In the Flow
District news & updates
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In this Issue:
- 2023 Irrigation Season UPDATE
- Upcoming Events
- News Stories Impacting Our Communities
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Funding Opportunities and News / Press Releases
- Recently published interactive Story Maps
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2023 Irrigation Season Update |
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Yurok Tribes amends its demands to the Court to issue the following order: |
"The Court hereby prohibits Defendant Bureau of Reclamation (“Reclamation”) from allowing:
(1) additional allocations or deliveries of water for irrigation in water year 2023 beyond the allocations made as of June 1, 2023, in accordance with the 2019 Biological Opinion on Klamath Projects Operations from April 1, 2019, through March 31, 2024 (“2019 Biological Opinion”), which provide for no further agricultural allocations after that date.
(2) deliveries of water for irrigation in water year 2023, which runs from April 1, 2023, through September 30, 2023, unless Reclamation can ensure Upper Klamath Lake (“UKL”) will have an elevation of at least 4139.2 feet on September 30, 2023.
(3) fall-winter deliveries of water for irrigation from October 1, 2023, to March 1, 2024, unless Reclamation can ensure the minimum river flows in the 2019 Biological Opinion will be met. The 2019 Biological Opinion (at 25-26 & Table 5) requires the following average daily minimum flows at Iron Gate Dam:
Month River Flow (cfs)
October - 1000
November - 1000
December - 950
January - 950
February - 950
March - 1000
April - 1325
May - 1175
June - 1025
July - 900
August - 900
September - 1000"
This demand by the Yurok Tribe underlines the need for food security described by the Center for Strategic and International Studies statement, "In a world where food is both a strategic weapon of war and a smart investment to foster peace..."
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Editorial by Gene Souza, Executive Director of the Klamath Irrigation District.
The demands of the Yurok Tribe, without an adjudicated water right to the waters stored in Upper Klamath Lake, nor to the live flow of water in the State of Oregon, are set to undermine the Klamath Adjudication, the water-rights of all stakeholders in the Klamath River Adjudication, the laws of the State of Oregon, and put the Federal government into a position where it is forced to take away additional property from American citizens without due process, above the property taken without due process by Reclamation's Proposed Actions since 2021.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs, at the direction of Robert (Bob) Anderson with the Department of the Interior, paid Dr. Thomas Hardy over $ 1.6 million to provide evidence of a Yurok Tribal water-right claim in the Klamath River Adjudication. The DoI, BIA, Yurok, nor Dr. Hardy provided any Yurok claims in the Klamath River Adjudication.
This demand by the Yurok Tribe on the court undermines the laws and due process by establishing Yurok Tribe control over Oregon water-right holders.
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Klamath Project Drought Response Agency |
The DRA directors will meet on 2 May 2023. In this meeting, they will discuss a 2023 no-irrigation program; meaning that if no water is applied to the land, the land would be eligible for a 2023 program. If water is applied to the lands, it is highly likely that the program would disqualify the lands from qualification in a no irrigation program.
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Photo: A small portion of the 400 miles of wildlife habitat supported in Klamath Irrigation Districts infrastructure is shown in this photo. As quickly as water became available to this system, the wildlife found opportunity to find relief from the dry refuges. |
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On 1 May 2023, K.I.D. plans to open the A Canal to facilitate the preparation of a late start to the irrigation season.* The A Canal provides water to over 200 miles of canals within Klamath Irrigation District, and hundreds of more miles to the eight other districts which receive water from the A Canal. Watering up the infrastructure in K.I.D. typically takes 3 weeks, with only a moderate risk to blow-outs in the earthen ditch banks.
This year we have been taking action to attempt a water up over the course of 1 week knowing the late start will likely increase initial demand. The emergency repairs to the A Canal were tested in April with a very slow water-up of the canal, allowing the water to slowly saturate the earthen embankments. Similar actions were taken to prepare portions of the D, E, F, and G canals with flows from the Lost River.
Klamath Irrigation District ditch-riders will begin taking water orders the evening of 5 May. If damage to the system is minimal during water-up, then irrigation deliveries could start as early as 8 May.
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If conditions change, Klamath Irrigation District will provide updates on our website at www.klamathid.org and attempt to send out updated electronic newsletters as quickly as we can.
