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Water deliveries to begin no earlier than May 15     

Herald and News 5/11/10

On May 6, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s Klamath Basin area office released the annual Operations Plan for the Klamath Project, saying “conditions should permit releases to begin no earlier than May 15.

   “Reclamation and irrigation contractors are together monitoring the situation closely,” and, “Releases will begin as soon as conditions allow.”

   Plans for specific releases include: For Upper Klamath Lake irrigators, 30 to 40 percent of average annual releases, or an estimated 150,000 acre-feet of water can be expected.

   The 2010 Project Operations Plan identifies lake elevations that help protect the Endangered Species Actlisted suckers in the lake. Reclamation will meet with irrigation contractors on a weekly basis to examine the situation and ensure minimum lake elevations are maintained throughout the irrigation season.

   Gerber Lake’s forecasted inflow and carryover will allow a release   of approximately 85 percent of the average annual supply, or an estimated 31,000 acre-feet.

   Clear Lake Reservoir carryover storage and forecasted inflow indicate there will be no available water for irrigation releases in 2010.

   The current lake level is below the minimum level established by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Biological Opinion, and any further reduction in the levels may be detrimental to the ESA-listed sucker population.

   The 2010 Operations Plan is available online at:  www.usbr.gov/   mp/kbao/operations/2010/2010_ OPS_PLAN.pdf. For questions or to request copies of the plan, contact Kevin Moore, Bureau of Reclamation, Klamath Basin Area Office, e-mail  klmoore@usbr.gov   or 541-880-2557.