ARCHIVE 39 - August 2005
also  see main archive page

Public invited to comment on proposed cougar management plan--Klamath Falls Meeting is August 31.

Endangered Species Act Reform Project, Pacific Legal Foundation 8/30/05

West Nile found in Klamath, H&N 8/30/05 "Health officials wouldn't disclose which neighborhood the bird was found in because they don't want to alarm its residents." (Did the health officials tell their families. KBC)

PLEASE PRAY for Monte and Dawn Johnsons' grandson Caleb...see Prayer Page.  August 27th update.

Oregon Native Fish Status Report Comments due by Oct 24, 2005 Wild fish study says many risk extinction, 69 Oregon fish listed 'at risk'

National Water Resource Association news 8/30/05

John Spencer honored as 2005 Cattleman of the Year, Siskiyou Daily News posted to KBC 8/30/05

Siskiyou area seeks protected status, Oregonian 8/30/05

Letter by Deb Crisp, Executive Director of Tulelake Growers Association, to the Siskiyou County Board of Supervisors addressing the Homeowners and Property Protection Ordinance by the Siskiyou County Board of Supervisors, posted to KBC 8/29/05

Reservation push on hold, H&N 8/28/05. "Talks had been going on between them for about two years, but slowed in Bettenberg's last months while he said he was waiting for a proposal from the Tribes that had the support of the public in the Klamath Basin."

Walden takes a look at restoration projects, H&N 8/27/05.

California Farm Bureau Association FRIDAY REVIEW 8/27/05 "SB 820, also by (D) Senator Kuehl, would require individual reporting of groundwater pumping to the State Water Resources Control Board...  Estimates of the cost of installing meters on wellheads range from $2,500 to $5,000, and as many as 100,000 or more wells may need to be reported annually. The total statewide initial costs could thus easily be as much as $250,000,000 for submitting information the state would not use. Those who fail to report risk loss of their water rights."

Governor should find way to help farmers, H&N posted to KBC 8/27/05

Workshops to help farmers conserve, H&N 8/27/05

Weekly Update August 26, 2005
* Lost River (CA) TMDL Meeting Scheduled
* Oregon Ag Statistics Available
* Waterways Designated for Salmon/Steelhead
* 3 States Seek Emissions Pact
* Groups Oppose MidAmerican Acquisition
* Quote of the Week

Public input sought for salmon plan by August 26
Walden in Klamath Aug 25-26

Preface And Klamath River Basins From 50 Years On The Klamath by John C. Boyle, 2005--100 Year Anniversary of the Klamath Project , posted 8/25/05

TID well reports 9/25/05 TID manager Earl Donosky says they plan to finish all well pumping by Tuesday or Wednesday next week.      Bureau of Reclamation, "The water bank requirement for 2005 is 100,000 acre-feet of water." Water Bank Water Used by 07/20/05:   102,835 Acre-Feet      Two families have contacted KBC because their wells have gone dry. PHOTO: Water pumped from TID well on Stateline Rd. to fulfil the Bureau's waterbank demand of 100,000 acre feet of our stored irrigation water and aquifer. Link River used to go dry in the fall before the Project was built for irrigation water storage.

Klamath River fishing report posted to KBC 8/25/05
Coho late arriving, but seem to be on the way, Oregonian 8/25/05

Oregon agriculture reaches $4 billion value for first time, H&N 8/25/05

MidAmerican waiting period on PacifiCorp buy ends, posted to KBC 8/25/05

Tribes delay reservation talks, H&N posted to KBC 8/25/05, "Dissent in the Klamath Tribes has delayed talks about a tribal proposal to buy national forest land for a reservation."

PRESS RELEASE: Congressional Hearing on Wildfires, Forest Management, House Committee on Resources posted to KBC August 25, 2005 "I hope to provide the tools to public land managers, enabling them to recover forests more quickly after a catastrophic event and to protect communities, water, and wildlife. As a native Oregonian, I like our forests green, not black."

