Rain and Snow Bring Needed Moisture to Klamath Basin After Long, Dry Troubled Summer

AP ^

[RCW2001]

KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. (AP) Snow and rain over the past the week has brought Klamath Basin streams back to life, raising hopes that the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation will have an easier time meeting stringent rules for protecting endangered fish.

Last winter was one of the driest on record in the area, dropping Upper Klamath Lake to levels so low that irrigation water normally sent to 180,000 acres of farmland in the basin was cut off for much of the summer.

The cutoff left the farmland parched, and angry land owners who have relied on the irrigation project for decades protested by wrenching open the headgates to restore the irrigation flow. A $5 million project is now under way to replace the old headgates and increase security.

Despite keeping water in the lake through the summer, the Bureau of Reclamation remained worried about whether water levels would remain high enough to meet guidelines for protecting endangered sucker fish while enough water was released to protect coho salmon in the Klamath River.

The agency said Monday it now appears likely that the lake will be at the required level by the end of the year.

The flow in the Williamson River, the largest tributary to Upper Klamath Lake, is still below average for this time of year. But the total flow into the lake has increased substantially since this weekend's snow storms brought the first significant snowfall of the year.

Federal officials continue to release enough water from Upper Klamath Lake to maintain the minimum river flow required to protect coho salmon, which are migrating upstream at this time of year.

[farmfriend]

Thanks, someday I will bring the list in and will be able to do it my self.

[Snow Bunny]

Thank you sooooo much Tonkin for pinging me to this and for YOU!!!!!!!

[hubel458]

Called the portland AP. Got secretary who took my complaints about the article and a whole bunch more. Don't know if it did any good. Sec seemed not to know about the facts or the dry well problem. Oh yes, a lawyer named Charboneau is taking on the dry well owners lawsuit against gov to get paid for well damages.Doing it for pecentage, no win no pay. He has help farmers in other areas.On the Oregon side, well pumping stopping today and state water people are coming to check dry well problems. In Oregon the state has legal ordinances to protect wells. Wonder why they let the water be stopped from lake when it affects water table and dries up wells. To many greenies in state gov starting with governor??? In Cal the state has different rules on the wells and you can take water until you get sued to pay off the neighbors.The AP seems oblivious to problems in the real world. They have greenies in with them also.Ed Hubel

[AuntB]

Hi dandelion! A bump for the cause!

[blackie]

Thanks for the ping !!

[dixiechick2000]

Thanks for the ping, Tonk! Maybe the greenie weenies will have a much, much harder time next year! BTW, has it been unusually wet and windy in your area? We've had a lot of rain and the wind has been horrendous!

Bumping for the night crowd.

[dixiechick2000]

Thanks for the post!

[Issaquahking]

6:38 P.M.? Time for another BUMP TO THE TOP!

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

"BTW, has it been unusually wet and windy in your area?"

Yep! Even blew down a couple of trees out back!

[dixiechick2000]

"Even blew down a couple of trees out back"

YIKES! I hope there was no damage. I'm concerned about the wind because we have 100' firs all around our house. We are supposed to have high winds again tonight...after midnight. And, of course, the ground is saturated Not looking forward to it.;o(