A
federal spending plan outlining emergency drought relief
could be expedited for on-Project irrigators in the
Klamath Basin via the Omnibus bill by Monday or earlier,
according to U.S. Rep. Greg Walden (R-OR).
The Hood River Congressman offered continuing support
for Klamath Basin irrigators Wednesday afternoon during
a joint press conference with Bureau of Reclamation
officials at the South Portal Building in Klamath Falls.
With a roomful of attendees looking on, Walden said that
prior to addressing the room, he took a phone call from
the Office of Management and Budget regarding expedited
review of about $10.3 million in emergency funds
expected to help irrigators for pumping, land idling and
disaster relief.
Walden said he is working closely with Sens. Jeff
Merkley and Ron Wyden to speed up the process for the
funding from the Office of Budget and Management into
the hands of irrigators.
“That funding ($10.3 million) now is working through the
Bureau of Rec’s action plan for this coming fiscal
year,” Walden said.
“We’re trying everything we can to bust it loose as soon
as possible,” Walden added.
“Rather than the next few weeks, we’d like to see it in
the next few days.”
“I
would like to see most of it help with the cost of
pumping, because if there is water, crops need water
first and foremost,” he added during a question and
answer session with media.
Walden also said, although lawmakers cannot earmark the
funds, that it is well understood in Congress that the
money will go toward relief for on-Project irrigators.
“There will be hell to pay if they take it and put it
somewhere else,” Walden said, drawing laughter from
attendees.
Walden also responded to the ruling issued by Ninth
Circuit Court Judge William H. Orrick on Monday, which
he said is having a “devastating” effect on the Basin
regarding water and its availability.
Bureau of Reclamation’s Klamath Basin Area Office
Manager Jeff Nettleton also addressed the order issued
by Orrick, with intentions to appeal it. Nettleton and
Reclamation officials are also working on how to
implement the spending plan locally once funding becomes
available.
“The current hydrology and current order that we’re
under relative to the Endangered Species Act really has
our hands tied and as far as the available water supply
that we have to meet all the various needs in the
Basin,” Nettleton said. “We went back to the court to
try and amend that injunction order and get some relief
specifically for the dilution flows and we were denied
that injunctive relief.
“We intend to pursue an appeal to that court order as we
work through a (biological opinion) re-consultation
process,” he added.
Nettleton also clarified that Reclamation is not
pursuing 14,500 acre feet of water from Clear Lake or
Gerber Reservoir from Langell Valley and Horsefly
irrigation districts, as reported by Herald and News on
Tuesday.
“The last we understood, there were some discussions
between TID (Tulelake Irrigation District) and those
districts, but we had not heard that they are pursuing
any of that water on those east side reservoirs,”
Nettleton told the Herald and News on Wednesday. “TID
could pursue that if they chose to, but I have not heard
as of today even that they were intending to pursue
that.”
Nettleton said Reclamation officials are working with
Klamath Water Users Association and irrigation districts
to find opportunities for additional water sources for
the Project while still meeting legal requirements in
the court order and Tribal trust responsibilities.
“All of us here in the Basin are working together as
neighbors and that’s really important to make it through
this challenging water year,” Nettleton said.
Scott White, executive director of the Klamath Water
Users Association, agreed and emphasized about the court
order that it doesn’t mean the Project will not have
water.
“There still is a little bit of water,” White said,
“that can create it’s own problems. And I would
encourage everybody to talk to your neighbors, talk to
your districts, and try and figure out how we are going
to spread that water the best we can, because it is
going to be extremely challenging.”
A
2 p.m. meeting today between irrigation district members
planned at the Klamath Irrigation District offices today
has been canceled, according to Brad Kirby, president of
KWUA.
“We are maintaining close contact with the water users,”
Nettleton said, noting the agency meets each Thursday
with water users.
Nettleton also said he is working with Reclamation
officials to have a plan to implement funding for
irrigators as soon as Monday.
“We are working on the agreements and contracts to
utilize groundwater, to convey that groundwater into
Project facilities,” he added. “We are about there on
those issues.”
Nettleton also clarified that while Reclamation is
“actively looking” for additional sources of water to
supplement the Project water supply, that individual
districts are tasked with asking to utilize water from
individual sources.
Walden also responded to OWRD’s shutoff of groundwater
wells in Sprague River earlier this week, calling for as
much “flexibility” as possible from Oregon Gov. Kate
Brown in light of the water year as well as adherence to
state water law.
“This Basin is suffering,” Walden said.
“They may have no flexibility, they may have to shut
down but I sure hope they think long and hard about it
if there is room to make a different decision, that
they’ll take into account the impact on ranchers in the
Upper Basin. Look, I know they’ve got legal obligations,
not asking that they not follow the law, but sometimes
there are close calls, and I hope in the area of close
calls, given how many wells will be shut off, they’ll
err on the side of letting a little water flow.”
Walden recalled being in Klamath Falls during the Bucket
Brigade down Main Street in 2001, when there was no
water delivered to the Project, and efforts that
followed.
“I
think we’ve got to take another look at the science,
what’s working, what’s not,” Walden said, “and not
repeat the same mistakes and get to a better outcome.”
Walden emphasized continued work with BOR’s Commissioner
Brenda Burman and Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke
has resulted in new authorities obtained by Reclamation
through the Omnibus Bill, signed into law by President
Donald Trump.
That includes movement of non-Project water through the
Bureau of Reclamation facilities.
“We’re working with the Bureau to make sure that
off-Project water that moves through the Project doesn’t
end up being charged for it,” Walden said.
“I
want to stress that this is authority that was never
before in the law,” Walden added, “so we’re trying to
get flexibility for water management in the Basin.”
Walden said he and others have been planning all along
for the worst-case scenario in the Klamath Basin.
“And preparing to do everything we can to be helpful
along the way,” Walden said.
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Farm Service Agency offers
support
Attendees of the joint press
conference Wednesday afternoon at the South Portal Building
also heard about emergency relief available to on-Project
irrigators through Farm Service Agency, an arm of the U.S.
Department of Agriculture.
Some insurance programs have
a deadline that has passed, said Peggy Browne, executive
director for the Farm Service Agency, but she added that
other programs are available for eligible applicants.
“Much of what we can offer is
going to be predicated on the weather in the next couple of
months,” Browne said.
“Get in as soon as possible,”
Browne told water users. “Make an appointment with our local
county folks.”
To make an appointment with
Laura Hall at Klamath County FSA, call 541-883-6924 Ext. 2.