https://www.heraldandnews.com/news/local_news/kid-delays-project-irrigation-season/article_36853b10-e954-5012-afc4-498069c99edc.html

Reclamation unveils water contracts program (for Klamath water transfer)

Herald and News 2/11/18

Klamath - The Bureau of Reclamation announced Friday afternoon the government agency is giving the green light to accept comments on contracts that would allow irrigators to transfer excess water to another party.

The BOR released drafts of National Environmental Policy Act documents associated with contracts for five years or less for conveying and exchanging non-project water through Klamath Project facilities such as canals and ditches. Contracts would expire in 2022, according to BOR officials.

The deadline for the submitting comments on the NEPA documents is Feb. 23.

“The main reason they're wanting to get this in place is the potential need to move water, such as pumped groundwater, through our canals,” said Jeff Nettleton, manager of the Klamath Basin Area Office of the BOR. “... In anticipation of the dry water year we're having.”

Reclamation can contract with individuals and/or irrigation districts to move excess water outside the Klamath Project, according to Nettleton.

“Potentially, it could help any of the Project irrigators, either as individuals or as (irrigation) districts, depending on where they're geographically located, if they can move water back and forth,” Nettleton said.

“There might be a situation where one farmer, half a mile down the road from a neighbor, makes an agreement to pump water out of their well if they could convey it through one of our ditches (and) get it to their neighbor who has a need for that water.

“Our folks have been working on this for a few months in anticipation for the need for this,” Nettleton added. “It's just one example of the things that the Bureau of Reclamation is doing to try to help facilitate solutions to the challenges we're facing this year.”

The documents are available to view with this story at heraldandnews.com, or at To view the documents, go online at https://on.doi.gov/2EgQDZL.

Written comments may be mailed to Kirk Young, Bureau of Reclamation, 6600 Washburn Way, Klamath Falls, OR, 97603 or emailed to kyoung@usbr.gov  or faxed to 541-884-9053. For additional information or to request document copies, call Young at 541-880-2589. You can also view the documents at Reclamation's Klamath Basin Area Office.

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"The documents are available to view with this story at www.heraldandnews.com  or at To view the documents, go online at https://on.doi.gov/2EgQDZL  "

The documents are:

Reclamations Environmental Assessment; 5 year contracts for conveyance on non-Project Water within Klamath Project irrigation facilities - contract years 2015-2019

Draft Finding of No Significant Impact

Draft Environmental Assessment

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