Crowd gathers as Mark Baird begins speaking. He explained that on April 1, 2011, it is legal for him to begin using his irrigation water from his Water Right adjudication.  Mark stated that the Permit the California Dept. of Fish and Game is demanding Water Right owners to get is ILLEGAL.  He talked to a Fish and Game Warden earlier in the week saying he was going to turn on his legal water on April 1st.  The warden said he would cite him. Mark told him to “go ahead.” The warden said he would go and turn the water off.  Mark said he would turn it back on. The warden said he would get in injunction. Mark suggested that he come to the ranch and “arrest” him.

No game wardens showed up on Friday, April 1.  There were about 150 folks from Scott Valley, Shasta Valley, Klamath Falls, Redding and Paradise that attended this protest against the demands being made by the state that will erode Water Rights.

The Fish and Game does not have a Permit process in place for ranchers to obtain, but officials and game wardens still maintain that a permit is needed to turn on the water.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Michael Hess showed up with his State of Jefferson and Don’t Tread on me flags.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mike Duguay praised for their support of Scott Valley Protect Our Water and the Protest the crowd saying the timber industry should have never compromised with the government and enviros.  He said the industry should have just said NO and stood on existing regulations and Constitutional rights.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Craig Chenoweth spoke about the new project with constitutional attorney Fred Kelly Grant, who will be working with POW and the NO Monument groups in Siskiyou County to curtain the intrusion of federal and state agencies.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The crowd continued to grow. A huge line of cars and pickups drove Quartz Valley Road and up the dusty Mill Creek Rd to the Baird’s ranch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tammy Towne brought her nephew to his first protest.  It was his first birthday too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then about 20 of us hopped on the flat bed and the crowd parted. Here, I recognize, Bernard Dowling and Susan Thackeray from Scott Valley; Phil Osborn from Yreka; and Stan Meager with the camera drove up from Klamath River.

 

 

 

 

 

As we were driving out to the headgate, this mom and son waved us on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo by Erin Ryan

Mark Baird and Craig Chenoweth, leaders of Scott Valley POW, turned on Mark’s water irrigation diversion defying the California Dept. of Fish and Game and their illegal Permit.

SCOTT VALLEY PROTECT OUR WATER

Our Mission Statement is:

We say NO to those regulations that are attempting to destroy our constitutional Rights.

We will not submit, nor sign our rights away.

We will stand on those Constitutional Rights with all our resources at our command.

About 150 people showed up to support Mark and Cyndi Baird when they officially and legally turned on their irrigation water diversion today, April 1, 2011.  California Dept. of Fish and Game Warden told Mark that he could be cited for not having a Permit to do so.  Mark stands on his Constitutional Right of property and states he does NOT need a Permit to use his Water Right.

In fact, Mark told the Game Warden to come to the Water Rally Protest and arrest him.  No one from Fish and Game showed up.  More than 20 folks made the one-lane road trip up to the mountain diversion and helped turn the crank on the diversion above the fish screen.

Thank you to all who came to support the Bairds. You drove from Paradise and Redding and Klamath Falls.

To Bill Ramsom and his sidekick, thanks for towing over the famous GIANT bucket from the Klamath Bucket Brigade.

More photos will be posted tomorrow.  I promise.  — Editor Liz Bowen