Biologist Seeks Whistleblower Status (Klamath)

Wahington Post ^ | October 26, 2002 | Don Thompson

[farmfriend]

Biologist Seeks Whistleblower Status

By Don Thompson
Associated Press Writer
Saturday, October 26, 2002; 8:10 PM

SACRAMENTO, Calif. –– A federal biologist who led the review of splitting water between farmers and fish in the Klamath Basin, site of a massive salmon kill, is seeking whistleblower protection, claiming his team was overruled in violation of the Endangered Species Act.

National Marine Fisheries Service biologist Michael Kelly alleges his team's recommendations were rejected twice under "political pressure" as the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation imposed lower water levels than were scientifically justified as part of a 10-year water management plan.

[farmfriend]

This article was reprinted in the Sacramento Bee. I found it on the Washington Posts' site.

Sacramento Bee headline:
Klamath battle heats up again
A federal biologist claims his water-use reveiw team was illegally overruled.

[farmfriend]

ping

[SierraWasp]

"This article was reprinted in the Sacramento Bee."

When? I couldn't find it on their website for today. I don't want my computer's electrons corrupted by that WP site as my "liberal filth filter" is already clogged!!!

[farmfriend]

The key word there was printed. It was in their paper edition but not on the web site.

[SierraWasp]

Comprehende' (a little spanish lingo there).

Wow, you got back to me fast!!!

[Carry_Okie]

Here's my latest theory:

RICOnuts, fishing interests (both tribal, commercial, and sport) and power generators have collectively forced release of enough water in the Klamath for the bar at the mouth to stay open instead of keeping the fish at sea. The fish came in and headed upriver to spawn in the feeder streams such as the Trinity and the Scott Rivers.

OOPS! There's no water to run up those rivers because there hasn't been any rain. So, the fish stay at the mouths of the feeder streams and over-crowd. That stresses the fish and leaves them susceptible to disease. Higher temperature water released from Klamath Lake also stresses the fish so the bacteria incubate more rapidly. The weather was also rather warm immediately prior to the epidemic.

More bacteria plus overcrowding plus a heat stressed population equals an epidemic. That's the most likely theory I have heard out of any fish biologist I have asked. NOBODY in that area except the RICOnuts (including those at the agencies) and the Tribes blames agricultural irrigation.

Besides the extra water (more than historic normal but less than last year), the difference between this year and years prior is that the runs are FAR larger. That is due to the in ocean conditions (the Pacific Decadal Oscillation), a long term temperature shift back to colder ocean temperatures which provides a better environment for both salmon and their prey species. There's more food.

[farmfriend]

more than historic normal but less than last year

Huh???

[Carry_Okie]

Last year the Klamath had the water not given to farmers releases to "help" salmon and suckerfish. The NAS found that it was if anything harmful. So they backed off this year. However, unless my memory fails me, PRIOR to the suckerfish lawsuit, Klamath River flows were usually lower than they were this summner.

[steelie]

Talked to the people who run the resource conservation district up there last week.

They said that a false pulse of water was sent down the river four weeks ago to bring up all the fish that the indians didn't want to catch anymore because the price was to low ($o.55/lb). That stranded the fish during an extreme heat wave of 105*.

It is my belief that someone shot the gun hoping for glory in the great salmon returns this year.

There are still over half a million fish in the Klamath system this year, and there is NO WAY that this is an endagered species.

[farmfriend]

OK, that makes sense.

[Carry_Okie]

Mee thinkum needum spellum checkum.

[farmfriend]

What can I say, I went to California public schools.

[Carry_Okie]

I heard that too, but sasquatch and I checked the gauge station flows and neither he nor I could see the Labor Day "pulse" everybody was talking about. We checked both water and air temperatures too, and they did seem to correlate; the water was relatively warm. Interestingly sasquatch reports that the feeder stream temperatures were cooler than the river itself. It might be possible that had the DWR released LESS water down the Klamath that the fish would have been better off both for not having headed upstream and because the water may have been cooler because of the higher fraction of mass flow from the feeder streams.

[Carry_Okie]

Lol, I was talking about ME!

[steelie]

Too much water (greater than natural flows can be bad for fish)

Click here: Too much water in Russian River?

I will check for the pulse information. However I have seen info that has not been correct @ the California data exchange.water.ca.gov

[farmfriend]

Click where?

[farmfriend]

Lol, I was talking about ME!

Well there you go, with my public education, I didn't even notice. I assumed you meant me (OK, we shouldn't assume) because I know I can't spell.

[steelie]

Sorry HTML impaired! But my checks of the flows at Terwer and some above are NOT THERE anymore. Tinfoil time. But the guys and gals I talk to are in the resoration buisness up there so I believe they hav no reason to lie>

When I was in Klmath Falls Last year for the rally, the lake was so full, a gentle afternoon breeze put water on the highway that ran alongide. So much for the suckerfish not having enough.

We have King Salmon behind my ranch on the Russian River that are mainstem spawners. This would not occur if the natural flow existed. It would be near dry. Yet these are a protected fish

[CPT Clay]

bttt

[Carry_Okie]

Sorry HTML impaired! But my checks of the flows at Terwer and some above are NOT THERE anymore. Tinfoil time.

I just checked. Flows for Seiad Valley were gone too.