Lake Levels and River Flows, most recent posted to KBC 1/30/05 (The storage is up 88,731 acre feet from one year ago.)

Bush Drive to Shift Species Protection to States May Begin in Oregon, newhousenews.com 1/30/05

NEWS RELEASE: Walden To Continue Role in House Leadership Structure 1/28/05

A tribute to a great man, Jim Slaughter, from Darby Ohio, 1/30/05. 

Salmon survival game plays out on board, Oregonian 1/28/05. "The goal is to migrate to sea and return to spawn without being killed by predators, dam turbines or other hazards"  "Forest Service recruited Portland Public Schools, U.S. Fish and Wildife Service, Trout Unlimited and others to share in cost of providing the board games to reach more children."  

Weekly update for January  27, 2005. The "Weekly Update" will continue to be produced by the association, although this one (Number 140!) is the last one director Dan Keppen will be directly involved with: Says Keppen, "Farewell"
* Diminishing Snowpack Equates to Grim Water Forecast for Klamath River
* Water Users Conference Features Klamath Project Centennial Panel
* Lower Klamath Basin Science Workshop Results Posted on Web
* Leadership and Staff Changes Made to House Resources Committee
*Klamath Basin Science Debated in January Edition of The Water Report
* OWRD Releases Groundwater Investigation for Eastern Lost River Sub-Basin
* KWUA Offers EXCITING Job Opportunity

POWER: Rates part of original deal, H&N letter by James Ottoman 1/27/05."The history of hydroelectric power and irrigated agriculture in the Klamath Reclamation Project is like a good marriage. Both have given to the other."

Potato co-op planners set costs, H&N posted to KBC 1/27/05

90 attend COB meeting in Lorella, by Lyn Brock 1/27/05. "One lady stated that if this is a profitable venture then this corporation should be able to pay their assessed taxes." "It seems that residents of this rural agricultural area are tired of hearing about mitigation and, instead, desire assurance that their elected officials are protecting their way of life and their means of making a livlihood."

Oregon Dept. of Agriculture "Story of the Week", Survey finds Oregon farmers depend on irrigation, 1/27/05 bend.com.

Coho report in line with Bush approach, Oregonian 1/27/05 "Wild coho runs have surged above 200,000 each year since 2000, after years rarely exceeding 50,000 fish."

Deadline set on Cob tax offer, H&N 1/27/05 "The proposed 1,150- to 1,160-megawatt natural gas-fired plant has been especially controversial among Langell Valley residents, who say plant developers are getting unfair access to water." For all the past COB articles and testimonies, go HERE.

Local business owners speak in favor of Cob, H&N 1/26/05 ("This article does not tell you that, at the previous Commissioners meeting, the opponents of COB were not allowed to speak and were told that they could only talk at the Public Hearing on February 1st.  So they didn't attend the January 26 meeting- - Lyn Brock")

Bureau hopes last-minute surge will fill water bank, H&N 1/26/05. Commentary by Barb Hall, Klamath Bucket Brigade, adds this quote: "A consulting hydrologist, Mark Van Camp of Sacramento, told  water users an analysis of the draft BuRec historic water flow study shows that downstream flows have increased 30 percent over discharges before settlement. That’s apparently because the irrigated land uses less water than evaporation loss from the thousands of acres of wetlands that existed before the shallow lakebeds were diked, drained and put to the plow."

Irrigators and tribes to discuss water use, H&N 1/26/05

Norteno Gangs Moving North, Barry Clauson 1/26/05 Pioneer Press.

Group making a point with 'endangered' snakehead, hometownannapolis.com 1/26/05 "We don't know what the problems with snakeheads will be and we don't want to use the Chesapeake Bay watershed as an experimental tank to find out," said Jonathan McKnight, associate director of habitat conservation for the DNR."

Our country's historical roots.

Vernacio Hernandez, Tulelake

AgLifeNW Magazine January 2005 Issue Our government destroyed a Klamath Basin Mexican immigrant's farm, and his son is fighting for freedom in Iraq.  "And how 2001 effect me? Well, my farm went, as we say, bye-bye. If it was wrong decision or right decision, I’m done now. I lost my farm, my equipment that I slowly got, it was sold out." Written  by KBC. Photo by Pat Ratliff.

