New off-Project group forms

   Off-Project irrigators Becky Hyde, Karl Scronce and Bob Sanders are heading the Upper Klamath Basin Water Users Association to ensure those off-Project irrigators’ issues are resolved by t he proposed water settlement. 

   The proposed restoration agreement, developed over 2-1/2 years by representatives of tribal, agricultural, fisheries and environmental interests, would dictate how water, power and environmental issues would be settled in the Basin. 

   Some settlement groups welcomed the new organization but others, including an off-Project organization already at the table, say it doesn’t represent a large enough group to be included in talks and call its approach to the agreement “suicide.” 

   “They think they can change it from the inside,” said Tom Mallams of the Klamath Off Project Water Users. “They’re putting a lot of faith in people.” 

   The Upper Klamath group is still in the formation process. Its three founders have hosted four meetings and are still drawing up bylaws.

Group’s goals 

   Hyde said the group’s primary goals include facilitating settlement of water adjudication claims between off-Project irrigators, the Klamath Tribes and Project irrigators, working with the Klamath Water and Power Agency to address power needs and providing irrigators the best protections available from the Endangered Species Act. 

   The goals aren’t much different from those of the already active Klamath Off Project Water Users, but Hyde said her group is more willing to work within the current format of the restoration agreement. She and others also see more risk in challenging the Tribes’ water claims than settling them out of court. 

   “It’s pretty common knowledge that there’s differing views on how we bring stability,” she said. 

   New views 

   Mallams said he doesn’t object to another viewpoint on the restoration agreement. But, he said, the new group is taking a gamble by being willing to sign on to a document that isn’t fully written and leaves a lot of exposure for a future water cutoff. 

   The off-Project irrigator also criticized any bid to include Hyde’s organization in settlement talks because it does not represent a sizable number of off-Project irrigators. As an example, he said another off-Project group, the Resource Conservancy, was denied access to settlement talks despite representing a large number of off-Project irrigators with water adjudication claims. 

   Opening the doors 

   Greg Addington, executive director of Klamath Water Users Association, said after the agreement was released to the public, its stakeholders planned to open the doors to groups willing to move forward. The settlement group is looking for “productive” new members who are willing to work within the current document, he said. 

   “It’s not fair to have everyone rehash everything for just one group,” Addington said. “It’s like letting the defense into the huddle.” 

   Common ground 

   Jeff Mitchell, Klamath tribal council member, said he didn’t know whether Hyde’s organization would be included in settlement talks, but applauded her efforts to find common ground between off-Project irrigators and the Tribes.