Klamath River Basin Pact Ends Decades of Water Wars

From the Environment News Service: The historic agreement is signed by key players in the region, but a sizable hurdle remains -  it doesn't become permanent until it is fully funded, and that will require federal money. That's not so easy these days, especially for as controversial a project as this.

Tentative agreement signed in Klamath water wars

From AP: Another strong step in settling the Klamath water wars:

"Gov. John Kitzhaber and representatives of the Obama administration have signed a breakthrough agreement for sharing scarce water in the Upper Klamath Basin, where irrigation was shut off to ranchers last summer after the Klamath Tribes exercised newly awarded water rights to protect fish."

Here We Go Again...

Biological Opinion on Klamath Project Operations Delivered

A Biological Opinion was at the heart of the last water war in the Klamath watershed and was a focus of the documentary Battle for the Klamath. 

Report says dam removal good for Klamath salmon .

From the AP: " A federal report says removing four hydroelectric dams on the Klamath River in Oregon and California and restoring ecosystems will produce a big increase in salmon harvests and boost farm revenues. "

The 400-page report attempts to monetize the costs and benefits of taking down the dams for the major constituents in the Klamath region, including fish, farmers, tribes and recreational users. 

Full Klamath Dam Removal report:   http://1.usa.gov/VN0uqR

Study: Klamath Dam Removal Less Costly Than Expected

A new Interior Department study projects the cost of removing the four main dams on the Klamath River to be much less than anticipated and the evironmental impact, particularly for spawning salmon, to be substantial.

There are still many hurdles before the dams actually come down, but this is another important step in the process.

Here's the AP article.

Agreement Reached on Klamath River

Now the tough part begins: lawsuits, environmental studies, finding the money to take down the dams and then the actual demolition of those dams. For those who haven't seen them, the dams involved are large, functional structures that have been on the Klamath River for many, many years. Bringing them down will be a monumental achievement, and if it happens, may restore one of the greatest salmon runs on the west coast.

Lines are drawn over Klamath dam deals

Interesting piece on the split between the Hoopa Valley tribe and other tribes regarding the Klamath dam deal. Same split is going on between some prominent enviro groups.

Deal to raze 4 Klamath dams

Can't wait to film this in 2020. Hope it stands up through the inevitable lawsuits.

Klamath restoration negotiations delayed

Just delayed, or is it kicking the can down the road? The longer negotiations drag on, the tougher it becomes to actually remove those dams, even with the backing of the Obama Administration. Watch PacifiCorp's comments as the September deadline approaches.

Read the full article here.

Another Step in the Removal of the Dams on the Klamath

Still a long way to go, but more progress than many expected from this Administration.

In twenty years, salmon may once again swim the length of the Klamath River.

NPR Story on the Klamath Dams

NPR looks at the Klamath controversy and the possible removal of the four Klamath River dams.

Irrigators clash over proposed Klamath deal

Interesting article from the California Farm Bureau about divisions within the Klamath Basin agricultural community concerning the proposed settlement agreement. More evidence that finalizing the landmark agreement faces a steep path.

Hope in the Klamath Basin

Here's an opinion piece in the Oregonian by two longtime players in the struggle over Klamath water rights and the dams (Troy Fletcher is one of the main characters in the documentary). Interesting paragraph about PacifiCorp's role:

"... the proposed agreement included only commitments between the 26 parties not related to PacifiCorp and its facilities. A separate companion agreement with PacifiCorp is still in negotiation. There have been 16 separate meetings with the PacifiCorp's president or general counsel over the last two years centered solely on PacificCorp's Klamath River hydropower dams."

A hopeful note, because as I mentioned below, without PacifiCorp's participation in an agreement about the dams there's little hope for a lasting settlement, no matter what the other stakeholders agree on.

On the way to Omaha to see Warren Buffett

A group of Klamath tribes and environmentalists stopped in Sacramento, CA on their way to Omaha to try and get PacifiCorp and Warren Buffett to tear down the Klamath Dams.

Washington will destroy dams to revive a river

Interesting piece in USA Today about dams on the Elwha River in Washington state that are scheduled to come down in 2012. It also examines the Klamath River situation and how other western states are considering dam removal.

Klamath tribes ask PacifiCorp to tear down dams

I attended this event in Sacramento and shot some footage. I'll edit it and post it here in the next few days.

New York Times covers the Klamath Dam controversy

The New York Times takes a look at the Klamath River Dam controversy with a well-balanced piece on whether the dams should be taken down and what that means in our new climate sensitive world. The emphasis on the loss of a cheap, clean power resource for rural areas is the story's strongest point and one that PacifiCorp and its proponents is sure to emphasize during the long fight ahead.

The fight over the Klamath River and its water seems to have shifted some from irrigators vs. salmon to power vs. salmon. In the end, it seems that no matter what the other interest is, it's always another interest vs. salmon and the salmon (and the people and culture surrounding them) appear destined to lose.

Another lawsuit

A new lawsuit by Klamath Riverkeeper claims Clean Water Act violations from Iron Gate dam.

Court upholds water for fish before farms

"A federal appeals court Wednesday upheld a ruling forcing a federal irrigation project to boost flows in the Klamath River to help threatened salmon, even if it means shutting off water to farms." Hopefully, this ends the litigation and opens the door to a cooperative solution between upstream and downstream interests. Read more...