Klamath Water Users Association 2455 Patterson Street, Suite 3 Klamath Falls, Oregon 97603 Phone (541) 883-6100 FAX   (541) 883-8893   kwua@cvcwireless.net  Weekly Update June 11, 2004 The Oregon Plan for Salmon and Watersheds: A Primer A ceremony held Wednesday in Salem honored individuals and organizations contributing to the goals of the Oregon Plan for Salmon and Watersheds ("Oregon Plan"). In 1997, with the support and participation of a wide spectrum of stakeholders from all sectors and regions of the state, the Oregon Legislature and then-Governor John Kitzhaber established the Oregon Plan. Motivated at first by the conviction that the state must devise its own home-grown response to listings of coho and other salmon species under the federal Endangered Species Act, Oregon expanded the plan into an unprecedented statewide program to preserve and profit from Oregon’s natural legacy. The Oregon Plan Credo…. "The Oregon Plan for Salmon and Watersheds is a commitment by Oregon’s citizens, landowners, businesses, organizations and governments to work together to ensure our children will inherit healthy watersheds. Oregon’s unprecedented vision is to change the relationship between people and natural resources – people and land, people and fish –and to build communities that are sustainable and profitable in the long-run. Most of all, it is a spirit of volunteerism and stewardship characteristic of Oregon and Oregonians." Key elements of the Oregon Plan for Salmon and Watersheds include: Voluntary restoration actions by private landowners – individuals and industry, rural and urban – with support from citizen groups, businesses, and local government.   The Oregon Plan for Salmon and Watersheds: A Primer (Continued) Coordinated state and federal agency and tribal actions to support private restoration efforts, effectively administer regulatory programs, soundly manage public lands, and promote public education and awareness about watersheds and salmon. Monitoring watershed health, water quality, and salmon recovery to document existing conditions, track changes, and determine the impact of programs and actions. Strong scientific oversight by an independent panel of scientists who evaluate the plan’s effectiveness, identify needed changes, and guide research investments. The Oregon Legislature allocates Oregon Lottery and salmon license plate funds to implement the Oregon Plan. More than $1.50 of private, federal and local government funds match every dollar the state invests – and those dollars remain in the state, stimulating local economies. While a host of state agencies support plan implementation, the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB) has lead coordination responsibility and administers a restoration grant program. "The Oregon Plan is a long-term effort," said Governor Kulongoski on Wednesday. "Its success depends on cooperative efforts." For more on the Oregon Plan for Salmon and Watersheds, visit www.oregon-plan.org for comprehensive information about the plan, and the wide range of public agencies and private organizations involved with the plan. You can also call OWEB in Salem at (503)-986-0178. -Continued on page 3-   Klamath Water Users Association 2455 Patterson Street, Suite 3 Klamath Falls, Oregon 97603 Phone (541) 883-6100 FAX   (541) 883-8893   kwua@cvcwireless.net  Weekly Update June 11, 2004 Partial List of Efforts Undertaken by Klamath Basin Agricultural Interests Local Efforts to Assist National Wildlife Refuges Voluntary, Early Shutdowns of Tulelake Irrigation District in 1992, 1994 and 2000 to provide more water for environmental purposes. Development of Integrated Pest Mgmnt Plan. KWUA Ecosystem Enhancement and Sucker Recovery Efforts KWUA Sprague River riparian improvements: 14 miles of riparian fencing and other improvements implemented at a cost of $250,000. Development in 1993 and 2001 of two ecosystem-based, scientifically valid planning documents on Klamath Basin restoration. Fish Passage Improvement Projects Screening the main diversion at the "A" Canal and Chiloquin Dam Fish Passage Improvement Feasibility Study. ODFW Fish Passage Improvements: 13 projects completed for $250,000; 40 more are planned at a cost of $1.3 million. Wildlife Enhancement / Wetland Restoration Farmland to Wetland Conversions: Over 24,000 acres in the past 10 years. Klamath Basin Ecosystem Restoration Office Coordination with Landowners: 271 projects implemented by USFWS at a cost of over $10.5 million between 1994-2001. Over 100 of these projects, costing over $5.2 million, included private landowners as partners. Partnership-Driven Conservation Efforts Undertaken by the USDA and Local Conservation Districts: Over 16,000 acres of Oregon and California farmland managed