Dan Keppen, Executive Director for the Klamath Water Users Association (KWUA), on Wednesday announced to his board of directors that he would leave the association at the end of January 2005. In the time leading up to that date, he will work with the board of directors and an executive search committee to find a replacement.

Keppen cited personal reasons for making his decision.

"My priority at this time is to focus on my family and prepare for the next stage of my life," Keppen said. "We intend to stay in Klamath Falls as my wife focuses on further developing her own business."

Keppen has no definite plans to return immediately to the water policy arena in the near future, nor are there other specific job offers that he is considering at this time.

"I have a very deep and personal loyalty to the farming community here in the Basin, which makes this decision especially difficult," he said. "However, I fully intend to continue to be active in the local community and will engage as necessary to support the Klamath Basin, and especially, Klamath Project agriculture."

Keppen joined KWUA in 2001, after Klamath Irrigation Project water supplies were curtailed for the first time in 95 years. In the time since, he and his 11-person volunteer board of directors have focused on educating the public about Klamath Basin water issues, supporting meaningful conservation actions and sound science, improving political relations, and outreaching to other stakeholders in the Klamath Basin.

"I am proud of what we have accomplished as an association in the past three years," said Keppen. "I believe the association has restored at least some stability to the Klamath Project, and I am pleased that we helped advocate for, and secure a place at the table in, processes through which the irrigation community can constructively address its problems in the near future."

"It has been an honor working the dedicated and visionary irrigators of the Klamath Basin," he said. "I thank them for this wonderful opportunity."