SALEM, Ore. – Yesterday the Bureau of Reclamation announced that no water is to be diverted from Upper Klamath Lake for irrigation this year to over 150,000 acres of productive farmland in Klamath County.
Instead, the water will be retained in the lake to support a failed environmental practice for fish species that has yet to prove its effectiveness. In previous, similar drought conditions BOR has delivered project farmers their full allocation of water. This year BOR is using unproven environmental opinions to claim all water must be retained in Upper Klamath Lake or released downstream to California.
“The Bureau of Reclamation exists for the farmers, yet this decision will decimate the livelihood of Oregonians trying to make it through this drought,” said Representative E. Werner Reschke (R-Klamath Falls.) “We know that holding this water back for these fish will not work, and we also know that these farmers need this water to survive. Federal decision-makers must change course to help these struggling communities make it through this drought.”
Release from : OFFICE OF REPRESENTATIVE E. WERNER RESCHKE
For those of us who own land that was sold by the government after the dykes and leveys were built with guaranteed water wrights should have a strong case as the government has failed in holding up to the sale guaranteed is not being delivered. By the way the reason for the dykes was to try and prolong the life of the lake. If this had not HAPPEND most likely all those fish would have already have vanished. The case should NEVER BEEN BEFOR A JUDGE OUT OF STATE WHO REFUSED TO LISTEN TO THE FACTS OF THE RECOVERY OF THE LAKE BY THE GOVERNMENT AND GUARANTEED WATER WRIGHTS SOLD WITH THE LAND. I BELIEVE ALL LAND OWNERS SHOULD SUE FOR 10 TIMES CURRENT VALUE FOE FAILURE TO DELIVER. GUARANTEED WATER, THERE IS ENOUGH WATER FOR FARMERS , AND THE SUCKER IS NOT THE FISH, BUT THE JUDGES WHO MADE THE FLAWED DECISION.