Klamath Irrigation District
Board Meeting Minutes
Agenda in
Blue
Minutes
in Black
Approval of
Minutes
Approval of
vouchers and warrants
Old Business
1.
Adjudication
Bill
Ganong and Dave Solem updated the Board on the Klamath River Adjudication.
Solem and Ganong will meet with Oregon Water Resources Department, and
the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) to reach an agreement on the mapping submitted
with the Project irrigators claim. The
Tribal claim is the only large claim remaining.
2.
Lawsuits/legal
a.
Takings
Ganong reported that the
Takings committee is waiting for Judge Alegra’s decision on the contract
portion of the Klamath Takings Suit.
b.
PCFFA II
No news.
c.
Straits Drain
No news.
d.
ONRC v. DEQ
Solem updated the Board on the
ONRC v. DEQ suit which may affect the District NPDES permit.
Solem has submitted a declaration regarding the use of District
facilities for recreation.
3.
Power/KWUA
Solem reported that the
Klamath Water Users Association (KWUA) and other parties are meeting with
PacifiCorp to discuss settlement in the power rate issue.
The KWUA continues to ask for water certainty and affordable power.
KWUA is going to pay for a
Cost of Service Analysis, for information critical in forming a PUD. The
information should be available in the next few months.
The KWUA Power Committee
continues to look into the feasibility of renewable power projects.
Ross Fleming reported that
Dennis Daugherty will be in
Solem reported that he will
participate in a two-day FERC tour of the Copco,
a.
Executive
Session
4.
Lien collections
Solem
reported that approximately 12 delinquent accounts have been turned over to
attorney Bill Ganong to begin the foreclosure process for the 2006-billing year.
5.
Other
None
New
Business
1.
Solem
reported on current lake levels. Due
to high downstream releases, decreased inflows and other factors, the June lake
levels did not meet target elevations in the Sucker Biological Opinion.
It may be difficult to meet them in any month for the remainder of the
season. Solem believes that we
should have water for the remainder of the season, however, ESA reconsultation
for suckers may be necessary.
The July
date for the National Academy of Science to begin peer review of Hardy, may be
missed. Hardy has not submitted a
flow study for their review.
2.
Water Delivery Issues
Solem
updated the Board on farming practices throughout the District that are making
it increasingly difficult to effectively operate the District.
These issues include consistent water ordering, use of District
facilities to wheel well water, encroachment on ditch banks for farming and
equipment storage, cattle damage to ditch banks, and relocation of diversion
points for pumps.
a.
aquatic
weeds treatment
Covered
under another Agenda item.
b.
DeJong
pump to
Dave Solem
reported that the District has been using Tom DeJong’s pump to pump water into
the old Lost River Channel, in
c.
Well
water
Covered
under another Agenda item.
d.
water
ordering
Covered
under another Agenda item.
e.
R.
O. W. encroachments
Covered
under another Agenda item.
Solem
updated the Board on a number of operational problems with the A-Canal fish
screens. The BOR has been advised of
these problems, but nothing has been resolved.
(See below for BOR options on handling future Project-wide O&M.
Titled Reclamation’s and Klamath
Project stakeholder’s future responsibility and organization opportunities for
Klamath Project construction and infrastructure management.)
a.
Stutzer,
A-7-a
Lila
Stutzer has refused to share the cost to replace a failing private crossing on
the A-7 lateral. Stuntebeck will ask
Stutzer if she would be willing to give the District a right of way in exchange
for KID replacing the crossing.
b.
A
Canal box culvert under crossing at KOA
Solem
updated the Board on the status of a box culvert under the A-Canal next to the
KOA Campground. KID, the Bureau of
Reclamation, and
Solem
reported that there are other under crossings throughout the District that
should be looked at to determine their condition.
c.
Solem
updated the Board on a complaint from Will Dalton regarding subbing of his
property on the F-Canal. KID had
done a lot of work in the area but has been unable to resolve the problem.
This may be due to natural springs and closing of a private drainage
system. The Board agreed that the
District has performed adequate maintenance,
d.
Cheyne
C-4-c
Brent
Cheyne appeared before the board to express his concerns with how the District
handled recent aquatic weed problems on the C-4 lateral.
Cheyne farms property at the end of the C-4-g lateral and was unable to
get water due to moss problems in the ditch.
Aquatic weeds also caused flooding to another property owned by Cheyne.
Cheyne suggested that the District gear up for future problems by
purchasing smaller equipment to be used for chaining, adding additional
personnel, and requiring better gates to provide better access to canal banks
for District personnel. The Board
agreed to investigate the problems and consider reasonable solutions.
Assistant
Manager Mark Stuntebeck explained the process used to treat with aquatic
herbicides while remaining in compliance with the District’s NPDES permit.
The District must have complete control of the area being treated for up
to three days. Stuntebeck reported
the impacts such as less cooperation from farmers in ordering water on and off,
more organic farm operations, and fewer flood irrigators, are making it more
difficult to apply chemical to certain canals and laterals.
More areas need to be mechanically controlled.
Chaining is not very effective and can be more expensive.
The
Board asked Solem to research the cost to become better equipped to chain and
report at the August Board meeting.
e.
Solem
updated the Board on an on going problem on a private pipeline in the Banyon
Park Subdivision, off Sturdivant. If
the problem cannot be resolved, affected parties may have to seek legal
remedies.
f.
Trailer
on A-3-b
Solem
updated the Board on a problem on the A-3-b lateral, off the South Side Bypass.
A private party has parked a ‘For Sale’ camp trailer on the ditch
bank, obstructing KID’s access. The
BOR has not required the owner to move the trailer.
Covered
under another Agenda item.
The Board
reviewed a $7,155.02 claim for damages from Bill and Tori Hill.
Hill believes that a fire started when District crews were burning ditch
banks, preparing for the water season. The
fire caused damage to a section of fence and a Poplar tree.
The Board agreed to offer the Hill’s $1,500 to settle the claim.
If the claim is not settled, it will be submitted to the District’s
insurance.
Solem
updated the Board on two employees that are on extended sick leave without pay.
Solem also
reported that maintenance employee Jack Milner quit without giving notice.
Ron Cox has been hired to fill the position.
Solem
updated the Board on the status of the District’s centralized telemetry system
(SCADA). Plass Communications worked
as a subcontractor with a group from Cal Poly on a grant from the BOR.
The funds ran out, the system has not been completed and Plass has not
received approximately $3,000 for his work.
Solem
reported that the Barnes Ranch acquisition by the federal government appears to
be moving forward. The government
has not provided information concerning the impacts of non-agricultural
management of the ranch.
None
KWUA
meeting August 9
KID
Board meeting August 10
