Watermarks:   A Herald and News special report: Part 3

Klamath River points of view

Luther Horsley: Working the land

By STEVE KADEL

H&N Staff Writer

March 14, 2009

Luther Horsley owns a ranch in Midland , growing alfalfa and raising cattle.

   Luther Horsley’s roots in agriculture are planted deep in the Klamath Basin . 

   His great-grandfather farmed west of Lakeview before moving to Langell Valley in the 1920s. Horsley’s father owned the same Midland property that Horsley works today to raise cattle, hay, grain and some mint. He owns 1,350 acres and leases another 1,150 acres. 

   Horsley and his wife, Candy, get help on the farm from daughter Jesse DuBose, who works in the office. The couple’s son, Dan, attends the University of Chicago , pursuing his MBA in business. 

   “I’ve always wanted to work with the land,” Horsley says. “The most satisfying thing is you get to see the results of your efforts. You see your product very quickly.” 

   He accepts the long hours that are involved, getting up in the middle of the night during calving season no matter what conditions are. 

   “I spend a lot of time out in the mud and rain, but it’s really kind of fun,” Horsley says. 

   He serves as president of Klamath Drainage District and of the Klamath Water Users Association. 

   Horsley says the KWUA’s mission is to protect the water and power supplies of member districts so they can operate in a successful manner. 

   Although he was not one of KWUA’s primary representatives at the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement talks, Horsley monitored the critical discussions closely. 

   Reliable supply 

   He says it’s important that irrigators receive three things: an adequate and reliable supply of water; affordable power rates; and a “safe harbor” from further regulations involving new species re-introduced to the Basin. 

   The problem with the status quo, from an irrigator’s point of view, is that 2002 biological opinions allocate water for fish first and for agriculture after that, Horsley says.
   He says that the dialogue with other stakeholder groups is a positive achievement.

Side Bar

Luther Horsley on the Restoration Agreement:

   What he likes: It would allow irrigators to get their water allocation before other entities. Horsley says the settlement includes “tools” to help irrigators deal with lower water allocations. 

   He says the settlement at least gives irrigators a chance to structure a remedy, rather than relying strictly on federal mandates. It means water allocation amounts won’t be determined “by a distant judge.” 

   “Through the settlement, we feel we’ve gotten the best deal we can.” 

   What he doesn’t like: “The obvious downside is we have to learn to live with less than adequate water supplies.”

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