Klamath Falls News - Locally owned news brand, reporting stories affecting citizens of the Klamath Basin.
KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. - On May 19, the Bureau of Reclamation announced a boost in water supply for Klamath Project contractors, and confirmed higher lake levels for endangered sucker fish as well as larger releases from Upper Klamath Lake to benefit salmon.
Read MoreA federal court heard arguments today on whether to issue a preliminary injunction limiting irrigation and wildlife refuge uses of water from the Klamath Project in 2023.
Read MoreKLAMATH FALLS, Ore. - Last Thursday, the United States Court of Appeals issued a decision that denies Klamath Project irrigators the right to challenge federal agency decisions in court. The ruling, in a case titled Klamath Irrigation District, et al. v. United States, et al., found that irrigation parties could not file legal challenges to federal agency actions or decisions that the irrigators believe are unlawful, unless tribes in the Klamath Basin voluntarily agree to join the case as parties.
Read MoreWASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Cliff Bentz (R-Ore.) delivered his first speech on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives. He was joined by Congressman Doug LaMalfa (R-Calif.) in raising awareness of the catastrophic drought in the American West and supporting immediate relief for those affected by the ongoing crisis in the Klamath Basin through a $57 million aid and relief proposal.
Read MoreUS Representative Cliff Bentz (R-Oregon) wrote a letter today addressed to the new Secretary of the Interior Debra Halland, regarding the Klamath Basin. Specifically, Bentz’s letter addressed four asks for the Basin: fully funding the KPDRA, fully implement BOR’s updated legal guidance, fill the Klamath Area Office Manager position, and fill the Klamath Facilitation Position.
Read MoreKLAMATH FALLS, Ore. - The US Bureau of Reclamation has released a detailed analysis that will change its approach to compliance with the Endangered Species Act at the Klamath Project in south-central Oregon and northern California. The new analysis and guidance, called for by a Department of the Interior Solicitor’s opinion last fall, support that irrigation water deliveries in the Project are not subject to constraints that Reclamation has applied in the past.
Read MoreKLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – A walking history tour of Link River will be offered at 9 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 12, by the Klamath County Museum. The walk will focus on river bed features exposed by the low water level of Upper Klamath Lake at this time of year.
Read MoreKLAMATH FALLS, Ore. - Klamath Waters Users Association (KWUA) expressed strong support for U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Brenda Burman’s announcement earlier today of Klamath Project management adjustments to finish the irrigation season while benefitting wildlife refuges. “This is the kind of creative thinking and flexibility we need in the basin,” said KWUA Executive Director Paul Simmons.
Read MoreCHILOQUIN, Ore. - The Klamath Tribes were deeply disturbed and offended to receive “notification” on a Friday before a long holiday weekend that the Bureau of Reclamation has decided to release additional water for irrigators from Upper Klamath Lake.
Read MoreKLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – Today, Reclamation announced water supply increases for the benefit of water users and wildlife refuges in the Klamath Project in view of modest improvements in hydrology during the late summer and operational adjustments described below.
Read MoreMARION COUNTY, Ore. - A Marion County Circuit Court Judge has ruled in favor of Klamath Irrigation District (KID) in a lawsuit concerning water stored in Upper Klamath Lake for irrigation. At the same time, district leadership says that the impact of the ruling on 2020 water availability is currently unknown. Therefore, farmers should not change plans or assume they will receive more water this year because of the ruling.
Read MoreKLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – The Bureau of Reclamation invites public comment on a draft environmental assessment that evaluates a proposed water management approach for the Klamath Project. The Project provides irrigation for approximately 230,000 acres of farmed lands in the Klamath Basin.
Read MoreKlamath Water Users Association (KWUA) announces a public meeting on irrigation power cost reduction actions, to be held Tuesday, September 10, from 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM at Klamath Community College Conference Center, Building 7, 7390 S. Sixth Street.
Read MoreA program on efforts to restore populations of wocus plants in the Klamath Basin will be presented next week during a meeting of the Klamath Basin Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Oregon.
The program is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 4, at the Klamath County Museum, 1451 Main St. in Klamath Falls. The meeting is open to anyone interested. Presenters will be Megan Skinner, acting water operations chief at the Bureau of Reclamation’s Klamath Basin Area Office, and Christie Nichols, a biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Read MoreWASHINGTON – Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Brenda Burman today named Ernest A. Conant director of the Mid-Pacific Region. Conant has nearly 40 years of water law experience and previously served as senior partner of Young Wooldridge, LLP.
Read MoreChiloquin, OR – The Klamath Tribes today announced the dismissal of its lawsuit against the Bureau of Reclamation. The Klamath Tribes maintain that the Bureau has failed–and continues to fail–to meet its obligations under the Endangered Species Act to prevent extinction of C’waam and Koptu (Lost River and Shortnose suckers, respectively).
Read MoreWASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) attended a ceremony at the White House today for the signing of a landmark water package that includes drought relief for farmers in the Klamath Basin. Walden secured a key provision in the America’s Water Infrastructure Act, which President Trump signed into law today, that authorizes $10 million annually for four years to the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) to implement needed drought relief measures for the agriculture community in the Klamath Basin.
Read MoreKLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – The Bureau of Reclamation has released a draft Environmental Assessment to disclose potential environmental effects and solicit public comments associated with the Siskiyou County project.
Read MoreWashington, DC – Last Thursday, the United States House of Representatives voted unanimously to pass America’s Water and Infrastructure Act (AWIA) which included provisions that are vital to Klamath Project water users.
Read MoreWASHINGTON, D.C. - The House of Representatives today unanimously passed legislation that secures drought relief measures for Klamath Basin irrigators. Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) included a provision in the America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018 (S. 3021) that authorizes $10 million annually for four years to the Bureau of Reclamation to implement needed drought relief measures for the agriculture community in the Klamath Basin.
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![Rep. Bentz & Rep. LaMalfa issue $57M proposal to address Klamath Water Crisis [VIDEO]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59b9f24c64b05fd6531db026/1621399922440-3A2QPPULDCG0OLBPTGNT/bentz.png)
![House Passes Water Infrastructure Package that Includes Drought Relief for Klamath Farmers [VIDEO]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59b9f24c64b05fd6531db026/1536875359306-67NKGLGJVTMYTUDPGPNN/walden.jpg)