CALIFORNIA – OREGON  BI-STATE ALLIANCE

ALTERNATIVES

to the

Klamath Basin Restoration Agreements (KBRA) and

Klamath Hydro-Electric Settlement Agreement (KHSA)

(Both agreements mandate Klamath River Hydro-electric Dam removals)

SUBMITTED BY CAL/ORE BI-STATE ALLIANCE

C/O BSA    CALIFORNIA - OREGON  BI-STATE ALLIANCE

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

The Bi-State Alliance hereby introduces alternatives to save taxpayers and ratepayers billions of dollars by preserving the green hydro- electric power and dams on the Klamath River while achieving other common sense solutions to address the water wars and environmental goals orchestrated by NGOs and State &Federal Agencies in the KBRA & KHSA to remove four perfectly sound dams on the Klamath River.

The Bi-State Alliance hereby complies with State and Federal Laws, in particular the Klamath River Basin Compact between California and Oregon, ratified by Congress and signed into law by the Governors of both States and the President of the United States, with the following major purposes with respect to water resources:  

A.    To facilitate and promote the orderly, integrated and comprehensive development, use, conservation and control of water resources. 

B.     To further intergovernmental co-operation and resolve present and future controversies with respect to water resources.                         

1.     To Stop the Federal Department of Interior (DOI) and State Agencies’ Scams and Conspiracies to remove four perfectly sound hydro-electric dams on the Klamath River by combining, over regulating, spinning,  and promoting the following events:  Over reaching FERC hydro-electric relicensing requirements; Endangered Species Act (EPA) questionable listings; North Coast Regional Water Control Board (TMDL) over reaching water quality regulations; DOI Klamath Project electricity rate increases, water cutoffs and irresponsible regulated river flows; Upper Klamath Basin Tribal Water Wars; Grants and Bribes to tribes, NGO’s, farmers and ranchers to bring (Stakeholders??) together to sign the KBRA. All signatories having to agree to one primary objective (Dam Removals).

Note:

a.       The downstream Dams have absolutely nothing to do with the Upper Basin water wars or the DOI Klamath Project regulated flows to farmers and ranchers.

b.     The California dams have been recently inspected by the Division of Dam Safety and are in good condition. These dams provide considerable down river flood and surge protection and provide an average yearly water quality improvement.

c.      Given the condition of a complete Klamath River cutoff by the DOI or a severe drought. The dams can also easily provide CDFG’s  700 cfs minimum instream river flows for a three month period  with adequate storage retained for lake habitat..       

2.     To Save Taxpayers and Ratepayers over one billion dollars (down played by the DOI to be less than the $450 million cap in the KBRA & KHSA)  initial cost associated with the Klamath River Hydro-electric Dams and facilities scheduled for removals, and their replacement cost with green power?? This cost to ratepayers and taxpayers does not include the additional long term billions of dollars in cost associated with secret and undisclosed KBRA and KHSA agreements.

3.     To Save  the complete destruction of the Klamath River aquatic and fishery habitat below Iron Gate Dam and Fish Hatchery by PROHIBITING the DOI & CDFG irresponsibly washing  20+/- million cubic yards of sediments contained behind the dams down river during dam removals. (An ignorant and intentional violation of the State and Federal clean water act to reduce dam removal cost below the $450 million KBRA & KHSA cap). Note, dredging the sediments prior to dam removal would be the most environmental preferred alternative, but it is cost prohibited under the $450million cap.   

4.      To Achieve the overriding environmental objectives set forth by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and the North Coast Regional Water Control Board (NCRWCB) to meet their mitigation recommendations for relicensing the four hydro-electric dams on the Klamath River in Oregon and California, and to achieving other practical proposals to address the Upper Basin and Lower Klamath Basin water wars and environmental demands, and prepare for future litigation, if necessary.

Proposed Projects:

1.    Implement the Shasta Nation Tunnel Unassisted Anadromous Fish Passageway around Iron Gate, Copco 1 and Copco 2 Reservoirs at a cost of $50million (1/6^th the $300million cost estimated for installing fish ladders). This will provide anadromous fish passage around Iron Gate, Copco 1, and Copco 2 reservoirs to the pre dam 20 miles of native river habitat above Copco 1 Reservoir. Note: Moonshine Falls directly below J.C. Boyles Reservoir is believed to be the upper most habitats for anadromous fish.

