Klamath Water Users Association 2455 Patterson Street, Suite 3 Klamath Falls, Oregon 97603 Phone (541) 883-6100 FAX   (541) 883-8893   kwua@cvcwireless.net  Weekly Update October 14, 2004 www.kwua.org Interior Secretary Announces Klamath Watershed Coordination Agreement Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton announced a landmark agreement between four cabinet-level federal agencies, the President's Council on Environmental Quality, and the States of Oregon and California, committing to future cooperation and collaboration in Klamath River watershed activities, and pledging to make those activities a priority in their respective agencies. "The people of the Klamath Basin cherish the land and its natural beauty and desire to hand their way of life down to future generations," Norton said. "Together, we have an opportunity to work toward a vision that includes clear waters, abundant fisheries, increased waterfowl, a vibrant agricultural community, and an end to the legal fighting among the various interests, which continues to poison the relationships among its people." Norton made the announcement this afternoon in a telephone conference call with reporters. Participating with Secretary Norton was California Secretary of Resources Mike Chrisman - representing Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger -- and David Van't Hof, natural resource advisor to Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski. Secretary Norton stressed that the agreement will focus on and prioritize mutual efforts in the entire Klamath watershed. The agreement will enhance coordination and communication among the signatories, tribal and local governments, and other interests as they work to resolve water quantity, water quality, and fish and wildlife resource problems in the entire basin. "Specifically, this will include coordinating work to recover threatened and endangered fish, enhance Interior Secretary Announces Klamath Watershed Coordination Agreement anadromous fish runs, improve wildlife habitat and water quality, and provide water for irrigation and other beneficial uses," Norton explained. "The agreement confirms that each party will set its own budget priorities, but encourages joint awareness of one another's plans and collaborative action based on common goals." Although all the parties to the agreement have long been active in the watershed, efforts have not been coordinated to specifically establish work priorities or concentrate resources to resolve the Basin's complex problems. Last year, the National Academy of Science's National Research Council released a study underscoring that Klamath Basin issues should be addressed in an integrated and comprehensive way for a lasting resolution. The respective federal and state agencies and offices will manage their own activities and resources, including the expenditure of their own funds, in pursuing the objectives of this coordination agreement. The agreement supports the creation of the Conservation Implementation Program (CIP), a stakeholder-driven, watershed-wide, ecosystem restoration program. The CIP is a long-term approach that will identify the Basin's critical needs, set priorities and measures of success for addressing those issues, and monitor progress in resolving them. Representatives of the States of Oregon and California, the Klamath River Basin Working Group, and the Environmental Protection Agency have been meeting to address the need for better coordination. ." -Source: DOI Media Advisory -   Continued on page 3   Klamath Water Users Association 2455 Patterson Street, Suite 3 Klamath Falls, Oregon 97603 Phone (541) 883-6100 FAX   (541) 883-8893   kwua@cvcwireless.net  Weekly Update October 14, 2004 www.kwua.org Complete Text of the Klamath River Watershed Coordination Agreement The Klamath River Basin has long been renowned for its strong agricultural economy, its premier waterfowl viewing on the Pacific Flyway, its National Wildlife Refuges, National Parks and National Forests, its lakes and rivers, its fishery, wildlife and timber resources, and its hunting and fishing opportunities. Over the past decade, however, the Klamath River Basin has been in the forefront of national attention due to contentious resource issues related to water allocation, water quality, protection and recovery of threatened and endangered fish, and maintenance of sustainable irrigation and anadromous fish runs. California, Oregon and the federal government have targeted efforts and resources to address these complex Klamath Basin issues. Establishment of the President’s Klamath River Basin Working Group has improved coordination among federal agencies and focused additional federal resources on addressing environmental, Tribal, and agricultural concerns. Better coordination among the States and the federal agencies is needed to maximize the benefits of these efforts and available resources. Last year, the National Academy of Sciences released a study that confirmed that the Klamath Basin issues must be dealt with in an integrated and comprehensive way for a lasting resolution of the issues in the Basin. Representatives of the States of California and Oregon, the President’s Klamath River Basin Working Group and the Environmental Protection Agency have been meeting to address this need for better coordination. Coordination will bring to bear science-based attention to identify and address the environmental, economic, agricultural, and Tribal trust needs of the Basin and its communities. We   The Klamath River Watershed Coordination Agreement (Continued) recognize that resolution of the complex issues of the Klamath Basin will take many years, close coordination, and consistent, focused application of available programs and resources. Accordingly, we the undersigned agree to the following: The State and Federal Klamath Basin Coordination Group, co-chaired by designated representatives from Oregon and California state governments, is formally established. It will consist of the appropriate designees of the two states, the U.S. Departments of the Interior, Agriculture, and Commerce, and the Environmental Protection Agency. The members of the Klamath Basin Coordination Group and their respective agencies and staffs are to place a priority on their Klamath Basin activities and on their coordination and communications with one another and with tribal governments, local governments, private groups and individuals, to resolve water quantity, water quality and fish and wildlife resource problems in the basin. They should work diligently to recover the threatened and endangered fish species in the Klamath basin, enhance anadromous fish runs, improve and protect fish and wildlife habitat and water quality, and provide water for irrigation and other beneficial uses. They should also move expeditiously to identify existing funding sources to accomplish these ends.     