for wildlife habitat. Partial List of Efforts Undertaken by Klamath Basin Agricultural Interests (Cont’d) Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Partnership Projects: Since 1995, 40 projects have been completed at a cost of $346,000. Other watershed management efforts are underway through programs administered by Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board, the U.S. Forest Service, California Waterfowl Association, and other state, federal and private interests. Local Efforts to Improve Water Quality Oregon SB 1010 Implementation: Local advisory committees are currently reviewing plans developed for the Lost River and Klamath Headwaters watersheds. Upper Klamath Lake Pilot Oxygenation Study Klamath Irrigation District (KID)– NPDES Permit: KID in July 2002 secured the first-of-its kind water quality permit from Oregon DEQ. The permit allows the district to apply aquatic herbicides to control weed growth under guidelines that protect the environment. Efforts to Improve Project Supply Reliability 2002 Environmental Water Bank: KWUA and local producers have spent hundreds of hours developing a dry-year water bank intended to compensate farmers for changing management practices that leave more water for environmental purposes. In 2003-04, Klamath Project irrigators took actions to provide 145,000 acre-feet of water to the environment. Last year, nearly 30,000 acre-feet were provided without compensation. Efforts to Improve Water Use Efficiency Over 800 applications submitted for 2002 Farm Bill funding to help cost-share projects that conserve water. All applicants are required to develop conservation plans for their property. -Continued on Page 4-   Klamath Water Users Association 2455 Patterson Street, Suite 3 Klamath Falls, Oregon 97603 Phone (541) 883-6100 FAX   (541) 883-8893   kwua@cvcwireless.net  Weekly Update June 11, 2004 Oregon Agriculture Well Represented at Watershed Awards Ceremony The Oregon agriculture and forestry industries were well represented on the awards stand at last Wednesday’s recognition event in Salem. Of the 25 awards handed out by Oregon government leaders, over half were received by farmers, ranchers and private forest managers. "We can, with great pride, point to the Oregon Plan for Salmon and Watersheds, SB 1010 plans, and the Forest Practices Act, and know that no one has done more to restore healthy fish than agriculture and forestry have in Oregon," said Paulette Pyle, from Oregonians for Food and Shelter. Klamath Water Users Association received the Oregon Department of Agriculture’s "Leadership in Conservation Award for 2004" (see page 1). Other agricultural award winners included: Arnold Irrigation District, Bend. Jet Blackburn, Sodhouse Farms, Burns. Bernie Faber, Cal-gon Farms, Salem. Larry & Patty Ferreira Dairy, Beaver. Crown Hill Farm, McMinnville. North Slope Hay Company, North Powder. Ron & Yvonne Hurliman, Cloverdale. Mark & Debbie Knaupp, Rickreal. Heritage Seedlings, Inc., Salem. Steinborn Dairy, Sherwood. Rickreal Dairy, LLC, Rickreal. George Sandberg, Roseburg. Jaussaud Ranches, Enterprise. In eastern Oregon, Arnold Irrigation District installed measuring devices on all of their delivery canals, locked each of the headgates, and   Oregon Agriculture Well Represented at Watershed Awards Ceremony implemented a water ordering system that gave them more control over water use. The results of this measurement program show, quite substantially, a reduction in their peak and seasonal water usage. The district serves about 4,500 acres and typically diverts 30,000-40,000 acre-feet. With measurement and conservation in place, the district has reduced their annual diversion by roughly 20% since the early 1970’s. Another eastern Oregon award winner – Jet Blackburn, a Burns realtor who worked with Sodhouse Farms – was honored for a project that enhances wetlands and hydrologically reconnects formerly farmed lands to Malheur Lake. George Sandberg of Roseburg was recognized for his leadership during implementation of an extensive restoration project along Clover Creek that improved spawning and rearing habitat for winter steelhead, Coho salmon, and cutthroat trout. Sandberg owns more than 800 acres in the Clover Creek watershed, a tributary of the North Umpqua River. The project includes installing seven miles of riparian fencing, constructing 20 off-channel livestock watering sites, developing five springs, assisting with replacement of two culverts, and planting more than 25,000 hardwood and conifer seedlings in the riparian zone. CALENDAR OF EVENTS Wednesday, June 16, 2004 – KWUA Executive Committee Meeting. 6:00 p.m. KWUA Office, 2455 Patterson Street, Suite 3, Klamath Falls

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