Exciting Progress in Removing Fish Killer OWEB reports on the Savage Rapids Dam Removal Project. By OWEB Oregon.gov March 18, 2008 Six years ago the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB) invested over $3 million in the Savage Rapids Dam Removal Project. At the time, the Savage Rapids Dam Project was the single largest OWEB […]
A legal victory for the Deschutes Bend Bulletin February 17, 2008 This week, a federal judge blessed the Swalley Irrigation District’s plan to pipe a section of leaky canal. The ruling caps more than two years of legal wrangling and comes, no doubt, as a relief to most Swalley members. But in a larger
A region’s vitality, melting away Article on the impact of the melting of Mt. Hood’s glaciers. By Michael Milstein Oregonian February 11, 2008 HOOD RIVER — The melting of Mount Hood’s signature glaciers raises a crucial question for the region: How much do we depend on them and the cool meltwater they pour into
Another View: Fish are key to deal on Klamath Opinion column by Hoopa Valley Tribe’s Chairman Lyle Marshall regarding the draft Klamath settlement proposal. Sacramento Bee February 10, 2008 As chairman of the Hoopa Valley Reservation, which has the Klamath and Trinity rivers running through it, I want to clarify my tribe’s position regarding
A new test for Oregon’s salmon plan Editorial on the re-listing of Oregon’s coastal coho. Oregonian February 09, 2008 Oregon’s unique state-federal partnership for salmon recovery was left floating belly-up this week after a federal decision to return the state’s coastal coho to the endangered species list. Collapse of the joint program comes as
Water shortage back before lawmakers Article on the proposed Umatilla basin aquifer storage plan. By Dean Brickey and Mitch Lies East Oregonian January 30, 2008 SALEM – Oregon lawmakers in special session beginning Monday will consider budgeting $750,000 for a feasibility study to determine if groundwater recharge can work in the Umatilla Basin. The
Walden cuts pressure for fast action on water pact Herald and News editorial on the draft Klamath settlement proposal. By Pat Bushey Herald and News January 30, 2008 The proposed settlement of Klamath River water issues deserves better than a quick decision. It’s too big, too complex and too expensive for that treatment. People
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Maybe we can turn the clock back Daily Astorian editorial regarding the draft Klamath settlement proposal. Daily Astorian January 22, 2008 Negotiations in the Klamath Basin could lead to PacifiCorp dam removal It’s a rare thing when we have the chance to turn the clock’s hands back and undo a big environmental mistake. That’s what
Klamath Basin settlement is far from a done deal An editorial in the Redding Record Searchlight on the draft Klamath settlement proposal. Redding Record Searchlight January 22, 2008 The various feuding parties in the Klamath Basin have put a lot of hope into secret talks aimed at resolving the battles over water supply and
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A deal on Klamath’s dams Article in the San Francisco Chronicle on the draft Klamath settlement proposal. San Francisco Chronicle January 21, 2008 For complexity, the years-long water war along the Klamath River rivals the Middle East. A list of contending parties, long-held grievances and state borders have strained hopes of settlement. Until now.
