{"id":5160,"date":"2010-03-11T12:50:08","date_gmt":"2010-03-11T20:50:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blitransfer.wpengine.com\/?p=5160"},"modified":"2017-06-21T14:21:43","modified_gmt":"2017-06-21T19:21:43","slug":"klamath-water-woes-drought-conditions-pit-farmers-fish","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bluelivingideas.com\/2010\/03\/11\/klamath-water-woes-drought-conditions-pit-farmers-fish\/","title":{"rendered":"Klamath Water Woes: Drought Conditions Pit Farmers Against Fish Again"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Klamath Basin and the water that flows out of it from Oregon to California have been a point of contention between environmentalists and farmers over the past century. Dam removal<\/a> now seems imminent, yet the water woes have not ended for the region. Facing drought conditions, Klamath Lake is currently 12 inches below its lowest level recorded in 1992.<\/p>\n

Photo by kun0me<\/a>\"Water<\/a>
Water woes return to the Klamath Region<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Klamath River<\/a> originates in Upper Klamath Lake<\/a>, the largest lake in Oregon. \u00a0This once mighty river flows 263 miles to the Pacific Ocean in Klamath, California. \u00a0It is one of the three largest salmon supporting rivers on the West Coast, and it has been the source of much controversy. \u00a0In 2001, irrigation supplies to farmers were cut off to protect sucker fish in the basin and coho in the river. \u00a0In 2002, a massive fish kill occurred with political ties to former Republican\u00a0Vice President Cheney<\/a>. \u00a0One thing people in the Klamath’s region know is that water is everything.<\/p>\n

Oregon Senators Wyden and Merkley<\/a> have appealed to the federal government for assistance for farmers facing a drought of \u00a0“historic magnitude”. \u00a0Irrigation usually begins to flow April 1, and farmers are worried as the planting season approaches. \u00a0Wyden and Merkley<\/a> asked the Departments of Commerce, Interior, and Agriculture to:<\/p>\n