Irrigating too late

The Klamath Water Users Association, which represents Project irrigators, is preparing for the start of water deliveries as late as July, said spokeswoman Belinda Stewart.

Water requirements of a federal biological opinion must be met before any water is delivered, Stewart said.

The biological opinions dictate how much water must be left in Upper Klamath Lake to protect endangered suckers and how much water must flow down the Klamath River to protect endangered salmon.

“It’s such a balancing act,” Stewart said. “So far I don’t think anybody has the magic bullet for what’s going to save us this year.”

The Klamath Water and Power Authority has solicited bids for 15,000 acre-feet of groundwater, but without water in the canals, that supplement won’t do much good, Stewart said.

“If water isn’t diverted from Upper Klamath Lake, there won’t be any water in the system to move the pumped water around the Project,” she said. “It’s kind of an odd pun, but it’s a drop in the bucket toward a much larger problem.”

Klamath Irrigation District director Dave Solem said he expects groundwater will be necessary inside the Project boundaries and also will need to be used to supplement diversions from the lake.

“It reduces the demand in our district for surface water from the lake. It allows whatever water becomes available to go further because some will be using groundwater instead,” he said.

Demand for water

Demand for water begins in April, when the Bureau of Reclamation releases its annual operations plan.

“As you get into May, then the demand increases as more crops come on,” Solem said. “Anything that disrupts the availability of supplies is a hardship. How we get past that with something less than the amount of water we need is what we’re working on.”

Most farmers who grow row crops such as onions and potatoes are making some very tough decisions about whether to plant this year, Solem said.

“Because they need water from the very beginning to the very end, if they don’t have well water available, it’s going to be pretty difficult for them to take those risks to grow those kinds of crops,” he said.

Groundwater

Access to groundwater is likely the deciding factor for many row crop producers, said Malin Potato Co-op general manager Dave Cacka.

“If you don’t have access to groundwater, you don’t plant a crop. Period,” Cacka said.

Some of the grower/owners of the co-op drilled wells after 2001, Cacka said. Some didn’t.

Regardless, it’s impossible to provide enough water for all the land using groundwater, Cacka said.

Not planting has consequences as well. Soil is lost through erosion, equipment maintenance needs increase when equipment is idled, and weeds have a chance to take hold, said Family Farm Alliance Executive Director Dan Keppen.

“It’s amazing how many ways these guys are impacted,” he said.

He added that cash-strapped farmers would have trouble obtaining credit in the coming years if their cash flow needs are not met this year.