Governor's proposal antes up for restoration, possible dam removal

As part of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's proposals outlined in his State of the State address Tuesday are millions or even tens of millions meant to go toward the Klamath River, possibly to grease the skids of removing four of the river's dams.

Some $250 million is proposed for restoration activities on the Klamath and San Joaquin rivers and the Salton Sea. How the money would be split and exactly how it would be used will be determined as part of discussions between the governor's office and the state Legislature.

”The conversation is ongoing as we speak,” said California Resources Agency spokesman Sandy Cooney.

The money would come through bond measures that would go before voters in 2008, Cooney said. It also follows millions of dollars that could go toward Klamath efforts, approved as part of bond measures passed in November.

Significant political pressure is coming to bear to revive the Klamath in recent years, as water shortages and fish kills have cropped up. This past year, commercial salmon fishing was all but halted along a long stretch of the West Coast to protect low salmon returns to the river.

The proposal comes as Pacificorp's dams are being considered for a new 30- to 50-year license. The utility's dams block salmon from 300 miles of spawning habitat above lowermost Iron Gate Dam, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service have signaled that they are unlikely to change demands for fish ladders to be installed. The final provisions are due at the end of the month.

If Pacificorp does have to install fish ladders, it could cost $150 million or more. The costs of capital improvements to hydropower projects can be passed on to ratepayers, with the utility also realizing a reasonable rate of return.

A recent study by the California Energy Commission and the U.S. Department of the Interior found that tearing out the Klamath's dams and building efficient power plants to replace the 150 megawatts they produce would be cheaper for ratepayers than leaving them in. The public utilities commissions in the state's Pacificorp operates in have to approve changes that would affect ratepayers.

Craig Tucker, a spokesman for the Karuk Tribe, said he was pleased that Schwarzenegger continues to show a resolve to fix the problems on the Klamath River.

”He is committed to the Klamath River as indicated by this state of the state speech material,” Tucker said. “The state's been a really good partner.”

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