biological on klamath river needs to change 021511

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Biological opinion on river needs to change

Herald and News Letter to the Editor February 15, 2011 from Warren Haught, president Klamath Basin Improvement District

Sent to Rod McGinnis, regional administrator, National Marine Fisheries Service:

The Klamath Basin watershed in Southern Oregon drains close to 10 million acres of mountainous terrain into Klamath Lake and eventually into the Klamath River.

Less than 4 percent of that drainage water is used for on-farm irrigation. Even though much of that 4 percent is utilized between April and September, it is still an insignificant amount.

One would think that our highly paid bureaucrats, biologists, water specialists, engineers, etc. could find a way to retain enough water in the system for our irrigation needs.

National Marine Fisheries, Fish and Wildlife, Reclamation, the Tribes, PacifiCorp, and others tap into this water for their needs as releases are made downriver.

The Endangered Species Act, designated to protect fish, birds, animals, and reptiles, is too severe. None of this habitat protection will do much to save our local economy, which is farm and timber based.

It would take very little modification of the biological opinion, relative to river flows, to make life acceptable for humans and creatures.

If the Klamath Lake is not filled by April 1 of each year, none of the entities mentioned in this letter will meet all of their obligations.

We of the Klamath Basin Improvement District, on behalf of all Basin irrigators, request that you make the effort to modify the biological opinion.