Media and Press

Domestic wells affected by irrigators By Samantha Tipler Klamath Falls Herald & News July 23, 2013 Dennis Oden lives outside Merrill in the middle of green agricultural fields. Oden is not a farmer. He gets water for his home with a domestic well. With the drought this year, and with some Klamath Project farmers choosing

Fish vs. Farmers In Conflict Over Klamath River By Peter Fimrite San Francisco Chronicle July 20, 2013 Big, healthy chinook salmon are all but leaping into fishing boats this summer off the California coast, but the wriggling hordes could be in for trouble when they start heading up the rivers on their annual egg-laying runs.

State legislature approves handing out fewer suction dredge mining permits by Zach Urness Statesman Journal July 8, 2013 A bill that would scale back the number of suction dredge mining permits issued in Oregon has passed the House and Senate and heads to the desk of Gov. John Kitzhaber, who is expected to sign the

Klamath Basin Task Force Will Be Coordinated By Governor’s Office by David Nogueras OPB July 8, 2013 Members of Oregon’s congressional delegation joined Gov. John Kitzhaber Monday to announce the creation of a task force to work on long term solutions to water and power issues in the Klamath River Basin. The task force is

Key wildlife refuge hit hard in Klamath Basin’s water wars by Scott Learn Oregonian July 7, 2013 STATE LINE ROAD — Normally, the honks and calls of thousands of ducks, grebes and egrets clustering at the Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge make it hard to talk over the racket. But conversation is easy this summer.

Water Commission Approves Temporary Rules For Klamath Water Use By Amelia Templeton OPB July 1, 2013 The Oregon Water Resources Commission has approved temporary rules that prioritize drinking water for people and cattle in the Klamath Basin. The rules will remain in place to help during a summer drought and are meant to ensure a

Senator: Price tag too high on Klamath Basin deals By Tim Fought The Associated Press June 21, 2013 Parched canal in the Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge PORTLAND, Ore. — Drought has again brought the water struggles of the high-desert Klamath Basin to national attention, but an Oregon senator says Congress won’t pony up the

Senate Committee Hearing: Power rates may drop for irrigators By Devan Schwartz Klamath Falls Herald & News June 21, 2013 Solving water crises in the Klamath Basin may need more time, more inclusion and a lower price tag. “Everyone in the Klamath Basin has the right to deserve better,” U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., told

Klamath Tribes and federal government put out historic call for water rights in drought-stricken Klamath Basin by Scott Learn The Oregonian June 10, 2013 The Klamath Tribes and the federal government called their water rights in southern Oregon’s Klamath Basin for the first time Monday, likely cutting off irrigation water to hundreds of cattle ranchers

Klamath Basin water plan won’t harm protected fish, federal scientists say by The Associated Press June 3, 2013 GRANTS PASS — A new plan for balancing scarce water in the Klamath Basin between fish and farms won’t harm salmon or other fish protected by the Endangered Species Act, federal scientists said Monday. The NOAA Fisheries

Op-Ed: What are the facts about the KBRA, dam removal and tribal rights? Eureka Times-Standard by Dania Rose Colegrove May 30, 2013 There has been much debate lately over the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement and whether legislation is needed to remove the Klamath dams and whether the KBRA terminates tribal rights. We are in the

Civil Suit Demands Changes At Evans Creek Dam Medford Mail Tribune By MARK FREEMAN April 18, 2013 A conservation group has filed a federal suit against the owners of a defunct Evans Creek irrigation dam near Rogue River, arguing that the dam must be fixed or removed to allow safe passage of protected coho salmon.

Oregon lawmakers consider moratorium on motorized mining By Yuxing Zheng The Oregonian April 14, 2013 SALEM — Oregon lawmakers are considering a moratorium on suction-dredge mining in response to concerns that a growing number of recreational miners are causing harm to fish and rivers. The moratorium would ban motorized mining on the full length of

Legal Hook By Paul Fattig Mail Tribune April 14, 2013 Some 157 miles of the Rogue River flows freely again because of Bob Hunter. Hunter, 60, of Eagle Point, who retired in 2011 as the senior staff attorney for WaterWatch of Oregon but remains on its board, led the group’s decades-long battle to remove Savage

Bill would add to point of diversion requirements By Mitch Lies Capital Press March 5, 2013 SALEM — Farmers, ranchers and farm lobbyists have come out against a bill requiring the Oregon Water Resources Department to consider effects on wildlife and provide an opportunity for public comment when approving changes in water rights points of

Protecting Oregon’s rivers Bill would limit suction dredge mining on waterways Register Guard Editorial March 4, 2013 Nearly a quarter century has passed since Oregon last updated the State Scenic Waterways Program, which increases protection for the state’s most treasured rivers and limits destructive activities such as suction-dredge mining. The program, overwhelmingly approved by state

County withdraws from KBRA Commissioners voice concerns over impact on Klamath’s economy By Samantha Tipler Klamath Falls Herald & News February 26, 2013 Klamath County Commissioners plan to remove themselves and the county from the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement. At their regular meeting Tuesday morning, all three commissioners voted to draft an order for Klamath

Scenic rivers run through it Oregon, that is — and Bates’ bill would protect some of them from being dredged Medford Mail Tribune Editorial Board February 22, 2013 State Sen. Alan Bates, D-Medford, has introduced a bill that would restrict suction dredge gold mining on some parts of some creeks and rivers in the state.

Water proponents split over annual fee proposal By MITCH LIES Capital Press February 21, 2013 SALEM — At a recent ceremony in Portland, Sens. Jackie Dingfelder, D-Portland, and Bill Hansell, R-Pendleton, stood side-by-side in a show of bipartisan support for a plan to tap Columbia River water for irrigation in a way that protects fish.

