Klamath Falls, OR – The Klamath Water Users Association (KWUA) and its members express the deep
disappointment and frustration with federal water management, which has allowed staggering losses of
waterfowl in the Klamath Basin Refuge Complex.
The latest reports from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologists are of an estimated 100,000 waterfowl
have died from avian botulism so far this year in the Klamath Basin Refuge Complex. With hot and dry
conditions expected to continue at least through mid-October, that number will unfortunately continue to
climb.
KWUA and its member districts went to great lengths last winter to re-water parched wildlife refuges, and
waterfowl populations rebounded. By late spring, it was clear that there was a need for water to flow
though to mitigate disease risk and avoid drying up wetlands. By July, KWUA’s public appeals became
urgent.
Unfortunately, the federal reaction was too little, too late. Water deliveries to the wildlife refuges did not
begin until August 17, well after the outbreak had already started. Then, on September 3, the federal
government prematurely and inexplicably called for a halt to these water deliveries.
Biologists said the current outbreak was preventable if stagnant wetlands that produce botulism could be
managed properly – something that farmers and ranchers know from decades of operating Klamath
Project facilities so that irrigation water flowed through wetlands in Lower Klamath and Tule Lake
National Wildlife Refuges.
Scientists, water managers, and local farmers continue to advocate for a long-term solution to stabilize
water levels in the Klamath Basin. Investments in infrastructure that improve water storage, modernize
irrigation systems, and restore wetlands could provide the security both farmers and wildlife need to
thrive.
“Our farms and wildlife refuges, including the waterfowl, have been sacrificed on the altar of the
Endangered Species Act (ESA),” says Tracey Liskey, president of KWUA. “Our districts, farmers, and
ranchers worked extremely hard to prevent this situation this year. We diverted large amounts of water to
the refuges, even as tens of thousands of acres of farmland dried up.”
“What we’re witnessing in the refuges this year is a reflection of what’s been happening to family farms
in the Klamath Basin for the last three decades,” remarked Paul Simmons, Executive Director and
Counsel of KWUA. “We’re not about pointing fingers, but we simply cannot continue to manage water
in this way and sacrifice our resources like this. Whether we’re talking about birds or about the farms and
ranches that help feed our Nation, it is essential to move to a functional, fair, and effective decision
making paradigm.”
CELBRATING 70 YEARS REPRESENTING FARMERS AND RANCHERS OF THE KLAMATH PROJECT
Contact Information
Moss Driscoll, Director of Water Policy
541-883-6100 Office
541-891-8836 Cell
moss@kwua.org
About Klamath Water Users Association (KWUA)
Since 1953, the KWUA is a 501(c)(4) non-profit corporation representing the interests of Klamath Project farmers and ranchers. KWUA members include rural and suburban irrigation districts, public agencies, and private individuals who operate on both sides of the California/Oregon border. These entities and individuals typically hold water delivery contracts with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. The Project is home to over 1,200 family farms and ranches; KWUA’s member districts deliver irrigation water to over 170,000 acres of some of the most incredibly productive farmland in the Western United States.
KWUA’s mission is to preserve and enhance the viability of irrigated agriculture for our membership in the Klamath Basin for the benefit of current and future generations.
KWUA is governed by an eleven-member Board of Directors representing Project districts. The Association employs an Executive Director and staff to execute policy decisions.
