Karuk Tribe provides a statement on the Klamath Operations Plan
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The following is a press release from Karuk Tribe.
HAPPY CAMP, Calif. - In the face of what may be the worst drought in modern history, the United States Department of Interior released a Temporary Operations Plan for the Klamath Irrigation Project. The plan dramatically curtails irrigation diversions to less than 10% of demand while failing to meet the biological needs of salmon fisheries downstream.
Karuk Chairman Russell ‘Buster’ Attebery made the following statement:
“We appreciate the efforts of the Biden Administration to manage water resources in the face of this natural disaster. We know it is impossible to meet everyone’s water needs when the rains don’t come. For the Karuk Tribe, this is about more than economic survival. Our cultural identity is intimately linked to the salmon, sturgeon, steelhead, and lamprey. The Karuk Tribe is committed to working with federal agencies, fellow Tribes, and our neighbors in the farming and ranching communities to survive this disaster. We call on Congress to provide disaster relief to all affected communities and to invest in the river restoration and water conservation efforts that acknowledge the reality of climate change and equitably balances water use.”