Public invited to comment on proposed cougar management plan--Klamath Falls Meeting is August 31. More on predators, see WOLF page.

Pesticide-reporting system in Oregon to begin in 2006, Seattle Times posted to KBC 8/24/05

Fish Habitat Improvement Projects Scheduled For Wood River And Crooked Creek, Medford News 8/23/05

Conservationists seek protection of rare salamanders, Center For Biological Diversity 8/23/05. "Wildlife advocates want to extend endangered species safety net to imperiled salamanders in Southern Oregon and Northern California"

Letter to Congressman Pombo from Chris Vandenberg, Willamette Basin, Oregon, regarding ESA abuse by NOAA Fisheries 8/22/05 " Last week NOAA fisheries officially designated my stretch of creek as critical spawning and rearing habitat for threatened upper Willamette winter steelhead trout despite the finding in their own report, printed in the federal register, "that there is little evidence to suggest that sustained spawning aggregations of steelhead may have existed historically in the westside tributaries of the Willamette River basin."

Letter to the Oregonian editor regarding Pombo and ESA improvement, by Arlene Kovach, Oregon Women for Agricujlture 8/22/05 "The Endangered Species Act only has less than a 1% success rate in 30 years, while costing farmers, ranchers and other businesses (and ultimately, you) billions of dollars trying to comply with nonsensical rules."

Wildlife managers consider insecticides to combat West Nile (in Klamath County) AP 8/22/05

Board of County Commissioners, Klamath County, Oregon, in the matter of protecting the private property rights of Klamath County residents, resolution 2006, posted to KBC 8/21/05

2 sockeye salmon articles 8/21/05

California Farm Bureau Friday Review posted to KBC 8/21/05

PFT Acquires Monumental Forestlands 8/21/05. "2,000 Acres in Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument Now Protected. The Pacific Forest Trust is pleased to announce the acquisition of almost 2,000 acres of private forestlands within the planning boundaries of the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument (CSNM). With these first acquisitions, we have officially launched our Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument Campaign to Complete the Vision." (It is a tragedy that the city dwellers can decide to lock up our forests from timber harvest and recreation. Where are they when we have devastating wildfires that can not be controlled because of their demands? KBC). more articles on FOREST PAGE

DOI PRESS RELEASE: Interior Leaders to Promote New Environmentalism at White House Conference on Cooperative Conservation, DOI Cosponsors National Summit to Spur Citizen Stewardship, posted to KBC 8/21/05

NOAA Fishery Service FishNews posted to KBC 8/21/05

Wolves on the horizon, Jim Beers 8/21/05.

New Karuk Constitution, Pioneer Press column by Marcia Armstrong, Siskiyou County Supervisor posted to KBC 8/19/05. "The document proposes to enlarge the territory and ancestral lands of the Karuk to include all of Siskiyou County and a portion of Humboldt County, California from Aikens Creek to the Klamath River, to the County line."

Marijuana eco-disaster, and Pot ‘field study’, Pioneer Press posted to KBC 8/19/05 "The billion dollar marijuana industry in Siskiyou County is causing massive destruction to our wilderness environment"

Oregon's agriculture relies on 'illegal' workers, Statesman Journal posted to KBC 8/19/05

PRESS RELEASE: NOAA issues critical habitat areas for Pacific salmon in California, Northwest. Provides incentives for regional Habitat Conservation Plans, More focus for recovery efforts. Posted to KBC 8/19/05

Feds (NOAA) clear 80% of salmon waters, Capital Press 8/19/05

Bureau of Reclamation water data update received by KBC 8/18/05

Put a stop to craziness, H&N 8/18/05 "The environmentalists have been trying to eliminate farming in the Basin. I feel the irrigation district and the 31 people in Oregon are playing into the hands of environmentalists. When they drain all the underground water dry there will be no more farming. Write to the government and put a stop to this craziness."