People have impact, H&N 1/25/05 regarding the COB proposed power plant. More on COB go HERE

Tulelake Irrigation District well water levels 1/25/05

Lake levels and river flows posted to KBC 1/25/05 for 1/19.

COB meeting Lorella 1/26/05 Q&A
Cob rep to meet with Langell Valley residents, H&N 1/24/05.

'Water boy' swaps hot seat for family, H&N 1/24/05.  Dan Keppen, outgoing executive director of the Klamath Water Users Association, became the face and voice for Klamath Basin irrigators in the ongoing water issue. But the grueling job has taken a toll on him and his family, he says, so it's time to step aside.

Prayer request from Iraq, go to Prayer Page 1/24/05
 

Farmers begin new fight, H&N 1/24/05
 

Oregon State University--The Daily Barometer, An Endangered Act 1/21/05, followed by KBC Commentary, which has been posted to the Daily Barometer. Where oh where are these 'educated' people coming up with their ideas??
 

KBC's appalling proposed bill of the week: PERMIT REQUIRED TO COLLECT RAINWATER IN WASHINGTON STATE? News with Views 1/21/05.  ??????

Klamath farmers take on new threat, The Oregonian 1/21/05 "The Klamath River Basin Compact, an agreement on water use approved by the federal and state governments in 1957, committed to maintaining the 'lowest power rates which may be reasonable for irrigation and drainage pumping.' The government let the power company into the basin only because the deal assured power for irrigation..."

Bureau goes afield for water bank, H&N 1/21/05. "In all, the Bureau needs about 28,000 acres of land signed up for idling to create 50,000 acre-feet of its 100,000 acre-foot water bank. The water bank is a federally required program designed to boost flows on the Klamath River for threatened Coho salmon." {Read the other articles on KBC...Coho Improperly Listed. Artificially elevated river flows--higher than before the Klamath Project was built--do not help fish according the the National Research Council, and on and on.  Why are they downsizing our community? KBC}

$3 million budget crunch continues to hit Klamath National Forest, Liz Bowen, Pioneer Press 1/21/05.

Why the Environmental Protection Agency must be abolished, World New Daily by Devvy Kid 1/21/05. "The EPA is the flagship in America to carry out this environmental terrorism against our people. Among the most destructive of its tentacles is the Endangered Species Act. One of the most horrific examples of this grotesque act is what happened in Klamath Falls in 2001 when the government shut off life-giving water to the farmers, driving them into bankruptcy. On Jan. 12, 2005, a federal judge ruled that the salmon listing which caused our ranchers and farmers to go under was illegally listed! "

OTHER PLACES: Jury Awards $600,000 to Arizona Rancher - Environmental Group Found Libel for False Statements and Accusations, 1/21/05 PRfect Media

Prayer request for family of Iraq soldier, 1/20/05, see Prayer Page.

Judge: Government improperly listed coho, California Farm Bureau Federation 1/20/05. (Since coho should not have been listed, and the National Research Committee said lake level and river flow management was not justified, why is the Bureau of Reclamation still demanding 100,000 acre feet of water to be taken away from Klamath irrigators in 2005? This downsizes our farm economy by 1/3! Why? Why?? KBC)

Endangered Humans, Investor's Business Daily, 1/20/05. "Environment: A judge has ruled that coho salmon have been illegally listed as an endangered species, a victory that comes too late for the farmers of the Klamath River Basin and the families of four young firefighters."

Tulelake Growers Association comments on the Bureau's CIP program posted to KBC 1/20/05. For more on Tulelake Growers Association, go HERE.

Media attack proponents of strengthening the Endangered Species Act, Gretchen Randall 1/20/05, Issue Alert from Winningreen -- great myths and facts!

