPONED

PRESS RELEASE: Postponed – Working Session on the Organizational Structure for the Klamath River Basin Conservation Implementation Program, Bureau of Reclamation, posted to KBC 11/28/06

Reclamation boss balances issues, H&N, posted 11/9/06

Final work on Reclamation Klamath Plan in December, Capital Press, 10/27/06

10/5/06: The Conservation Implementation Program (CIP) working session to finalize the organizational structure and first-year goals will be held on December 6-7, 2006

Bureau of Reclamation selects management of CIP, by BOR 8/29/06 "The CIP is a stakeholder-driven restoration program with the following four goals: ecosystem restoration, maintaining sustainable water use while reducing demand, contributing to Tribal Trust responsibilities of the Federal government, and fostering partnerships between governments and private interest in the Klamath Basin."

Managing for excellence, Participant Comments Reclamation Meeting on Managing for Excellence, posted to KBC 7/31/06

Bureau: Aquifer use necessary, H&N, posted to KBC 7/22/06
County questions water use, Commissioners object to aquifer irrigation in a good water year, H&N, posted to KBC 7/22/06
Waterbank Page (KBC note: Our aquifer is being depleted by 5' per year according to OWRD. Yet the BIA paid for science by Dr Hardy which forces irrigators to pump the aquifer to artificially elevate Klamath River flows. So irrigators are told to pump the aquifer or shut down the Klamath Project, which is storage paid for by irrigators. This is a flood year yet we still are required to deplete our aquifer.)

PRESS RELEASE: Bureau of Reclamation Area Manager Appointed for Klamath Basin Office, 7/6/06.

Bureau of Reclamation Water Data Update – June 14, 2006

Bureau to stabilize lake levels, H&N 6/13/06. HERE for more on waterbank.

Weather report and flows and letter from Christine Karas, Acting Manager of the Klamath Area Office of the Bureau of Reclamation, 4/10/06. Thank you Barb Hall, KBB.

Bids accepted for lease lands, H&N 3/6/06

PRESS RELEASE: Bureau of Reclamation, Bid Opening Announced for Klamath Project Lease Lands 3/3/06

PRESS RELEASE: Bureau of Reclamation and USGS Budget Review, House Committee on Resources 3/1/06

Dave Sabo, by Dan Keppen 2/27/06.
Bye Dave! Being thrown in between the Cowboys and Indians and enviros and government agencies, trying to please all, certainly was a tough spot. May God guide you to peaceful waters. KBC
PRESS RELEASE: Klamath Project’s Sabo Moving to Upper Colorado Region, Bureau of Reclamation 2/21/06

PRESS RELEASE: Reclamation's Mid-Pacific Region regarding Conservation Implementation Program Draft 3. February 9, 2006
Bureau of Reclamation's Klamath River Basin Conservation Implementation Program Draft 3, February 9, 2006, pdf file

BOR question and answer page: Questions by irrigators and districts, and answers by Bureau of Reclamation

PRESS RELEASE: Klamath Project’s Sabo Moving to Upper Colorado Region, Bureau of Reclamation 2/21/06

PRESS RELEASE: President seeks more than $2 billion for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 2007 budget, posted to KBC 2/7/06 "This total includes a requested increase of $2.0 million for restoration work in the Klamath Basin"

PRESS RELEASE: Reclamation's FY 2007 budget request is $971.6 million, posted to KBC 2/7/06 "$24.8 million for the Klamath Project to increase studies and initiatives related to improving water supplies to meet irrigation, wildlife refuges, and Tribal trust obligations; continue a water bank; and coordinate Reclamation's Conservation Implementation Program"

Answers from Bureau of Reclamation to questions by irrigators and districts January 27, 2006, regarding irrigation district issues with the Bureau, farmer issues with the Bureau, Bureau staff, CIP status and 2006 plans, CIP expenditures, Dr. Hardy payment from Bureau, Bureau emergency phone numbers, Chadwick expenditures, National Academy of Science review of Natural Flow Study, Long Lake water storage study, Clear Lake Dam, 2006 water bank plans, Barnes Ranch federal acquisition, and water bank monitoring issues.
Thank you BOR for your prompt attention to these questions and concerns.

Statement by Reclamation Commissioner John Keys on Plans to Address National Academy of Science Report, "Managing Construction and Infrastructure in the 21st Century Bureau of Reclamation", posted to KBC 1/11/06.

Question from irrigators and answers from the Bureau of Reclamation regarding CIP, Barnes Ranch, and the Chadwick process, received from BOR 9/29/05.

WARNING! BOR! WARNING! Klamath Courier, posted to KBC 12/29/05

PRESS RELEASE: Keyes announces Reclamation Reorganization, posted to KBC 12/27/05

* Bureau of Reclamation Final Natural Flow study of the Upper Klamath River, posted to KBC 12/15/05 - pdf file, 115 pages.
* Appendices, 161 pages of appendices, to the Undepleted Flow study, pdf.
* Rae Olson, Bureau of Reclamation Public Affairs Officer, describes the Bureau's Natural Flow Study, written for KBC 12/19/05

WARNING! BOR releases Undepleted Natural Flow Study, Be Afraid! Be Very Very Afraid, by Pat Ratliff, Klamath Courier, posted to KBC 12/18/05.

National Academy Assessment of BOR Released, Family Farm Alliance 12/6/05
NAS issues alert, NAS looks at Bureau, FFA 12/6/05 pdf file
Managing Construction and Infrastructure in the 21st century Bureau of Reclamation, NAS Executive Summary 12/6/05 pdf file
Managing Construction and Infrastructure in the 21st century Bureau of Reclamation, The FULL NAS Report 12/6/05 pdf file
The Bureau of Reclamation’s Capability to Fulfill Its Core Mission: The Customer’s Perspective June 2005

Exhaustive Inventory Includes Hundreds of Western Projects; The Bureau of Reclamation Sends Storage Study to Congress, FFA 11/11/05
Inventory of Reclamation Water Surface Storage Studies with Hydropower Components; Report to Congress Implementing Provisions of Section 1840 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (Public Law 109-58) 11/11/05 PDF

PRESS RELEASE: David J. McCarthy Named as Reclamation’s Deputy Commissioner for External and Intergovernmental Affairs, 11/2/05 Bureau of Reclamation.

Energy bill directs BOR to develop storage report posted 7/31/05 sent from Family Farm Alliance

Irrigation districts describe dealings with BuRec, Capital Press posted to KBC 7/30/05

Family Farm Alliance Report by Dan Keppen Regarding the Bureau of Reclamation's capability to fulfill its core mission posted to KBC 7/11/05

Klamath Water Users' final letter to the Bureau of Reclamation regarding the Klamath River Basin Conservation Implementation Program, 1/17/05.

Tulelake Growers Association comments on the Bureau's CIP program posted to KBC 1/20/05. For more on Tulelake Growers Association, go HERE.

Let's Cut the BS by Pat Ratliff, Klamath Courier posted to KBC 11/4/04. "At the CIP meeting in Chiloquin Oct. 21, Curt Mullis, Manager of the Klamath Falls Fish and Wildlife office said he didn't think we would ever know how many fish are in Klamath Lake, and decisions would have to be made based on restoration of habitat and advancing age class .... I am dumbfounded AND angry AND offended....How can you work toward an objective if you have no information about that objective?"

Bureau takes new program for test drive, H&N 10/22/04.

Hands across the basin, and States' presence key part of water process, H&N posted to KBC 10/19/04--an article and editorial regarding the signing of the recent Klamath River Watershed Coordination Agreement.

BOR CIP Klamath Falls Oct 22 6-9pm 2004