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CLOUDY Temp: 51 °F Wind: SSW at 14 mph Friday, April 25, 2003 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine W3 Magazine Jobs @ Mail Tribune Tempo A & E Oregon CarZone Wellness Connection Real Estate Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend April 11, 2003 Klamath River rises on endangered list By PAUL FATTIG Mail Tribune The Klamath River is now No. 2 on the list, rising one slot from last year. But no one is rejoicing. The Klamath is the second most endangered river system in the United States, according to American Rivers, a Washington, D.C.-based conservation group. It released its annual list of the nation’s 10 most endangered rivers Thursday. The report highlights acute threats to the listed rivers rather than their chronic problems. The Big Sunflower River in Mississippi was ranked No. 1. The only other Pacific Northwest river on the list was the Snake, ranked No. 8. The Klamath River system is endangered because of excessive irrigation diversions and hydropower dams that are causing an ecological collapse, said Steve Rothert, an associate director with the American Rivers office in Northern California. "Three fish species in the Klamath Basin are now listed as endangered or threatened, salmon runs have plummeted to less than 10 percent of historic numbers, and fishing families along 100 miles of the Northern California and Southern Oregon coast have lost thousands of jobs," he said during a news conference in Medford. The list was released on the same day the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation announced its annual operations plan for the Klamath Reclamation Project. The plan calls for a full ration for farms and a small boost for salmon in the 230,000-acre project, which has been plagued in recent years by agricultural and fishery losses caused by below-normal water flows. Bureau Commissioner John Keyes told The Associated Press that a "water bank" in the plan will provide 50,000 acre feet of water to boost spring and late summer Klamath River flows. The bank pays some farmers to idle less- productive lands to make more water available for the fishery. "We think the water bank is a critical component that will help us meet all of our requirements in the basin," Keyes told the AP. But Rothert wasn’t impressed. "Despite the well-documented problems of over-extraction . . . the federal government continues to irresponsibly maximize irrigation diversion," he said. Little has been done recently to improve the river, where more than 30,000 salmon died last year because of problems related to low flows, he said. The economic loss to commercial fishing communities has been more than $75 million a year since the drought cycles began two years ago, he added. In addition, the declining health of the river has heavily impacted nearby American Indian tribes, he said. But the problem isn’t one of farmer versus fish, he stressed. "All stakeholders have become victims of federal mismanagement of water," he said. "The only way we are going to solve this mess is by buying back water rights and reducing the demand for water," added Medford resident Bob Hunter, staff attorney with WaterWatch of Oregon. "The reality of the Klamath Basin is there is too much water promised to too many interests," Hunter said. Noting that the Klamath Basin is also a vital seasonal habitat for migratory birds as well as an important fishery, Hunter indicated he was disappointed in the department’s plan. "The plan released today will not only sacrifice salmon in the lower river but also our national wildlife refuges," he said, noting the refuges will be receiving 20,000 acre-feet less than during a dry-year average. The problems facing the river also have a direct impact on the region’s recreational economy, said Ashland resident Larry Laitner, a member of the Riverhawks recreational group. A U.S. Geological Survey report concluded the river system now contributes about $800 million annually to the regional economy, but restoring the instream flow to the river system would boost the economic impact by about $3 billion, he said. "That represents a lot of people doing a lot of things — fishers, boaters — power boat, rafts, kayaking and canoeing," he said. Those concerned about the river’s health are studying the impact of the six dams in the river system, Rothert said. PacifiCorp, which operates five dam hydropower projects on the river, is expected to file for a new long-term operating license in the next 12 months. The dams block salmon and steelhead from reaching their historic spawning grounds. Meanwhile, Democratic Reps. Mike Thompson of California and Earl Blumenauer of Oregon reintroduced a bill that would allocate $200 million to landowners and tribes throughout the Klamath Basin who participate in water conservation projects. Reach reporter Paul Fattig at 776-4496 or e-mail him at [email protected] The Associated Press contributed to this report. Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2003 Mail Tribune. 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