Continued on page 4   Klamath Water Users Association 2455 Patterson Street, Suite 3 Klamath Falls, Oregon 97603 Phone (541) 883-6100 FAX   (541) 883-8893   kwua@cvcwireless.net  Weekly Update October 14, 2004 www.kwua.org The Klamath River Watershed Coordination Agreement (Continued) The State and Federal Klamath Basin Coordination Group should implement an aggressive, coordinated approach to allocate existing resources to the extent possible toward short-term opportunities that will improve conditions in the basin. These short-term actions are important, both to demonstrate a coordinated inter -governmental approach and to reduce the likelihood of year to year crises in the Basin. As a vehicle to develop a long-term management approach, a common vision, and integrated planning, the state and federal agencies which are signatories to this coordination agreement should develop and implement the Klamath Basin Conservation Implementation Program concept which will meld a scientific oversight body, the broad communities of Klamath Basin interests, and resource agencies to identify the Basin’s critical water quality, water quantity, and fish and wildlife restoration problems, set priorities and measures of success for addressing those issues through consensus, and monitor progress in resolving them. It is further mutually agreed that: All commitments made by the signatories to this coordination agreement are subject to the availability of funds and each agency’s budget priorities, statutory authorities and legal obligations. Nothing in this agreement, in and of itself, obligates the signatory entities to expend appropriations or to enter into any contract, assistance agreement, The Klamath River Watershed Coordination Agreement (Continued) inter-agency agreement, or other financial obligations. The respective federal and state agencies and offices will handle their own activities and utilize their own resources, including the expenditure of their own funds, in pursuing the objectives of this coordination agreement. This coordination agreement does not create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable by law or equity against the signatory entities, their officers or employees, or any other person or third party, and does not direct or apply to any person outside of the agencies covered by this agreement. This coordination agreement may be signed in counter parts and will take effect upon the date of the last signature of the parties below, and shall remain in effect for five years from the date of execution. This agreement may be extended or amended upon written request of any of the parties below and the subsequent written concurrence of the others. Any of the parties may terminate their participation in this coordination agreement with a 60-day written notice to the others. Signed by: Gale A. Norton, Secretary, Dep’t of Interior; Ann M. Veneman, Secretary, Dep’t of Agriculture; Donald L. Evans, Secretary, Dep’t of Commerce; Michael O. Leavitt, Administrator, EPA; Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski, and California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.   Continued on page 5   Klamath Water Users Association 2455 Patterson Street, Suite 3 Klamath Falls, Oregon 97603 Phone (541) 883-6100 FAX   (541) 883-8893   kwua@cvcwireless.net  Weekly Update October 14, 2004 www.kwua.org Klamath County Commissioner Clarifies the Record for ONRC Klamath County Commissioner Steve West on October 5, 2004 sent a letter to Jim McCarthy, Policy Analyst for the Oregon Natural Resources Council, correcting statements made by McCarthy in an earlier letter he wrote to coastal county elected officials. McCarthy had urged in his letter that county governments support buying out Klamath Basin farms and ranches, including the Barnes property, as an alternative to supporting the Long Lake offstream storage proposal. The body of Commissioner West’s response letter is included below, and is reprinted with his permission. Dear Mr. McCarthy: In your September 30th letter to the Humboldt County and Del Norte County Boards of Supervisors and the Curry County Board of Commissioners you made the statement, "…Unfortunately, the Klamath County Board of Commissioners has declined to support the Barnes Ranch proposal, despite the fact that the Bureau of Reclamation backs the plan…" The public record does not support your statement. On March 12, 2003 the Klamath County Board of Commissioners, by a 2-1 majority, voted in a public meeting to support the Barnes Ranch acquisition for water storage. A letter of the same date was sent to Secretary of Interior Gale Norton and copied to Senator Ron Wyden, Senator Gordon Smith, and Representative Greg Walden stating the Boards position on the acquisition of the Barnes Ranch. I have attached a copy of that letter for your convenience. With that said, I do not believe that there is any one "silver bullet" solution to the conflicts in the Klamath River Basin. But, before long-term equitable solutions can be implemented the "blame game" has got to stop. That means that the Klamath Irrigation Project   Klamath County Commissioner Clarifies the Record for ONRC (Cont’d) cannot be expected to be the solution to all the problems of the Klamath River Basin. Up and down the entire length of the Klamath River there is well over 100 years of cumulative negative impacts to anadromous fish from dams, hydraulic mining, forest clear-cuts, road building, etc. The challenge of restoring natural systems, and endangered species while at the same time restoring healthy sustainable economies in rural communities is much bigger than any political boundary. The environmental and economic problems of the Klamath River Basin will not be solved until we have each taken responsibility to fix our own piece of the problem. When all the watershed sub-basins and communities contained within are all environmentally and economically healthy, then the entire Klamath River Basin watershed will be restored. To that end result I am committed. Respectfully, M. Steven West, Klamath County Commissioner Position No. 3 CALENDAR OF EVENTS Monday, October 18, 2004. KWUA Legal Committee meeting. 12:00 p.m. KWUA Office. 2455 Patterson Street, Suite 3, Klamath Falls, OR Monday, October 25, 2004. KWUA Administrative Committee meeting. 8:00 a.m. KWUA Office. 2455 Patterson Street, Suite 3, Klamath Falls, Oregon. Monday, October 25, 2004. KWUA Budget Committee meeting. 10:00 a.m. KWUA Office. 2455 Patterson Street, Suite 3, Klamath Falls, Oregon.

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