Klamath farmers in southern Oregon, northern California want water
4/5/2022 1:39:15 AM
CATEGORIES:
Agriculture
Relief, Response & Restrictions
Society & Public Health
Water Supply & Quality
AFFECTED AREAS:
Siskiyou County, CA
Klamath County, OR
Start Date: 3/29/2022
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The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation has not yet revealed how much water will be delivered to farmers in the Klamath Irrigation District, but farmers are adamant that they want water.
Of the 377 farmers who voted at a recent March 29, 2022 meeting, 319 voted ‘yes’ to the ballot question: “Pursuant to both our federal contract obligations and state water rights, do you want the district to attempt to deliver you water knowing it will likely complicate federal drought funding?”
Last year was the first year that the federally managed Klamath Project provided no water to local irrigators in the Klamath Basin in southern Oregon and northern California. Farmers received millions in drought relief in 2021 in lieu of water, but drought relief funds only replace a small fraction of the profit farmers could have had.
Jefferson Public Radio (Ashland, Ore.), April 4, 2022
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