Tribe to forge on with fish kill suit, Times Standard 1/20/05. (Since the Dept of Justice and Bureau of Indian Affairs hired Dr Hardy to make a non-peer reviewed Biological Opinion to shut down the Klamath Project, and this was found to be flawed, it makes sense that they would keep trying despite the peer-reviewed science. They re-hired Dr Hardy for another "opinion" too. ALSO, 2002 had the 3rd highest salmon run on the Klamath River. KBC)

Trickling interest in water bank, H&N 1/19/05. "We were expecting between 450 and 500  and so far we got 20," said Rae Olsen, Bureau spokeswoman."  (...that is, 450-500 bids to idle farmland.  The Bureau of Reclamation is mandating 100,000 acre feet of farm water taken from farmers by land idling or aquifer depleting regardless of water year type.
(* The National Research Council said lake-level/river-flow management was unjustified.
* The latest lawsuit  said that the coho were illegally listed. 
* Dr. Hardy, hired by the Dept of Justice and Bureau of Indian affairs, created a non-peer-reviewed biological opinion based on the highest recorded flows to shut down the Klamath Project. The science that the Bureau of Reclamation and National Marine Fishery Service choose to mandate is the non-peer reviewed agenda-driven Hardy 'opinion'. 
*Our aquifer, according to Oregon Water Resources is being depleted because of this unjustified mandate....KBC)

Land retirement meetings 1/4 -1/20/05

Don't blame Klamath Project for fish die-off, H&N 1/19/05 "The Klamath Project got an unjustified black eye in 2002 when the salmon died, and downstream fishermen, tribes and the California Fish and Game Department pointed upstream and blamed the Klamath Project."

New fish ladder to smooth suckers' swim, H&N 1/19/05

Cob backers make new tax offer, H&N 1/19/05.

Klamath Board of County Commissioners for January 18, 2005 included discussion and consideration of the COB power plant, by Lyn Brock 1/18/05

Judge’s Decision Scores Victory for Klamath Ranchers’ Water Rights 1/18/05 Common-sense management of fish and wildlife prevails. "Oakland, Calif. Judge Saundra Armstrong agreed with motions put forth by the Klamath Water Users Association (KWUA) and the federal government that there was no evidence linking the bureau’s management of water with the die-off."

NEWS RELEASE: Federal Court dismisses tribe's suit to usurp water rights of Klamath Basin farmers,  Pacific Legal Foundation "In the second major court victory for Klamath farmers this week, a federal court yesterday ruled in favor of the Klamath Water Uses Association when it dismissed the case brought by the Yurok Tribe to usurp the water rights of Klamath farmers."

U.S. water pact makes big waves Contra Costa Times 1/18/05 "...Klamath farmers want $100 million for water diverted to protect endangered salmon and suckers..."

OSU Researcher Develops New Way To Detect Salmon Parasite, sciencedaily.com 1/18/05

County to consider tax breaks for Cob, H&N 1/17/05.
Will COB Energy Facility be granted a huge ($71,000,000) tax break? Lyn Brock... Meeting tomorrow January 18.

Agriculture does a lot for wildlife, environment, by Rick Woodley H&N 1/17/05. "It is interesting to note that while self-titled "environmental" groups complain and file lawsuits, it is the local farmers and ranchers who actually spend their own resources to enhance our Klamath Basin. Since reclamation started, agricultural water use is considerably less than the amount of water that evaporated in "historic times" and, in most cases, water quality has been significantly improved and wildlife habitat has been greatly increased."

 Court dismisses Klamath salmon die-off case, H&N 1/17/05 "A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit brought by an Indian tribe that sought to hold the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation responsible for a salmon die-off in the lower Klamath River in 2002."

Klamath Water Users' final letter to the Bureau of Reclamation regarding the Klamath River Basin Conservation Implementation Program, 1/17/05.

Tribes still seeking land, water solution, Herald and News 1/17/05 "Foreman said the Tribes have avoided publicity about the meetings with irrigators out of fear the extra attention could stall the talks before an agreement is reached."

Lying Leftist Lunatics Loot Oregon Ratepayers, James Buchal 1/15/95

OTHER PLACES: Bureau braces for fight, Capital Press, Idaho Staff Writer 1/15/05 "Farmers, ranchers and small timber operators could see immediate negative impacts from the agreement, the bureau said."
More Idaho: Idaho case shows high cost of keeping esa-listed bull trout, cbbulletin 1/15/05

Klamath Water Users weekly update for January 14, 2005
*  PCFFA Fish Die-Off Case Dismissed by Federal Judge
* KWUA Perspective on the Die-Off
* Judge Reaffirms that Hatchery Fish Need to be Included in Klamath Coho Counts
* "CREP"- ing Forward in the Klamath Basin
* Breakthrough Book on Environmental Assessment to be Published Next Spring
* KWUA Announces Job Opportunity

Coho return in high numbers, Pioneer Press 1/14/05 "Data on coho salmon shows that the number is increasing."