Judge rejects salmon lawsuit, H&N 8/18/05

Pombo reception Aug 18

Republicans in both chambers preparing to tackle the ESA, CQ Today, Capital Hill 7/17/05

South's second salmon season, Curry Pilot 8/17/05. "Sporthaven Marina owner Jerry Hogan said the last part of June was the most productive for Brookings' ocean Chinook in the last 14 years."

Tim King fishing reports 8/17/05

Excerpts from: Unconquered Uncontrolled The Klamath Indian Reservation,  by Carrol Howe, posted 8/15/05. Thank you Barb Hall, Klamath Bucket Brigade. This tells about the tribes, termination, etc.

All but Basin onion crops in good condition, H&N posted to KBC 8/15/05.

Karuks lose $1 billion lawsuit Tribes claim there are no salmon, but real data proves otherwise. Pioneer Press posted to KBC 8/14/05  More of fishermen go HERE.

State going after Scott – hardcore Landowners along Scott River are about to get slammed by state, Pioneer Press posted to KBC 8/14/05 (Technical Advisory Group  participated with the state agency during the last 2 1/2 years and were told they would be part of the draft plan. Unsurprisingly they are now left out. KBC)

Modoc Uprising August 13 with State Senator Dave Cox and State Assemblyman Doug LaMalfa

THE SPORTSMANS CORNER: Hot bite for salmon on coast, 8/12/05 "For the past two weeks, the salmon fishing off the Fort Bragg coast has been red hot."

Klamath Water Users Weekly Update August 12, 2005
* Congress May Tackle ESA Revisions
* Pombo Fundraiser to be held in Oregon
* PAID Fall Internship Program Available - The Water Leadership Program
* New Links to Be Added to KWUA Website
* Klamath ESA DVD available
* California Ag Water Users Launch Statewide Effort
* Transportation Bill Includes Funding for OSU Bioenergy Research
* California Voters Support Biotech Cropping
* U.S. Farm Real Estate Jumps 11% from 2004
* Oregon Farm Bureau Classic Golf Tournament scheduled for Sept. 13
* 17-Year EPA Review Confirms Safety of Chemical 2,4-D
* Johanns Predicts Lower Funding in 2007 Farm Bill
* USDA Wraps Up Beginning Farmers/Ranchers Meeting
* Quote of the week

Family Farm Alliance August Update  8/12/05

Houses lose well water  H&N 8/12/05  "The goal of the bank is to boost flows down the Klamath River for coho salmon." See water bank page for charts, articles, and downright blackmail that forces irrigators and districts into selling our aquifer down the river to make Klamath Lake and River levels higher than possible before the Klamath Project was built. KBC)

TID well reports 8/11/05

Chiloquin Chadwick workshop report from the June session. If you are a stakeholder or concerned person, there are committees for you.  Remove the dams. Plan demand reduction of water. Restore the reservation to the Klamath Tribes. Plan a power rate for Project irrigators.  Join a Klamath Congress to make basin-wide decisions. More on Chadwick Consensus workshops go HERE. Unfortunately the last 3 and the next workshop will be during farming season.

PRESS RELEASE: 8/11/05 Walden to Visit Southern Oregon Aug 22-26. , including Klamath area, Upper Upper Basin, Chiloquin, and The Natures Conservancy.

Western Regional Sheepdog finals slated for Bonanza, H&N 8/11/05

Coastal fishermen J.D. Evanow from Charleston, OR, James L Moore and his wife Cheri from Bandon, and fishing comrad Charles Clewell, also from Charleston, tell their story from Moore's home west of Merrill.  The government has cut down their fising season while the media blames the Klamath Project.

It’s not your fault. Part 1 of the Coastal Fishermen’s story to Klamath Basin farmers  by Jacqui Krizo, Klamath Courier Reporter posted to KBC August 11, 2005.  "Why are fishermen being killed?"