*Pending political issues which may impact water deliveries this year are discussed in this issue.
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No new information available at the time of publishing this update.
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Klamath Basin Improvement District, and Warren Act Contractors |
As of the date of publishing this newsletter, Klamath Irrigation District is attempting to follow all of its legal and contractual obligations.
The water supply identified by Reclamation does not indicate a full supply is available to fulfill Reclamation's contractual obligations for its "B" (Warren Act) contractors. See the DRA update in this newsletter to evaluate your farm plans.
District managers will continue to coordinate our efforts to refine the situation as it develops as related to the political shenanigans destroying people, families, and communities.
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Weather Seasonal Climate Forecast
for May - July 2023
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Pete Parson's forecast indicates warmer-than-normal temperatures in May. This indicates the late start to the irrigation season will likely see a high initial demand to support the energy being generated to promote healthy plant growth. This effect will put into direct conflict with the Yurok Tribe's demand for June environmental water in the Klamath River to be delivered in May, creating a higher demand for stored water in Upper Klamath Lake and threatening the biological opinion for UKL levels. June looks to be more moderate. |
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Political Issues effecting Food Security and our local communities |
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Dam Removal Increasing Power Rates - again |
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PacfiCorps proposal for a third straight year of extremely large increases on 1 Jan 2024 |
PacifiCorp is proposing an extremely large increase in its Oregon-allocated net power costs of +$163.8 million. This results in an average rate increase of +9.5% to be effective 1 January 2024. The proposed rate increase for the Schedule 41 irrigation rate is +8.2%
PacifiCorp's large proposed rate increase is being driven by several different factors INCLUDING THE IMPENDING SHUTDOWN OF THE FOUR KLAMATH RIVER HYDROPOWER PLANTS at the end of 2023 and the conversion of two PacifiCorp large coal-fired generating plants (Bridger Units 1 & 2) to run on natural gas. PacifiCorp is also forecasting higher natural gas and wholesale power prices in 2024.
Source: Email from KWUA power consultant on 11 April 2023
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"The presence of contaminates in the reservoir sediments, at concentrations significantly higher than background levels, would likely require mechanical removal or stabilization of the reservoir sediments prior to dam removal. Even if contaminates are not present in the reservoir sediments, the turbidity created by sediment erosion during dam removal may impact the aquatic environment of the downstream river channel. Increased turbidity could also be a concern for downstream water users."
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Bob Wynne - A View From Here
26 April 2023
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Listen to Bob's 26 April update here. In this week's segment on the water supply.
When will the refuges see water given the current hydrological conditions.
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The Lord Providith...
In this issue of The Ag Mag, K.I.D.'s Executive Director provides a guest editorial...and an answer to the question asked in the last issue.
Read more
www.rb9publishing.com
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Department of Interior's investment in Klamath...
On April 5, 2023, the Department of the Interior announced an $8.75 million investment in the Klamath Irrigation District infrastructure. Investment in the A Canal maintains the viability of some of the richest agricultural lands in the world,...
Read more
www.heraldandnews.com
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Fish Pathogen Monitoring Studies | Department of...
Ceratonova shasta in the Klamath River Ceratonova shasta is a freshwater, myxozoan parasite that is native to the Pacific North West of North America. It causes enteronecrosis in juvenile salmonids and is associated with population-level impacts...
Read more
microbiology.oregonstate.edu
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No pathogen's to salmonid fish were identified in the Klamath River prior to initiating the "flushing flow" in April 2023...but the "flushing flow" stirred up the contaminants.
This link provides the details of the river conditions.
On 17 April the report states,
"The density of C. shasta at each site is as follows:
KI5 i, no Cs-DNA detected, low inhibition in all samples
KBC i, no Cs-DNA detected, fully inhibited - spore value not determined
KMN g, <1 spore/liter, low inhibition in 1/3 samples
KSV i, <1 spore/liter, low inhibition in 2/3 samples
KOR g, <1 sp/liter, no inhibition
KTC g, no Cs-DNA detected, no inhibition"
The 24 April updates clearly states, "Despite higher levels of contaminants (likely due to the flushing flow), for the first time this year, C. shasta DNA was detectable at all sites.
