Klamath Basin Water Valve Opened

April 1, 2002

Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton, Secretary of Agriculture Ann Veneman and U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith opened the "A" canal head gates Friday as a first step in delivering water to Klamath Basin irrigators for the 2002 growing season. The preliminary water deliveries will begin the process of charging the canal.

Water delivery to the Klamath Basin will begin as the consultation process for the 10-year operation of the Klamath project moves forward with the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), Norton said. Based on a preliminary analysis, the storage supply available in the Klamath Basin system, combined with projected inflow to the Klamath Project, is believed to be sufficient to meet both irrigation requirements and any potential endangered species needs in 2002.

At first, about 60 cubic feet per second will be released to charge the system. Gradually, over the next 10 days, the rate will be increased to prepare the canal to deliver water to irrigation districts by mid-to-late April. The irrigation season normally runs from April through September.

Both NMFS and FWS are working on long term "biological opinions" in response to the biological assessment that reclamation issued Feb. 27. Those opinions will provide the basis for long term Klamath Basin water allocations from 2002 to 2012.

NMFS and FWS have agreed through informal consultation and interim formal consultation that the Bureau of Reclamation's operations will not jeopardize endangered species during the months of April and May. Reclamation has committed to immediately take certain actions, including implementing measures to reduce entrainment of suckers into the "A" Canal.

To reduce entrainment of fish throughout the 10-year project, Reclamation plans for a fish screen at the "A" canal head gates have been accelerated. The cabinet-level Klamath River Basin Federal Working Group, appointed by President Bush on March 1, has announced that construction of the screen will be advanced to protect endangered species living in Upper Klamath Lake.

Reclamation's fiscal year 2003 budget request to Congress includes funding to complete the installation of the fish screen, with construction expected to begin this fall and completion scheduled by April 1, 2003. Design is essentially complete, with a contract award expected by early August.