This is Floyd Wynne with THE VIEW FROM HERE.

What is more important…...the livelihood of people or the taste of salmon?

             The water battle continues.

             Yes, the water is running in the A canals….but for how long?

             A three judge panel of the 9th U.S. Court of Appeals in San Francisco has clearly decided that salmon take first priority.

             The court held this week that water in the irrigation project must take a back seat to the needs of salmon. 

             While the current snow pack and reservoir levels are apparently sufficient for both needs this year, the ruling has an enormous impact on the future of this area.

What does a farmer who depends on the irrigation water do?  They can plan what crops to grow but with no assurance that they’ll get the water.

In addition the suit filed by the farmers following the 2001 water shutoff has been thrown out with a ruling that there was no long range definite contract to provide them water.

Now….what are the facts.  Well, it was the U.S. Government that came to this area in 1905 and promoted the canal system with the water turned on in 1907.    So...for the biggest share of a hundred years the water flowed and the farmers it served knew they had water each year.   If constructing the canal system isn’t a long range commitment….what is?

Let’s take a look at the salmon situation.  Can you tell the difference between  a wild salmon and a hatchery salmon?

Obviously the salmon fishermen feel hatchery raised salmon is a big threat to their salmon fishing.   Recently the local newspaper carried a big story of how the Klamath Fish hatchery near Fort Klamath raises from one to one a half million fish each year.  The hatchery feeds about 50,000 pounds of food to the fish each year and not only turns them into Klamath Lake waters but flies them to other lakes, including the plan to restock Diamond Lake.

· Fine…..but the Klamath River fishermen don’t like the hatchery fish.

· Somehow they can tell the difference.

·        Well….now an environmental group called the Klamath Riverkeeper has filed a lawsuit in a Sacramento court alleging that discharge from the fish hatchery violate the Clean Water Act and should be shut down.

·        They claim that high concentrations of fish parts, excrement and food released from the hatchery’s salmon and steelhead pens feed toxic algae blooms that have caused the Klamath salmon population to drop sharply.

· The complaint initially came from the Fish And Game organization, but they later said they had made an error in their assessment. 

·  And on and on.    There’s even a plan in the Columbia River salmon area to kill sea lions who haunt the spawning grounds and kill salmon.

        And don’t forget the Klamath Indians who insist Upper Klamath Lake be kept at a certain depth for the so-called endangered suckers. It’s an endless circle that offers little if any chance of a balancing solution.

      I guess one has to be happy that the water is flowing in the canals…..at least for now…..and prepare for the next battle for survival.

This is Floyd Wynne and that’s THE VIEW FROM HERE.

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Text Box:   This is Floyd Wynne with THE VIEW FROM HERE. What is more important…...the livelihood of people or the taste of salmon?              The water battle continues.              Yes, the water is running in the A canals….but for how long?              A three judge panel of the 9th U.S. Court of Appeals in San Francisco has clearly decided that salmon take first priority.              The court held this week that water in the irrigation project must take a back seat to the needs of salmon.               While the current snow pack and reservoir levels are apparently sufficient for both needs this year, the ruling has an enormous impact on the future of this area. What does a farmer who depends on the irrigation water do?  They can plan what crops to grow but with no assurance that they’ll get the water. In addition the suit filed by the farmers following the 2001 water shutoff has been thrown out with a ruling that there was no long range definite contract to provide them water. Now….what are the facts.  Well, it was the U.S. Government that came to this area in 1905 and promoted the canal system with the water turned on in 1907.    So...for the biggest share of a hundred years the water flowed and the farmers it served knew they had water each year.   If constructing the canal system isn’t a long range commitment….what is? Let’s take a look at the salmon situation.  Can you tell the difference between  a wild salmon and a hatchery salmon? Obviously the salmon fishermen feel hatchery raised salmon is a big threat to their salmon fishing.   Recently the local newspaper carried a big story of how the Klamath Fish hatchery near Fort Klamath raises from one to one a half million fish each year.  The hatchery feeds about 50,000 pounds of food to the fish each year and not only turns them into Klamath Lake waters but flies them to other lakes, including the plan to restock Diamond Lake. · Fine…..but the Klamath River fishermen don’t like the hatchery fish. · Somehow they can tell the difference. ·        Well….now an environmental group called the Klamath Riverkeeper has filed a lawsuit in a Sacramento court alleging that discharge from the fish hatchery violate the Clean Water Act and should be shut down. ·        They claim that high concentrations of fish parts, excrement and food released from the hatchery’s salmon and steelhead pens feed toxic algae blooms that have caused the Klamath salmon population to drop sharply. · The complaint initially came from the Fish And Game organization, but they later said they had made an error in their assessment.  ·  And on and on.    There’s even a plan in the Columbia River salmon area to kill sea lions who haunt the spawning grounds and kill salmon. And don’t forget the Klamath Indians who insist Upper Klamath Lake be kept at a certain depth for the so-called endangered suckers. It’s an endless circle that offers little if any chance of a balancing solution. I guess one has to be happy that the water is flowing in the canals…..at least for now…..and prepare for the next battle for survival. This is Floyd Wynne and that’s THE VIEW FROM HERE.    

Text Box: 4/03/07