Shasta nation takes stand on Klamath dam removal 020108

Our Klamath Basin Water Crisis
Upholding rural Americans' rights to grow food,
own property, and caretake our wildlife and natural resources.

SHASTA NATION TAKES STAND ON DAM REMOVAL

Yreka, CA, February 1, 2008 - In all of the controversy about dams on the Klamath River, dams that reside wholly within Shasta Nation aboriginal lands, the view of the Shasta Nation has not been heard until now.

While a myriad of "issues" regarding the Klamath Basin Water system can be discussed, three of utmost concern come to mind.

Factual Historical Data, Water Quality and Customs and Culture.

1. Factual Historical Data

Controversy resides along the Klamath River with respect to historical data about water conditions within Shasta Nation lands. The Shasta Nation has credible and reliable historical knowledge of Klamath River water flow conditions concerning dam removal issues.

There is an extraordinary amount of flawed information about scientific data promoting dam removal within Shasta Nation aboriginal lands.

2. Water Quality

The oral history of the Shasta Nation accounts for the Klamath and Shasta Rivers being continuously unfit since time immemorial in accordance with coho salmon habitation and, as noted on October 26, 1851 by George Gibbs, a member of Col. Reddick McKee's treaty expedition, found the Shasta River to be "tepid and unfit for use."

It is the collective opinion of the Shasta Nation Tribal Council that the removal of Klamath River dams would be catastrophic to modern day water conditions for fish habitat and water users.

3. Customs and Culture

According to Gibb's Journal, 1851, the aboriginal boundary between the Shasta and Karuk Tribes was at Clear Creek approximately 10 miles down river from Happy Camp, CA.

The Shasta Nation has not meddled with neighboring Tribes natural resources. We are now exercising our sovereign aboriginal territorial rights by demanding the same respect from the Klamath, Yurok and Karuk Tribes.

The Karuk Tribal leadership has gone to great lengths with ghastly amounts of hard working tax payer dollars to create the illusion that they have lived historically in Happy Camp and Yreka CA, therefore giving them the right to make decisions regarding the four controversial dams that are within Shasta Nation ancestral boundaries.

This illusion does not give the Karuk the right to destroy Shasta Nation customs and culture and make decisions with regards to Shasta Nation natural resources. Not only does the Karuk agenda destroy socioeconomic resources to property owners, ranchers, farmers and residents of Siskiyou County, it is also an attempt to obliterate Shasta Nation History past, present and future.

Let it be duly noted that non-Siskiyou County and Shasta Nation influences are trying to dictate our use of water within Siskiyou County and the Shasta Nation's aboriginal territorial land.

We as Peoples united must not let water, like gold 150 years ago, tear the fabric of our community apart.

The Shasta Nation is OPPOSED to the dam removal proposal.

With great respect,

Shasta Nation Tribal Council