3 sites were sampled with automatic sampler ("i"), 3 were manual grabs ("g").
Most sites required double the regular number of filters due to high levels of suspended material (likely due to the flushing flow); this material also causes inhibition of the DNA assay which can interfere with detection."
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9th Circuit upholds Cascade-Siskiyou expansion but...
A presidential order that doubled the size of a national monument in Oregon has withstood a timber company's lawsuit but hasn't yet survived its final legal test. While the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld the Cascade-Siskiyou...
Read more
www.capitalpress.com
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A direct and compelling advertisement |
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'Wood Milk' ad intended to raise dairy nutrition...
A tongue-in-cheek advertising campaign that touts a new product - Wood Milk - is blowing up social media, which is exactly what dairy milk companies were hoping for. The campaign - funded through the Milk Processor Education Program - features...
Read more
www.capitalpress.com
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News Stories Impacting our Communities |
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Food prices fall on world markets but not on kitchen tables
A restaurant on the outskirts of Nairobi skimps on the size of its chapatis - a flaky, chewy Kenyan flatbread - to save on cooking oil. Cash-strapped Pakistanis reluctantly go vegetarian, dropping beef and chicken from their diets because they...
Read more
www.capitalpress.com
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Hydropower rep hopes for 'apolitical' study on Snake...
OLYMPIA - Washington legislators have authorized a study on replacing the electricity from Lower Snake River dams, calling for a national laboratory to look at a subject already pored over by several consultants. Lawmakers appropriated $2 million ...
Read more
www.capitalpress.com
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National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) President Brent Cheyne (former K.I.D. Board Member) recently testified on a panel as part of a two-part hearing on “Producer Perspectives on the 2023 Farm Bill” before the House Agriculture Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities, Risk Management, and Credit. With his farm located in Klamath Falls, OR, we appreciate Brent’s efforts for the wheat industry on both a state and national level! #OregonWheat
Mr. Cheyne's testimony begins at 4:42:00
His responses to questions start at 5:01:25
Mr. Cheyne's response to Congressman LaMalfa's question 05:22:17...
"Our situation in the Klamath Basin is very unpleasant....I look at the ESA as the flaw of the land...I am told by the Federal agencies there is no take [in violation of the 5th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution] because the ESA allows [private property] to be taken."
"I feel better now that I have given up all hope."
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Funding Opportunities and News / Press Releases |
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Recent Story Map Projects |
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Preparing the Klamath Basin for Dam Removal
A StoryMap Spotlighting Collaborative Efforts to Enhance Fish Passage in the Klamath River Basin in Honor of World Fish Migration Day 2020 with a moderate amount of misinformation.
Read more
storymaps.arcgis.com
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The Klamath River - A Tribal Perspective
The purpose of this story map is to explore the perception of damage that dams have done to the native culture and river's ecosystem.
Read more
storymaps.arcgis.com
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CDFW Restoration Grant Awards
California Department of Fish and Wildlife Watershed Restoration Grants Branch Restoration Grant Awards - April 2023
Read more
storymaps.arcgis.com
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2023 Klamath County Job Fair
" All Events Are you looking for a job? Come down to our Job Fair! We have lots of potential employers that want to meet you! This could be your ticket to finding your dream job, you never know! The job fair will take place at the Klamath County...
Read more
mybasin.com
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The mission of Klamath Irrigation District is to acquire, maintain, assure, and deliver an adequate water supply for beneficial use on qualified land with the Klamath Project. We represent our Patrons before government agencies, the legislature, Congress, and in such forms as appropriate for the perfection and protection of their water rights.
We defend the District from actions which would diminish our effectiveness and function.
We further promote the conservation of water, soil, and other natural resources.
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The Klamath Irrigation District is a quasi-municipal corporation (special purpose local government) formed and operating pursuant to Oregon Revised Statute Chapter 545. The District was established by "Order Declaring Result of Election" entered in the Circuit Court of the State of Oregon for the County of Klamath on 10 December 1917 and subsequently absorbed the responsibilities of the Klamath Water Users Association established in 1905. The District is governed by a five member board of directors which is elected by patrons of the District. |
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