March 11, 2010
The Honorable Ted Kulongoski
900 court Street NE
Salem Oregon 97301
RE: Klamath County Drought Declaration Request
Dear Governor Kulongoski,
This letter is to request that at the earliest time
possible you declare that emergency hydrologic drought conditions
currently exist in Klamath County.
I was privileged to sit in on the Water Availability
subcommittee meeting held yesterday at the Salem Armory. After careful
consideration of all the current hydrologic factors, the sub-committee
voted unanimously to recommend that a declaration of hydrologic drought
be declared in Klamath County. Factors that were considered include 71%
of normal snowpack, 51% of normal reservoir storage, 80% of normal
precipitation to date, 63% of normal stream flow to date, and forecasted
stream flow of only 30% to 65% of normal depending on the watershed area
being measured.
The existing hydrologic drought, in conjunction with the
two biologic opinions, has created an untenable situation for irrigators
who depend on surface water to grow their crops. The biological opinion
designed to protect the endangered sucker fish requires that significant
water be held in the Upper Klamath Lake reservoir thereby diminishing
water available for diversion for irrigation. The biological opinion
designed to protect the threatened Coho salmon requires that
significantly more water be discharged from Upper Klamath Lake than has
historically occurred in dry years to enhance stream flow. The
combination of the effects of the hydrological drought and the effects
of the biological opinions results in very little water being available
for diversion for agricultural production.
As you know, your declaration that emergency drought
conditions exist will allow Klamath County drought wells to be used for
irrigation. It will also allow significantly wider latitude for the
Oregon Water Resources Department to authorize water transfers that will
allow the farmers to selectively irrigate their highest value crop
lands. I met with Oregon Water Resources Department Director Phil Ward
in my office Monday and he assured me that his Department is ready and
able to take immediate action to help mitigate the drought effects in
any way that they legally can help.
Your emergency drought declaration will also set the
table for United States Department of Agriculture drought relief
payments in the event that the existing drought results in 30% or more
reduction in harvested crop value. We certainly hope that such crop
losses can be avoided, but in the event that they do occur the drought
relief payments may well be the income required for some family farming
operations to remain economically viable.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely yours,
Senator Doug Whitsett
District 28
(Permission to post from the author)
