The initial water allocations for irrigators and federal funding for the Klamath Basin have been announced for the year ahead.
A news release from Bureau of Reclamation said Klamath Project irrigators will receive an initial allocation of 230,000 acre-feet of water from Upper Klamath Lake.
Additional allocations from the Gerber and Clear Lake Reservoirs will provide 75,000 acre-feet.
“We are pleased the hydrology for the 2024 water year continues to be favorable over last year’s, but we recognize that inflows into Upper Klamath Lake have not materialized in a manner that allows all water demands to be met with this allocation,” Reclamation Regional Director Karl Stock said in the news release.
The allocation can also be cut short should conditions change and water levels drop.
Funding for authorized drought resiliency programs on behalf of irrigators who will not receive adequate water flows are available “immediately,” according to the release.
A total of $8.5 million is available for such programs, and an additional $5 million will be disbursed through technical assistant agreements with Klamath Basin Tribal Nations for drought and ecosystem activities.
KWUA In the News:
Herald and News, April 15, 2024
Original: https://www.heraldandnews.com/news/counties-request-adequate-water-for-agriculture-klamath-project-irrigators-head-to-d-c/article_7de5f636-f6ba-11ee-a60f-ab12eec2365c.html
