Nov. 22, 2011 KSYC Joe Show
 

Last Friday night, residents and property owners in Jackson County, Oregon learned how Klamath dam removal will affect their livelihoods. Much of the irrigation water used in the vineyards and pear orchards is received from the Upper Klamath Basin.

Tom Mallams, president of the Klamath Off Project Water Users Association, participated in the meeting. Mallams reported that 80 people attended the informational meeting in downtown Medford.

Local talk show host Bill Meyer facilitated the meeting and presenters included Gary Lake and John Martinez, both sharing information on the Shasta Nation, Doctor Richard Gierak, Josephine County Sheriff Gil Gilbertson and Sheriff Jon Lopey from Siskiyou County.

Three specific pages from the contentious Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement were displayed showing negative impacts to Rogue Valley irrigation water if the four hydro-electric dams are destroyed. The “West-Side Diversion,” in short water years, would be halted by in-stream Tribal claims required for in the KBRA.

The so called “best available science” was discussed and shown to be “paid for science.”