A Klamath settlement that isn’t Op-ed from the Oregonian on the draft Klamath settlement proposal. Oregonian January 17, 2008 Don’t break out the champagne just yet to celebrate the sweeping settlement announced Tuesday for restoring Klamath River salmon runs. It’s not really a settlement. It’s more like a real estate agent declaring he’s got
Klamath water deal reached LA Times article re: Tribes, farmers and others draw up a plan to remove dams and revive dwindling salmon populations. By Eric Bailey LA Times January 16, 2008 SACRAMENTO — After more than three years of negotiations, a collection of long-quarreling Klamath Basin farmers, fishermen and tribes announced a breakthrough agreement
Dam removal key to Klamath pact success Article on the draft Klamath settlement proposal. By Mateusz Perkowski Capital Press January 16, 2008 A long-awaited agreement among farmers, fishermen, Indian tribes, conservationists and the federal government to manage water in the Klamath Basin and remove four hydroelectric dams received mixed reviews from the people it
Deal afoot to alter Klamath for users Article in the Oregonian on the draft Klamath settlement proposal. By Peter Sleeth Oregonian January 16, 2008 A unique gathering of government agencies, Native Americans, farmers and fishermen Tuesday proposed removing four dams on the Klamath River, with a cornucopia of benefits running to river users ranging
Deal Would Remove Klamath River Dams Associated Press article on the draft Klamath settlement proposal. By Jeff Barnard Associated Press January 16, 2008 GRANTS PASS, Ore. (AP) – More than 300 miles of struggling salmon runs would be restored along the Klamath River as part of a landmark $1 billion proposal that represents the
Groups offer plan for removing dams on Oregon’s Klamath River to help salmon population Oregonian (AP) article regarding draft Klamath settlement proposal. By Jeff Barnard Oregonian January 15, 2008 GRANTS PASS — A deal calling for removal of four hydroelectric dams on Klamath River to restore struggling salmon runs has been forged among farmers,
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Groups Want to Remove Dams for Salmon Associated Press article on the removal of four dams on the Klamath River. By Jeff Barnard Associated Press January 15, 2008 A deal calling for removal of four hydroelectric dams on the Klamath River to restore struggling salmon runs has been forged among farmers, Indian tribes, fishermen,
Klamath groups offer plan for removing dams to help salmon Associated Press article on the draft Klamath settlement proposal. Associated Press January 15, 2008 GRANTS PASS — A deal calling for removal of four hydroelectric dams on Klamath River to restore struggling salmon runs has been forged among farmers, Native American tribes, fishermen, conservation
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Legislature’s Feb. session to seek more water for rural Oregon Associated Press article on the Oregon Legislature’s proposal to establish aquifer storage areas in eastern Oregon. By Brad Cain Associated Press January 12, 2008 It was touted by backers as the “Oasis Project,” a plan to draw an additional 500,000 acre-feet of water from
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Bringing closure to the Klamath conflict An Oregonian op-ed regarding Klamath Basin solutions by Jim McCarthy of Oregon Wild and Bob Hunter of WaterWatch. Oregonian December 21, 2007 The relicensing process for PacifiCorp’s Klamath River hydropower project presents a unique opportunity to remove its lower four dams and bring Klamath salmon back home to
Negotiating the Klamath Oregonian article about the ongoing Klamath settlement talks. By Peter Sleeth Oregonian December 09, 2007 KLAMATH FALLS — Water cleaves the West. If you doubt its razor edge, think of the Klamath River Basin where the water divides the people — fishermen from farmers, Native Americans from the dam owners, conservationists from
Fish benefit of a Klamath pact questioned Sacrmento Bee story about the ongoing Klamath settlement talks. By David Whitney Sacramento Bee December 09, 2007 As groups plan to vote on water deal, new studies say salmon may get shorted. WASHINGTON – Environmentalists, Indian tribes, fishermen and farmers have been meeting in private for months trying
Let science guide dam removal, professors say Article on professors Jeffrey Mount and Peter Moyle’s letter to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service about Klamath dams. By Peter Sleeth Oregonian December 09, 2007 Two leading scientists from the University of California are urging more studies of dam removal on the Klamath River before taking
Klamath Basin report sparks differing interpretations Article on the National Research Council’s report on the Klamath River. By Mateusz Perkowski Capital Press December 07, 2007 A new report from the National Research Council that calls for a more expansive scientific view of the Klamath River basin has been welcomed by irrigator and environmentalist groups
Klamath Basin report sparks differing interpretations Read More »
FERC ignores salmon mandates, recommends keeping Klamath dams Associated Press article on FERC recommending to keep PacifiCorp’s four hydroelectric dams. By Jeff Barnard Associated Press November 16, 2007 GRANTS PASS, Ore. (AP) – Federal licensing authorities Friday recommended keeping PacifiCorp’s four hydroelectric dams on the Klamath River, siding with the utility and ignoring calls
