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http://www.heraldandnews.com/articles/2003/10/29/news/agriculture/ag02.txt
District presents annual awards
published Oct. 29, 2003
Farmers and ranchers in the Klamath Basin continue
to find ways to share their stored irrigation water
to benefit wildlife and the environment, according
to Martin Kerns, chairman of the Klamath Soil and
Water Conservation District.
Kerns spoke to the district's leaders at their
October annual banquet. The district presented six
awards to leaders in conservation for their work
over the last year.
Award winners included:
n Langell Valley farmer Jere Goss, who won the water
conservation and irrigation management award, for
converting from flood irrigation to sprinklers,
improving efficiency and water quality.
n Bill Moore, of the Sunnyside Irrigation District,
won the water conservation and farmland protection
award. Moore reclaimed farmland by converting from
open ditch delivery to closed pipeline.
n The conservation activities and natural resource
management award went to Bill Kennedy, of the Lost
River Ranch. He was credited for integrating natural
resource management in conjunction with cattle
ranching practices.
n Marshall Staunton was awarded for implementing
no-till farming practices by working with the
district to implement and promote no-till farming
practices in the Klamath Basin.
n Bill Worthington, of Angus View Farms, was awarded
for his irrigation management and conservation
practices.
n Klamath County Commissioners Al Switzer, Steve
West and John Elliott were given the conservation
leadership award, for vision, leadership and the
promotion of sustainable agriculture in the Klamath
Basin.
"Hopefully, with the attention of the nation focused
on the Klamath Project, people will become informed
that it is possible and practical to sustain
agriculture and still maintain wildlife habitat,
fish habitat and water quality for future
generations," said Dan Keppen, executive director of
the Klamath Water Users Association and keynote
speaker at the annual banquet.
In addressing the packed room, Keppen reviewed some
of the many efforts that led to "righting the
wrong," referring to the irrigation water cutoff in
2001.
Keppen lauded the efforts of those involved in the
return of the stored irrigation water in Klamath
Lake to the farmers, but added "much more work lies
ahead in the water controversy."
Rick Woodley, conservation district manager, praised
Basin farmers and ranchers for their "continued good
stewardship of the land and the area resources."
Woodley concluded, "if those organizations who point
fingers and litigate would help with conservation
projects instead of constantly putting up
roadblocks, there is no limit to the good that could
be done in the Klamath Basin."
For more information on conservation activities,
contact the Klamath Soil and Water Conservation
District at 883-6932, or visit the office at 2316 S.
Sixth St.
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