By Steven Sandberg
July 28, 2010
KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. - After enduring months of drought, water users in the Klamath Basin could soon be receiving millions of dollars in federal aid.
On Tuesday, Congress approved a supplemental spending bill that includes $10 million in drought aid for Western states. It's unknown how much of that money will go to the Klamath Basin, however.
The Klamath Water Users Association says it is frustrated with all the red tape.
"It can be a little overwhelming. There's a lot of bureaucracy involved with a federal program like this. It's difficult to work through and get all the 'I's crossed and 'I's dotted, so we're going to be dealing with that," said Greg Addington with KWUA.
Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley says that while financial assistance is a poor replacement for water, the money will help families that rely on the land for their livelihood remain solvent.
In March, Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski issued a state drought declaration for Klamath and surrounding counties. In May, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced a natural disaster declaration for the area as well. Since the declaration, over $17 million in federal drought aid has been approved for the Klamath Basin. The money is going to pump water from emergency wells and pay farmers in the Upper Klamath Basin's federal irrigation project to let their lands go fallow.
The drought conditions mean the more than 1,000 farmers in the Klamath Reclamation Project are only receiving about one-third of normal water supplies this summer due to both the drought and demands for protected fish.
July 28, 2010
KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. - After enduring months of drought, water users in the Klamath Basin could soon be receiving millions of dollars in federal aid.
On Tuesday, Congress approved a supplemental spending bill that includes $10 million in drought aid for Western states. It's unknown how much of that money will go to the Klamath Basin, however.
The Klamath Water Users Association says it is frustrated with all the red tape.
"It can be a little overwhelming. There's a lot of bureaucracy involved with a federal program like this. It's difficult to work through and get all the 'I's crossed and 'I's dotted, so we're going to be dealing with that," said Greg Addington with KWUA.
Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley says that while financial assistance is a poor replacement for water, the money will help families that rely on the land for their livelihood remain solvent.
In March, Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski issued a state drought declaration for Klamath and surrounding counties. In May, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced a natural disaster declaration for the area as well. Since the declaration, over $17 million in federal drought aid has been approved for the Klamath Basin. The money is going to pump water from emergency wells and pay farmers in the Upper Klamath Basin's federal irrigation project to let their lands go fallow.
The drought conditions mean the more than 1,000 farmers in the Klamath Reclamation Project are only receiving about one-third of normal water supplies this summer due to both the drought and demands for protected fish.
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