Senate Bill Would Expand Protections for Oregon’s Rivers By Rachael McDonald KLCC February 20, 2013 A bill introduced in the legislature by Senator Alan Bates of southern Oregon would expand protections for the state’s rivers. It has the support of environmentalists and recreationalists. Senate Bill 401 expands the number of rivers and bodies of water

Roll on, Oregon House Republicans, roll on By Steve Duin, The Oregonian February 20, 2013 Ten thousand jobs. For more than a year, that’s been the pitch from Oregon House Republicans: Release a few drops from the mighty bucket of the Columbia River and — voila! — 10,000 jobs will magically rise from the fertile

Kitzhaber, farmers, environmentalists sign deal to add more water for Umatilla Basin irrigation By Scott Learn The Oregonian February 15, 2013 Gov. John Kitzhaber and a task force of farmers, environmentalists and government regulators agreed Friday to move forward on a short-list of projects that could provide more irrigation water for the water-short Umatilla Basin.

In Klamath, Politics Defeat Science and Common Sense By Leonard Masten Special to the Klamath Falls Herald and News February 03, 2013 Recent claims of retribution by government scientists come as no surprise. The Klamath Bureau of Reclamation has used bad science in the past. No one living on the Klamath River can forget the

2013 could be a watershed year for water in Oregon By Mitch Lies Capital Press January 8, 2013 Lawmakers will gather in Salem Jan. 14 to kick off the 2013 Oregon Legislature with an eye on water. Among other water issues expected to surface this session, lawmakers will debate the merits of a new water-right

Klamath Basin Farmers and Tribes Extend Water Deal For Two More Years By Amelia Templeton OPB Dec. 31, 2012 Farmers and tribes have voted to extend a restoration deal that could lead to the removal of four dams on the Klamath River. The deal was set to expire December 31, 2012. The Klamath begins in

Study links climate change to warmer Oregon streams by Keely Chalmers KGW November 2, 2012 A new study by Oregon researchers claims climate change is causing double trouble for our salmon. The snow that blankets Mount Hood is much more than just a pretty sight. It feeds the streams and rivers below it, giving fish

Officials deny water permit for gravel pit near Rogue River By The Associated Press October 18, 2012 GRANTS PASS — The state of Oregon has denied a water permit for a mining company that wants to develop a gravel pit along a tributary of the Rogue River. The Oregon Department of Water Resources said there

Southern Oregon irrigation project gains wide support By MITCH LIES Capital Press MEDFORD, Ore. — Farmers, conservationists, lawmakers and others ratified an agreement Sept. 26 proclaiming their commitment to improve water delivery systems in the upper Rogue River Valley. The Water for Irrigation Streams and Economy project, or WISE, is designed to improve in-stream flows

Objections raised over river mine plan By Mark Freeman Mail Tribune September 22, 2012 Conservation groups have launched an early effort to keep a Josephine County mining operation from developing an open-pit aggregate mine along the upper reaches of a Rogue River tributary. Havilah Resources of Grants Pass wants to build a 126-acre mine and

Wyden, Merkley testify for Crooked River water bill, KTVZ, Sept. 19, 2012 Both of Oregon’s Senators testify in favor of the Crooked River Collaborative Water Security Act.

Return of the sockeye salmon By Dylan J. Darling Bend Bulletin August 25, 2012 After decades of absence from the Deschutes River, sockeye salmon are running again. Returning as adults from a year or two in the Pacific Ocean, the fish are the latest to be reintroduced above the Pelton Round Butte dam complex, which

Op-Ed: Crooked River bill satisfies most stakeholder needs Bend Bulletin Aug 15, 2012 As reported, Rep. Greg Walden introduced a similar measure in the House earlier this year. Merkley’s bill incorporates and builds on many elements from Walden’s bill. One element is to allocate water from Prineville Reservoir to the city of Prineville. Everyone acknowledges

Bill Could Seal Crooked River Water Deal OPB News ENVIRONMENT Aug. 02, 2012 CONTRIBUTED BY: DAVID NOGUERAS A 40-year-old stalemate over what do with excess water in the Prineville Reservoir might soon be coming to an end. Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley says he’ll introduce legislation this week that formalizes an agreement among stakeholders in business,

Hayley Hutt: Ten years after fish kill, stalling threatens salmon Redding Record Searchlight Op-Ed July 29, 2012 Two major events that could decide the fate of Klamath salmon recently occurred. First, the Department of Interior decided to analyze putting extra water into the Trinity River to avert a possible fish kill. Second, the California State

Firm Cuts Back Request for McKenzie River The Veneta company says it wants to take 10.4 million instead of 21 million gallons a day from the river BY CHRISTIAN WIHTOL The Register-Guard Friday, Jun 15, 2012 A Veneta company has cut in half its request for the amount of water it wants to withdraw from

EDITORIAL: Protect flowing resource State should deny speculative bid for McKenzie water Eugene Register Guard May 2, 2012 The Oregon Water Resources Commission should heed an administrative law judge who last week issued a proposed order saying the state should deny an application from the Willamette Water Co. for rights to withdraw more than 21

WATER FIGHT: An effort to draw from the McKenzie River prompts objections By Christian Wihtol Eugene Register Guard February 19, 2012 The McKenzie River appears inexhaustible as it tumbles wide, cold and fast from the Cascade Range on a winter’s day. Stand at the river’s edge near Vida and you’ll see up to 40,000 gallons