The “landmark agreement” between tribes and federal irrigators recently announced and praised in this publication contains language that will likely preclude any progress to identify and provide the flows the Klamath River needs to be healthy and productive. This is right in line with the Biden Administration’s plan to substitute funding for “restoration” projects for the water flows our rivers need to be healthy and productive.
Here’s a link to the “Agreement” and here’s the key section which omits restoring flows as a part of restoration:
“Restoration” shall be construed broadly to include, but not be limited to, projects that will preserve, provide, or improve fish habitat, wildlife habitat, water quality, water
conveyance, drought resilience, and the health or function of natural systems.”
Note the absence of either identifying or supplying adequate river flows as part of “restoration”
Shame on the Karuk, Yurok and Klamath tribal leaders for going for the “restoration” money and ignoring the essential need of fish for adequate streamflows. Praise to the Hoopa Tribe for refusing to go along with this scam.
Until we identify and provide the river flows aquatic ecosystems need to be healthy, the Klamath Salmon will remain in peril. Therefore, the top priority should be to identify and provide adequate flows by water year type.
But the feds and the tribes refuse to complete these needed studies and instead act to substitute “restoration” for the water fish need. That is a clear indication that the Biden Administration will try to keep giving water to federal irrigators at the expense of our River’s health and productivity.”
Felice Pace,
editor of ‘KlamBlog‘