“No Respect:” by Marcia Armstrong, Siskiyou County Supervisor, Klamath Courier, posted to KBC August 11, 2005. "Efforts such as the Chadwick group can provide a great platform for sharing perspectives, encouraging discussion and sorting out facts. However, they just cannot be “morphed” into a basin-wide decision-making body or Congress that undercuts the role of your duly elected local governments."

Walden Language to Protect Steens Mountain Landowners In Oregon Approved by House, Grants Pass News 8/8/05  "Today, however, bureaucratic red tape hamstrings landowners and lessees with over-burdensome regulations, which only allow them access to their property at certain times, force them to use arduous and time-consuming routes, and even dictate what types of vehicles they can use to access their property."

COASTAL FISHERMEN NEWS: Senate considers bill to create system of whiting quotas, News Times 8/8/05

In This Issue of Whitsett at the Capital
* End of Session Newsletter
* Session Summary: Highlights and Lowlights of the Session
* Some Thoughts on the Public Employee Compensation Issue

August 7,  2 pm KIXE TV Channel 9 Redding  'Homesteading in a Promised Land" 100-year documentary told by Tulelake Settlers

Weekly Update August 5, 2005
* Community Support Helps Thwart Water Watch/ONRC
* Klamath River TMDL Process Underway
* Pombo to Hold Grassroots Event in Oregon
* Heat Raises Concerns about Local Fish
*Legislative Leadership Reaches Agreement on Pesticide Funding Package
*Quote of the Week

Officials seeking water solution, H&N 8/4/05

Klamath Lake levels river flows 8/4/05 Water storage in Klamath Lake is up 63,785 acre feet from a year ago. However the mandatory water bank from the irrigators is 100,000 acre feet of our stored water and aquifer. See waterbank page.

Invasive Species is Junk Science, Property Rights Research 8/4/05 "This is the big brother to "endangered species," that thirty-something year mess that has gutted logging, ranching, commercial fishing,..."

OSU Field Day August 4

District considering (Chiloquin) dam removal, H&N 8/3/05 (Chiloquin Dam blocks over 90% of 'endangered' sucker habitat)

Salmon opportunities heating up for anglers, Lincoln City fishing report 8/3/05

Judge strikes down forest plan change, H&N 8/3/05  (So the burnt and diseased forests will continue to rot and burn, and spotted owls and wildlife will keep getting burned up. And they call themselves 'environmentalists'!? KBC)

Klamath water data update, Bureau of Reclamation posted to KBC 8/3/05 Word Document.

Preserving the Klamath tongue, H&N 8/3/05  "When we were so young, we were so busy chasing the bottle and being modern, we thought the old people would be here forever," he said. "We woke up one day and it was all gone."

Keep forest public, H&N posted to KBC 8/3/05

Illegal dumping a problem in Basin, H&N posted to KBC 8/3/05 "...old log skidding road that has been completely covered with trash in the Fremont-Winema National Forest near Chiloquin."

(The Nature) Conservancy Criticized by Senate Committee, Environmental News 8/3/05. (Tax-exempt TNC is a huge landowner in Upper Klamath Basin and presently is planning to buy Barnes Property. More on TNC go HERE

Tulelake Irrigation District well report 8/2/05

State pays to clear Diamond Lake of unwanted tui chub, Corvallis Gazette Times 8/2/05. (Rumor has it that, many years ago, our government poisoned Klamath Lake to rid it of sucker fish. Claud, in his 90's, remembers the National Guard hauling the stinky dead fish away in trucks. He thinks they used DDT. KBC)

You are invited to a reception with Congressman Pombo in Wilsonville, Oregon August 18th.

Forest not for sale H&N 8/1/05

NEWS RELEASE August 1, 2005 Water for Life celebrates success on Klamath power rate bill

ESA Has Always Been About Land Use Control, Not Species Aid, Livestock Weekly 8/1/05.