[env-trinity] Gov. Kitzhaber declares drought emergency in Klamath County

[Joshua Allen]

http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2013/04/gov_kitzhaber_declares_drought.html#incart_river
Gov. Kitzhaber declares drought emergency in Klamath County
    <http://connect.oregonlive.com/staff/slearn/index.html>By Scott Learn,
The Oregonian <http://connect.oregonlive.com/staff/slearn/posts.html>
Email the author | Follow on Twitter <https://twitter.com/slearn1>
on April 18, 2013 at 11:52 AM, updated April 18, 2013 at 11:58 AM



   View full size<http://media.oregonlive.com/environment_impact/photo/klamathjpg-ad837cfeb5a5facb.jpg>
Tight
water supplies in the Klamath Basin create problems for farmers, wildlife
and fish. Doug Beghtel, The Oregonian
Gov. John Kitzhaber <http://gov.oregonlive.com/governor/> declared a
drought emergency for Klamath County Thursday, noting snowpack is well
below normal and the chances of more snow "are diminishing with every
passing day."

The Klamath Basin has long had one of the state's tightest water supplies,
with farmers, fish and wildlife refuges competing for water.

It drew national attention in 2001, when fish got water during a dry summer
and fall instead of farmers. In 2002, farmers got more water, but salmon
died en masse in the Klamath River.

Kitzhaber's executive
order<http://www.oregon.gov/gov/docs/executive_orders/eo_13-05.pdf>allows
state agencies to aid farmers and ranchers, request federal
assistance and boost water conservation.

Precipitation has been only moderately below average in the Klamath River
basin, Kitzhaber noted in a statement.

But warm temperatures have brought more rain than snow, and snowpack is
crucial for summer and fall water supplies in the heavily irrigated basin.
The basin is currently at 61% of normal snowpack.

Most farmers served by the federal government's Klamath Irrigation
Project<http://www.usbr.gov/mp/kbao/>should get water, the statement
said. But conditions in the county above
Upper Klamath Lake "may become significantly worse."

Kitzhaber's declaration came at the request of Klamath County, which asked
for it Tuesday afternoon<http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2013/04/klamath_county_declares_drough.html>.


-- Scott Learn
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