Klamath Falls News - Locally owned news brand, reporting stories affecting citizens of the Klamath Basin.
SALEM, Ore. - Last week, Governor Tina Kotek and First Lady Aimee Kotek Wilson visited communities in Lake, Klamath and Jackson counties on stops 30, 31, and 32 of the One Oregon Listening Tour.
Read MoreKLAMATH FALLS, Ore. - Klamath Water Users Association (KWUA) is proud to announce Brian Gailey has joined the team as the Director of Marketing and Public Relations.
Read MoreKLAMATH FALLS, Ore. - Klamath Water Users Association (KWUA), along with districts, individual water users, and tribes in the Klamath Basin, received a letter from the Bureau of Reclamation on Tuesday, announcing that the previously communicated “likely” reduction to the Klamath Project’s water supply was no longer necessary and
Read MoreKLAMATH FALLS, Ore. - With over 180% snowpack currently sitting in the mountains of the Klamath River Watershed, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation announced water deliveries for the Klamath Project last Thursday at a mere 215,000 acre-feet. Just 47.7% of what would be full deliveries (450,000 acre-feet) for the project.
Read MoreKLAMATH FALLS, Ore. - Today, the United States Bureau of Reclamation said that irrigation districts that provide water to family farms and national wildlife refuges should immediately cease all diversion of water from Upper Klamath Lake, the major water storage reservoir for the Klamath Project.
Read MoreKLAMATH FALLS, Ore. - On Tuesday, the Klamath Water Users Association held its annual meeting at the Klamath County Fairgrounds. Several hundred people attended the meeting which included dinner and social hour. The main focus of the event was on current water deliveries, the future of irrigation in the Klamath Basin, and an overall message of hope for basin farmers.
Read MoreKLAMATH FALLS, Ore. - The federal government announced today that it will deprive highly fertile farms and ranches in the Klamath Basin of irrigation water necessary to produce food this year. The decision comes at a time of global food security fears, rapidly rising food prices, and concerns that grocery store shelves may become empty this year.
Read MoreKLAMATH FALLS, Ore. - Today, the Oregon legislature approved $20 million in funding for critical needs in Klamath County caused by water curtailments and wildfire. “This is welcome news,” said Klamath County Commissioner Kelley Minty Morris, who was on point for local interests pursuing the funding. “We are grateful for this action, and for Governor Brown’s support for this desperately needed funding package.”
Read MoreKlamath Water Users Association today urged that supporters of agriculture stop intimidating and inappropriate behaviors immediately. Reports say that names and addresses of U.S. Bureau of Reclamation employees have been published on social media, inviting that anger be directed toward those public servants, and there have been other inappropriate communications. “Stop it,” said KWUA President Ben DuVal. “It is completely out of line. It will hurt Klamath Project agriculture.”
Read MoreKLAMATH FALLS, Ore. - Klamath Water Users Association today expressed grave disappointment with the announcement by the Bureau of Reclamation that no water is to be diverted at A Canal for irrigation in 2021. “The first water delivery from the A Canal was in 1907. This is the first year ever it will deliver zero water,” said Paul Simmons, Executive Director and Counsel for KWUA.
Read MoreKLAMATH FALLS, Ore. - On April 19, Klamath Water Users Association filed court papers to re-open a lawsuit and seek a ruling that the Bureau of Reclamation’s current approach to regulating water deliveries for the Klamath Project is illegal. KWUA filed a motion in federal court asking the court to lift a stay of existing litigation and then rule on critical legal issues that affect irrigation water availability.
Read MoreKLAMATH FALLS, Ore. - Klamath Water Users Association is sad and severely disappointed with today's announcement of water availability for the Klamath Project. "Family farms, rural communities, and wildlife are going to suffer beyond imagination," said KWUA President Ben DuVal.
Read MoreAsk Klamath presented by Pacific Crest Federal Credit Union, episode 68 features Paul Simmons and Ben DuVal from the Klamath Water Users Association. In this episode, we discuss 2021 water deliveries, current litigations, what farmers can expect this season, and we take your questions live.
Read MoreOn Tuesday, March 16, 2021, Deb Haaland took the oath of office to become the 54th Secretary of the Department of the Interior in a small ceremony with family. The oath of office was administered by Chief of Staff Jennifer Van der Heide.
Read MoreKLAMATH FALLS, Ore. - The Klamath County Chamber of Commerce Executive Committee voted unanimously in support of a group of local business owners that have made the tough decision to save their businesses, their livelihoods, and the jobs of their employees by reopening, as long as they follow Center for Disease Control (CDC) COVID-19 guidelines to keep their customers and their employees safe.
Read MoreKLAMATH FALLS, Ore. - The Klamath Water Users Association held a public meeting on Thursday to discuss the lack of water supply looming against basin farmers and ranchers. Representatives from KWUA, Oregon Water Resources Department, Drought Response Agency, and the federal government were all present and answered questions.
Read MoreThe United States Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) and federal wildlife agencies have re-initiated the process of Endangered Species Act (ESA) consultation for the Klamath Project. The most recent process produced an operations plan in April of this year that was expected to last for five years. However, the agencies have learned that an outside source provided erroneous data that was used in that process, and they intend to conduct a new analysis.
Read MoreKLAMATH FALLS, Ore. - The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has ruled in favor of the United States in the long-running lawsuit titled Baley v. United States, commonly known as the Klamath Project water “Takings Case.” The plaintiff water users sought just compensation for taking of their water rights in 2001 when the United States re-allocated irrigation water to threatened and endangered species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).
Read MorePaul Simmons and Ben DuVal of the Klamath Water Users Association are our guests on Season 4, Episode 4 of Ask Klamath. In this episode of Ask Klamath we discuss the current status of irrigation water in the Klamath Basin, future projects of the KWUA and take your questions live.
Read MoreKlamath Falls, Ore. - The Klamath Water Users Association (KWUA) announced last night at their annual meeting, the selection of Paul Simmons as its new Executive Director. Simmons has worked for KWUA as its attorney for over two decades. The KWUA board of directors made its decision last week, after work by a committee that assisted the full board in the hiring effort.
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