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Judge recommends higher electric rates for Klamath irrigators Associated Press article on the possibility of Klamath basin irrigators paying more than 0.6 cents per kilowatt hour for electricity. By Jeff Barnard Associated Press November 14, 2007 GRANTS PASS, Ore. — An administrative law judge has recommended that Klamath farmers’ request for continued cut-rate electricity to pump
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Governor Stresses need to store more water Article on Gov. Kulongoski exploring water storage options in the Umatilla Basin. By Harry Esteve Oregonian November 09, 2007 WARM SPRINGS — At a meeting with Oregon tribal leaders Thursday, Gov. Ted Kulongoski said he wants to look at building massive water storage areas in eastern Oregon
Troubled Waters, Part III: The settlement talks — path to a solution or political fix? By H. Bruce Miller Source Weekly October 11, 2007 Drive around the back roads near Klamath Falls and you’ll still come across a few hand-lettered signs left over from the spring of 2002, when federal officials shut off irrigation
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Troubled Waters, Part II: Klamath farmers see themselves in the crosshairs By H. Bruce Miller Source Weekly October 03, 2007 KLAMATH FALLS – A strange-looking monument stands in front of City Hall on the main street of this Southern Oregon farming center. It’s a giant silver-painted bucket, standing at least 10 feet high. The
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Stuck in denial as the river runs dry By Steve Duin Oregonian October 25, 2007 Ten years ago, Ron Neilson, a U.S. Forest Service bioclimatologist, gave a short talk on climate change to his daughter’s class at Corvallis High School. “When I was done,” Neilson said, “I looked out across this sea of high
Local fish interests go to D.C. to ask for a waiver By Keith Chu Bend Bulletin September 19, 2007 WASHINGTON — A group of Central Oregon irrigators, government officials and dam owners asked federal officials Tuesday for time to gauge the impacts of reintroducing endangered fish, in meetings in Washington, D.C. They made their
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Triple threat to ag: Development, restoration, climate issues mount Capital Press article discussing a recent Family Farm Alliance report titled “Water Supply in a Changing Climate.” By Mateusz Perkowski Capital Press September 14, 2007 According to a recent report by the Family Farm Alliance, more storage facilities and canals like this one are needed
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Water Crisis Squeezes California’s Economy By Daniel B. Wood Christian Science Monitor September 12, 2007 California farmers, who produce half the nation’s fruits and vegetables, say they will idle fields and cut back on planting lettuce, cotton, rice, and more. Silicon Valley computer-chip makers and other industrial/commercial users say they will rethink manufacturing processes
Bidding Set to Close for 82 Acres Near Sandy By Brad Schmidt Oregonian August 22, 2007 Bidding will close today on the sale of 82 acres of forestland along U.S. 26 in Brightwood, a transaction that could lead to the construction of 260 houses — the largest new single-family residential development near Mount Hood
Water Wars Street Roots article about Klamath Basin water issues. By Matthew Deschaine Street Roots, Street News Servic August 20, 2007 WaterWatch’s John DeVoe works to keep the public interest in conserving Oregon’s public water (Photograph by Street Roots) For more than a decade, the Klamath River Basin has been the central front in
Drifting on the Klamath Eugene Register-Guard editorial responding to Senator Gordon Smith’s opinion of the state of Klamath Basin. Eugene Register-Guard August 14, 2007 The problem with Sen. Gordon Smith’s defense of the Bush administration’s 2002 decision to divert Klamath Lake water for irrigation isn’t that the Oregon Republican is wobbly on the facts.
Discord threatens Klamath River water talks Article in the Sacramento Bee on Klamath River water talks. By David Whitney Sacramento Bee August 12, 2007 WASHINGTON — When the House Natural Resources Committee met in July to discuss whether Vice President Dick Cheney had improperly interfered in the battle over Klamath River water, Republicans complained
Senator’s comments on salmon criticized Article in the Eugene Register-Guard on Senator Gordon Smith’s comments on the Klamath River salmon kill in 2002. By David Steves Eugene Register-Guard August 11, 2007 SALEM – Sen. Gordon Smith’s explanation this week of how the 2002 diversion of Klamath Lake water for irrigation related to a massive
Piping project could help fish return to Middle Deschutes By Kate Ramsayer Bend Bulletin August 06, 2007 Two decades ago, Tumalo Creek ran dry downstream of Shevlin Park in the summer, as the Tumalo Irrigation District diverted water to supply farmers. Things have improved a bit for the lower section of the creek since
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Water war pits urban vs. rural By John Burt Capital Press August 03, 2007 Water. It always has come down to water for agriculture. Farmers and ranchers have the scars from the wars that have raged over who has it, who wants it and who needs it. When it comes to water I’ve seen