2.    Establish additional reliable storage facilities within the Upper Klamath Basin to augment the Upper Klamath Basin farmer’s and rancher’s water rights, Klamath Project Water User’s demands, instream flows and to improve water quality in the Upper Klamath River. This will preclude another 2001 Yr.  episode of Federal  Agencies allocation of water for endangered species depriving project irrigators their water. This resulted in water cutoffs to 1400 family farms and ranches creating bankruptcies, foreclosures, and distress sales.  In 2013, another episode involving Tribes and Federal & State Agencies allocation of water for endangered species, deprived Off Project Irrigators their water resulting in water cutoffs to over 100,000 acres of upper basin family farms and ranches.

3.    Establish additional reliable storage facilities within the Scott and Quartz Valleys, including increasing storage capacities of high-elevation lakes as recommended in the October 1991 Department of Water Resources Study entitled: SCOTT RIVER FLOW AUGMENTATION STUDY. These storage facilities will augment late summer and fall instream flows and supplement agricultural irrigation water. 

4.    Implement the 60,000 ac.ft. Klamath River/Shasta Valley Reserved Water Right (A0169580), transfer canal and storage facilities to supplement Montague Irrigation District’s irrigation water with Klamath R. water (poor water quality containing high nutrients).  This project augments current irrigation supplies, allows for additional land to become irrigable, and replaces naturally impaired upper Klamath R. water with higher quality water. A portion of the reduced water demands (good water quality) can be released by the District from Lake Shastina or from their wells into the Shasta River, improving the water quality in both the Shasta River and in the Klamath River below Iron Gate Reservoir per FERC recommended requirements for relicensing. The Shasta Valley RCD & CDFG contracted a similar augmentation study in 2007 that has since been shelved. (Probably because it depends on retaining the dams scheduled for removals) Ref: (CDFG Project No. P0310329)

5.    PaciCorp is a signatory to the KHSA agreement to decommission the Hydro-electric Dams. A negative one billion dollar 2020 yr. worth value has been established for the Klamath River Hydro-electric Dams scheduled for removals. The Bi-State Alliance proposes for the establishment of a Joint Powers Authority (JPA), Public Utility District (PUD), or the Siskiyou County Flood Control and Water Conservation District’s acquisition of Iron Gate, Copco 1, and Copco 2 Hydro-Electric Facilities. The sale of this 65 MW green energy to the PP&L grid would generate an estimated $50 Million per year to a JPA, PUD, or Siskiyou County which could be used for project financing and to reduce electricity rates to farming and ranching operations and to all ratepayers within the district or County.

6.    Similarly, it is hereby proposed for an Oregon based Joint Powers Authority (JPA) or Public Utility District (PUD) acquisition of J.C.Boyle Hydro-Electric Facilities. The sale of this 98 MW green energy to the PP&L grid would generate an estimated $75 Million per year to a JPA or PUD which could be used for project financing and to reduce electricity rates to farming and ranching operations and to all ratepayers within the District.  Also, a Bi-State Joint Power Authority (JPA) or Public Utility District (PUD) could be formed to acquire all four hydro-electric facilities. 

These Proposals Will:

·      Save the Klamath River from complete destruction by eliminating the release of sediments.

·      Save the Hydro-electric Dams which generate clean, green power to 70,000 homes and protect the lake habitat and homes in and around the reservoirs by removing dam removals from the KBRA and eliminating the KHSA.

·      Save IronGate Fish Hatchery, which is dependent on cool low level water releases from Iron Gate Reservoir, that releases over six million salmon and steelhead fingerlings per year in to the Klamath River. Note: ( It is impossible for the Klamath River Habitat above IronGate Dam to duplicate the production of IronGate Hatchery).

·      Save future Klamath River water demands by State and Federal Agencies from the Upper and Lower Klamath Basins and the Scott and Shasta Rivers to satisfy requirements proposed in the KBRA for environmental waters.

·      Save future Klamath River water demands by State and Federal Agencies from the Klamath basin diversions into the Rogue Valley to satisfy requirements proposed in the KBRA for environmental waters.

·      Preserves the sacred Shasta Nation Villages and Burial Sites beneath the waters of Iron Gate and CopCo Reservoirs.

·      Provide additional instream flows which will enhance fisheries and benefit the Tribes, NGO’s and fishing interest.

·      Provide reduced electricity rates for On and Off Project irrigators and all ratepayers within the Bi-State Alliance JPA or PUD

·      Provide Governmental Agencies common sense alternatives to maintain the economic and environmental sustainability of the Klamath River Basin.   

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