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You are here: Home / Updates / Though Judge Ruled, Work Needs To Be Done Now

Though Judge Ruled, Work Needs To Be Done Now

July 26, 2018 by StopWaterWars Leave a Comment

Yesterday, Judge William H. Orrick ruled on Klamath Tribes v United States Bureau of Reclamation, et al.  In a nutshell, he agreed that his San Francisco courtroom was the wrong venue for the case and that it should be tried in Oregon. He also denied the preliminary injunction the Klamath Tribes were requesting.

What does that mean for our communities?

For now, the Project is still irrigating and family farms and ranches will be able to harvest their crops. While that’s good news for our local economy, there’s still a lot of work to be done.

Look at Bly and Chiloquin. These two communities have wells within one mile of rivers that feed Upper Klamath Lake . With the Tribe’s call to protect the c’waam and Koptu in June, water use for these towns has been restricted to human consumption only. This week Bly sent out a press release advising tourists passing through to carry water with them. The Klamath Tribe also announced the closing of the community garden due to water restrictions. Furthermore, in a Facebook post, the mayor Chiloquin shared that a new well won’t be available until the spring of 2019 along with the financial challenges of securing the funds just to get the well in the first place.

This is why we all need to come together and find a solution.

For too long, we’ve been looking at solving the sucker fish problem like it’s a one-way street when it’s an intersection. There are lots of options we need to look at in order help these population recover, but we keep coming back to lake levels only.

As long as the Klamath Project (which is only 2% of the entire Klamath River watershed) is the only focus on the outcome of salmon and suckers, our Basin communities are going to continue to bear the brunt of the lawsuits while our interests are pitted against each other. For that reason alone, if you read Judge Orrick’s decision, this quote from the first page stands out:

“There is reason for all parties to give urgent focus to the health of the sucker fish. The federal defendants represent that this is already happening, and I encourage the engaged scientists for all parties to work collaboratively and expeditiously to protect the sucker fish.”

The c’waam and the Koptu are protected under the ESA, and we are going to keep having calls on the water to protect them. This case will eventually get tried again in Oregon, and who knows what that outcome will be. But that doesn’t mean we should watch and wait.

The best thing we can do – for all of us – is to help these fish recover. By helping them, we’re helping all of our Basin communities thrive.

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Why July 20th Matters to Everyone in The Klamath Basin

On July 20th, life in the Klamath Basin for families, local businesses, wildlife and our communities could change forever. Litigation seeking a preliminary injunction to stop all Klamath Project irrigation diversions immediately and hold the water in Upper Klamath Lake has been filed. If successful, this lawsuit would affect Klamath agriculture, fish and wildlife (including severe impacts to Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge), the Klamath River, the Klamath Basin economony, local businesses, and the social fabric of the region.

Our short-term goal is to increase awareness in our community regarding these impacts. Although community members cannot affect the outcome of this litigation, we hope to use this dire situation to form a coalition of diverse business and social interests in the Klamath Basin to demand long term, permanent solutions to water issues affecting our community.

How Can You Help?

Educate yourself on how this litigation will affect your family and livelihood should it prevail on July 20th. Our community needs to realize this doesn’t only affect Klamath Basin family farms and ranches, but communities in Klamath, Siskiyou and Modoc Counties and throughout the Klamath River watershed.

Who We Are

We are a group of citizens and community interests that are working towards finding a solution to end the ongoing “Water Wars”. Learn about StopWaterWars.org and what our goal is.

How You Can Help

Want to learn what you can do to help find a solution? Educate yourself on how the current litigation will affect you community and get your voice heard.

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Updates

  • Though Judge Ruled, Work Needs To Be Done Now
  • No Decision Doesn’t Mean There’s Nothing To Be Done
  • Conservation & Ag Groups Speak Up For Birds
  • Counties, Tribe and Supporters File In Support of Feds
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