Posted on 04/25/2002 2:58:27 PM PDT by Glutton
04/25/02
Commercial salmon fishermen and environmental groups filed suit Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Oakland, Calif., to make federal water managers in the Klamath Basin release more water into the Klamath River for salmon.
The groups said the action, if successful, would not severely affect the amount of water available to farmers in the Klamath Project. Many of the farmers went without water last year because of federal Endangered Species Act restrictions.
But Dan Keppen of the Klamath Water Users Association said farmers are concerned that a court injunction in the case could limit water to farms and set back farms trying to recover from last year.
The groups filing suit were led by the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations, The Wilderness Society, WaterWatch of Oregon, North Coast Environmental Center, Oregon Natural Resource Council, Defenders of Wildlife and the Klamath Forest Alliance. An interim water plan drawn up by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation leaves too little water in the Klamath River to support vulnerable young salmon vital to commercial and recreational fishermen and to tribes, the groups said.
They sought a court order requiring the Bureau of Reclamation to release about twice as much water as its plan calls for into the Klamath River during May. They said that would have negligible effects on farmers who depend on diverted river water because a wetter winter has made more water available this year than last year.
"Council for the 'sucker fish' reserves comment at this time."
Commercial Fishermen Sue Government for More Water in Oregon's Klamath River.
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