[env-trinity] Klamath - Eureka Times Standard

[Byron Leydecker]

KLAMATH RIVER:

State of the Klamath

Eureka Times-Standard - 1/11/06

By John Driscoll, staff writer

 

As part of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's proposals outlined in his State of
the State address Tuesday are millions or even tens of millions meant to go
toward the Klamath River, possibly to grease the skids of removing four of
the river's dams. 

 

Some $250 million is proposed for restoration activities on the Klamath and
San Joaquin rivers and the Salton Sea. How the money would be split and
exactly how it would be used will be determined as part of discussions
between the governor's office and the state Legislature. 

 

"The conversation is ongoing as we speak," said California Resources Agency
spokesman Sandy Cooney. 

 

The money would come through bond measures that would go before voters in
2008, Cooney said. It also follows millions of dollars that could go toward
Klamath efforts, approved as part of bond measures passed in November. 

 

Significant political pressure is coming to bear to revive the Klamath in
recent years, as water shortages and fish kills have cropped up. This past
year, commercial salmon fishing was all but halted along a long stretch of
the West Coast to protect low salmon returns to the river. 

 

The proposal comes as Pacificorp's dams are being considered for a new 30-
to 50-year license. The utility's dams block salmon from 300 miles of
spawning habitat above lowermost Iron Gate Dam, and the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service have signaled that
they are unlikely to change demands for fish ladders to be installed. The
final provisions are due at the end of the month. 

 

If Pacificorp does have to install fish ladders, it could cost $150 million
or more. The costs of capital improvements to hydropower projects can be
passed on to ratepayers, with the utility also realizing a reasonable rate
of return. 

 

A recent study by the California Energy Commission and the U.S. Department
of the Interior found that tearing out the Klamath's dams and building
efficient power plants to replace the 150 megawatts they produce would be
cheaper for ratepayers than leaving them in. The public utilities
commissions in the state's Pacificorp operates in have to approve changes
that would affect ratepayers. 

 

Craig Tucker, a spokesman for the Karuk Tribe, said he was pleased that
Schwarzenegger continues to show a resolve to fix the problems on the
Klamath River. 

 

"He is committed to the Klamath River as indicated by this state of the
state speech material," Tucker said. "The state's been a really good
partner."

 

 

Byron Leydecker

Friends of Trinity River, Chair

California Trout,Inc., Advisor

PO Box 2327

Mill Valley, CA 94942-2327

415 383 4810 ph

415 383 9562 fx

 <mailto:bwl3 at comcast.net> bwl3 at comcast.net

 <mailto:bleydecker at stanfordalumni.org> bleydecker at stanfordalumni.org
(secondary)

http:// <http://www.fotr.org> www.fotr.org

http:// <http://www.caltrout.org> www.caltrout.org 

 

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