Off-Project water settlement language subject of dispute

Klamath Falls Herald and News

January 26, 2008

   Off-Project irrigator Edward Bartell is campaigning against the settlement, saying it doesn’t have any benefit for off-Project irrigators. Off-Project irrigators include those who are not within the Klamath Project and generally own land above Upper Klamath Lake . 

   Bartell said that a year ago, a draft of the agreement included a voluntary 30,000 acre-feet of water rights retirement in exchange for a quieting of water adjudication claims from the Tribes. 

   But, he said, the current document doesn’t resolve adjudication and could end irrigation in the Klamath Basin . 

   The restoration agreement does set up an Off-Project Water Settlement group for Tribes and off-Project irrigators who want to resolve adjudication claims. 

   But Bartell said he discounts that language in the document, saying the Tribes would have no reason to resolve claims with off-Project water users if they already have the water rights retirement and 90,000 acres of private forestland for economic development. 

   Greg Addington, executive director of the Klamath Water Users Association and a participant in the talks, said that the off-Project water settlement language was included shortly before talks ended and after off-Project irrigators threatened to leave the table. 

   Stakeholders wanted to provide some benefit to off-Project irrigators in the agreement despite failed attempts at negotiation, he said.

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