Prayer Requests by Julie Smithson, see PRAYER PAGE 1/14/05

Upstream Swim for Salmon Species, Sacramento Union 1/14/05 "A federal judge declared this week that coho salmon have been illegally listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. The decision, by Judge Michael Hogan, was hailed by the Pacific Legal Foundations as a victory - saying it reverses a policy that reduced the delivery of irrigation water to protect a species that was never threatened.

Klamath Tribes want upstream salmon back, H&N 1/14/05

Klamath Falls farmers destroyed by illegal species listing, News With Views 1/14/05

U.S. Erred on Salmon Listing, Judge Rules, LA Times 1/13/05 "He cites mistakes in giving protected status to the Klamath River coho, but lets it stay on list for now"

Lake levels river flows 1/13/05 H&N.

The Cows and Creeks, Managing for Healthier Watersheds was a good
presentation, by Joanne Schifini 1/13/05 Forty people turned out for this Oregon State University workshop in Sprague River.

NEWS RELEASE: Klamath River Salmon Protections Ruled Illegal! Federal court says endangered species listing of Klamath Coho is bogus, 1/12/05. "Klamath Farmers and Businesses Driven to Bankruptcy for Fish That Should Never Have Been Listed"

Water agency seeks drought declaration, Redding Record Searchlight 1/12/04. "About 100,000 acre-feet of water -- almost one-third of the farmers' annual allocations -- must be reserved for coho salmon downstream. " for charts from Oregon Dept of Water Resources on groundwater depletion, go HERE.

Klamath coho listing ruled illegal but protection stays for now, Oregonian 1/11/05

Cows&Creeks OSU workshop 1/12

February 17 - 20 will be the Winter Wings Festival, previously celebrated as the Eagle Conference. This year Klamath Water Users and US Fish and Wildlife will be conducting Fridays tour through the Tulelake refuges and farmland, Partnering Wetlands and Agriculture. Go HERE for the schedule. By the end of next week, KBC and kwua.org will (hopefully) open our wildlife galleries and walking wetlands pages.

Governor Criticizes Forest and Fish Policies, publicbroadcasting.net 1/11/05

Governor Owens pleased with ESA summit, NWRA news 1/11/05.

Walden seeking timber safety net (01/09/05) Roseburg News Review
Lumbering to gain ground, Oregonian 1/09/05

Junk Science and Dams:  Lies About Smolt Transportation by James Buchal 1/10/05

Person of the Year -- Dan Keppen by Kehn Gibson, Klamath Courier Editor published 5 January 2005 KLAMATH FALLS - Dan Keppen went far beyond the parameters of his job as head of the Klamath Water Users Association, bringing the organization into the forefront of water negotiations in the Klamath Basin. For his energy, skill, and dedication to what he himself labels "the cause," we have named him as our Person of the Year.

Photo by Pat Ratliff

Oregon session will have 20 new lawmakers, kgw.com posted to KBC 1/9/04.  "Property rights including water issues are key for Republican Doug Whitsett, a retired Klamath Falls veterinarian who'll be the only first-time lawmaker in the Senate....He supports the Measure 37 property rights law passed by voters last month and said he'll work to preserve agricultural water rights in the Klamath Basin. "

"CREP" and Clean Water, by Rick Woodley, Klamath Soil and Water Conservation manager posted to KBC 1/9/04, Klamath Courier.

Weekly update for January 7, 2005
* The Klamath Project at 100: Conserving our Resources, Preserving our Heritage
* Congressional Staff Changes
* New Critical Habitat Rules for Salmon
* Centennial Presentation Planned
* Washington Governors Race in Turmoil
* KWUA Announces Job Opportunity

PRESS RELEASE: House Leaders Hand Resources Gavel to Pombo for Second Term, 1/6/04  House Resources Communication.
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Water, it's all about water, Siskiyou Daily News posted to KBC 1/6/05. (This ends with a brief history of the Klamath Project ..KBC)
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Reforming the ESA, Stay Awake, by Jim Beers 1/6/04
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PRESS RELEASE: Walden Delivers Address at National Conference Celebrating Centennial of Forest Service,  Remarks outline plans for House Subcommittee on Forests and Forest Health during 109^th session of Congress, 1/5/04.