Press Release from the Bureau of Reclamation

The Bureau of Reclamation's Klamath Basin Area Office announces implementation of the 2005 Water Bank. The Water Bank consists of several programs, including on- and off-project storage, groundwater pumping, and dryland operation.

Call For Applications: Dryland Operation Program At this time, Reclamation is accepting applications for the Dryland Operation Program (Program) for the 2005 Pilot Water Bank. Applications are being accepted from individuals, groups of individuals, partnerships, and companies willing to forego irrigation of their lands during the 2005 irrigation season in exchange for a payment. Participation is open to all users of surface water above Keno Dam including non-Project users, except Federal lease lands and lands under temporary surplus water contracts ("C lands"), which are excluded.

Eligibility is limited to field units that have been irrigated in the recent past. Field units must have been irrigated with surface water in both 2003 and 2004, with one exception. The exception is that any year in which they were not irrigated with surface water, the field units must have been included in the Water Bank (Forbearance/Dryland Operation or Groundwater Program) to be eligible. Field units irrigated with groundwater in either year, but which were not included in the Water Bank, are not eligible. Only complete field units of at least 20 contiguous acres are eligible.

The Water Bank is required by a 2002 NOAA-Fisheries Biological Opinion on Klamath Project Operations and is used to benefit Klamath River flows for threatened coho salmon. Prospective applicants are encouraged to contact the Klamath Basin Area Office for details of the Program. In particular, changes to the Program in 2005 may impact a bid and how it will be evaluated. Starting January 3, 2005, appointments may be made to discuss a particular proposed dryland operation situation prior to submitting a final bid. Completed and signed applications and all documentation must be submitted to the Klamath Basin Area Office, 6600 Washburn Way, Klamath Falls, OR 97603, by 4 p.m. on Thursday, January 27, 2005, for consideration. This will be the only request for dryland operation bids in 2005.

Request For Ideas And Proposals For 2005 Water Bank In addition, Reclamation is seeking ideas and proposals to meet the 100,000 acre-foot, 2005 Water Bank requirement. A full range of ideas and proposals is being solicited, including storage, new or unusual sources of water, or other techniques.

When submitting ideas and proposals for the Water Bank, please provide as much detail as possible to enable Reclamation to thoroughly evaluate them. Ideas and proposals with more complete and robust supporting information will have a better possibility of being accepted. Ideas and proposals submitted may or may not lead to issuance of a contract.

Please send your ideas and proposals to the Klamath Basin Area Office, 6600 Washburn Way, Klamath Falls, OR 97603, by 4 p.m. on Thursday, January 27, 2005. Reclamation will then evaluate Water Bank ideas and proposals and may ask for more detailed information. For additional information contact Gary Baker or Phil Graf at Reclamation's Klamath Basin Area Office at 541-883-6935 or by email at gbaker@mp.usbr.gov or pgraf@mp.usbr.gov. The Dryland Operation instructions and application form, a sample contract, and the Request for Ideas and Proposals form are available on the Klamath Basin Area Office website at: http://www.usbr.gov/mp/kbao.