Water deal talks ongoing  

December 17, 2009

     Negotiations on the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement continued Wednesday in Sacramento, but it’s unclear whether they’ll wrap up today as planned.

   Stakeholders met in Portland last week, but failed to finish editing the proposed water settlement, prompting more meetings this week.

   “It would sure be nice if we could wrap this up before Christmas,” said Becky Hyde, an irrigator off the Klamath Reclamation Project and board member of the Upper Klamath Water Users Association.  

   The stakeholders, which include farmers, tribes, fishermen, conservationists and government officials, have worked for years on the agreement, which seeks to resolve conflicts over water in the Klamath River watershed. They finalized a related Klamath River dam removal agreement with Portland-based PacifiCorp earlier this fall.

   Stakeholders are meeting to make the water settlement consistent with the dam removal agreement and address any changes.     

   Klamath County Commissioner John Elliott said Wednesday’s discussions were intense and focused, and stakeholders did not plan to conclude meetings until the document was finished.

   “I think we’re getting closer,” he said.

   Greg Addington, executive director of Klamath Water Users Association, said he is frustrated by how long it’s taking to finish, but there’s no question things are progressing.

   Hyde said her group is more comfortable with the document because members have participated in the latest round of discussions. But, she said, there is still work to do.