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March 18, 2006
By STEVE KADEL
H&N Staff Writer
It's the most pivotal water allocation position in Oregon and possibly
California, too.
At least that's how Dave Sabo sees the
job he is leaving at the Bureau of Reclamation. His successor must be able to
balance needs of irrigators as well as fish protected by the Endangered
Species Act.
The person chosen as the new Klamath Basin area office manager will need
patience, courage and be “willing to take on a fight,” Sabo said.
Local irrigators hope the new manager is someone who understands the intricate
nature of the Klamath Reclamation Project, which they say is a unique system.
Greg Addington, executive director of the Klamath Water Users Association,
said the group's members consider Sabo's replacement “ a big issue.”
“We want someone who can take a lot of scrutiny,” he said. “From our
perspective, they've got to stand up to other agencies and advocate for the
use of the reclaimed water.
“It's going to be a tough job. There are a lot of competing interests, and
there are a lot of things in the works right now.”
Dan Keppen, a water policy consultant with a long history in the industry, said it took him some time to learn all the ins and outs of the project.
“I just moved here in 2001,” he said, “and I had no
idea how complex the Basin is. Once the new person understands how the Klamath
Project operates and how different it is from what was here before, that's
going to help them.”
Keppen, former executive director of the Klamath Water Users Association, said
Sabo's is the “toughest job in the Western water arena.”
It will take someone who can handle controversy, Keppen said, because there's
little chance of satisfying all the competing interests.
“If the irrigators get something, the
Tribes are upset and vice versa,” he said. “It will require somebody who
is technically sharp and quickly grasps the unique nature of the technical
issues and landscape.
“It will take somebody who knows how to work with a vast set of
stakeholders.”
Earl Danosky, Tulelake Irrigation
District manager, agreed familiarity with the Klamath Project is vital.
Otherwise, it's a steep learning curve, he said.
“That person will have to balance all
the issues as best he can,” Danosky said. “Of course, we'd like someone
familiar with agricultural issues.”
Sabo's job will be advertised until April 14. No interim manager has been
named, although Bureau of Reclamation spokeswoman Rae Olsen said deputy area
manager Christine Karas will play a key role during transition. Salary range
for the manager's position is $51,972 to $80,975 annually.
Keppen complimented Sabo for the job he
did in Klamath Falls.
“Dave was a problem solver,” Keppen said. “He set into motion a
philosophy that it is going to take a watershed-wide approach to solve water
issues.
“Dave set that up with his conservation implementation program.”
