Klamath Conservation Implementation Program

![](media/image1.wmf){width="1.9388888888888889in"
height="2.272222222222222in"}Public Meeting Summary - DRAFT

Arcata, CA

September 29, 2004

Introduction

This document summarizes the public meeting for the Klamath Conservation
Implementation Program (CIP) on September 29, 2004 in Arcata, CA. Agenda
topics included:

-   Introduction and Meeting Goals

-   Provide CIP Overview

-   Confirm Basic Purposes and Guiding Principles

-   Confirm Organizational Structure

-   Identify "Backbone" Activities

-   Wrap-Up

During the introduction, Paul Brown (meeting facilitator) identified
that the main meeting objectives were to confirm the draft CIP ("Did we
get it right?"), identify "Backbone" activities for immediate action,
and self-select participation levels.

CIP Overview

Christine Karas (Reclamation Deputy Area Manager for the Klamath Project
Office) provided an overview of the CIP. The presentation slides are
attached. Meeting attendees raised the following issues and questions:

-   What does "Basin" mean? Christine explained that the Basin is the
    entire Klamath River watershed.

-   Is Trinity part of the Basin? Christine answered that the Trinity
    River is part of the basin, and will be part of the CIP.

-   Who are the interested parties? Who is driving this? Who actually
    decided to start the CIP? What compelled Reclamation to start the
    CIP process? Christine answered that the genesis of the CIP was NOAA
    Fisheries' biological opinion.

-   Why isn't U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service facilitating this process?
    The majority of answers should come from those that live on the
    river and know the river. Christine responded that Reclamation needs
    to participate in a program like the CIP to comply with Klamath
    Project's biological opinions. Reclamation wants to find better ways
    to operate.

-   The upper basin seems to receive preferential treatment, while the
    losers seem to be those that are downstream. Can Reclamation
    overcome the distrust of parts of the basin? The basin has many
    entities; Reclamation must consider and include all of them.

-   The CIP needs to be based in science -- KRIS CD. Science drives
    restoration efforts in the river basin. The CIP should consider
    timber harvest impacts, global warming, and meteorological cycles.
    Potential actions include dam removal, power subsidies, and
    conservation as a major source of water. The pool of resources is
    much greater when the entire basin works together. Also, the 303(d)
    list has indicated problems with nutrients in the lakes that could
    be solved by reducing irrigated lands.

-   The CIP needs to incorporate oceanography.

-   The CIP should consider reducing irrigated acreage and removing
    dams. Agencies can use the CIP to assist in FERC relicensing.

-   Is Reclamation receptive about what comes out of this collaborative
    planning effort and really ready to take on the issues?

-   Will the CIP consider removal of the Trinity dams? Lewiston Dam?

-   The spillway of the Upper Klamath Lake is artificially high. Does
    the sucker need to have high water to survive? Can the water level
    be lower and the sucker still live? How did the suckers survive
    before the Europeans came in? Why does the level need to be so high?

-   The CIP should not focus on solving small problems at expense of big
    issues.

-   The CIP might obstruct progress

-   Klamath and Siskiyou areas are special and world-recognized, which
    should be considered when decisions are made.

-   Tribal livelihood needs to be considered.

    **Basic Purposes and Guiding Principals**

    Paul Brown briefly introduced the draft CIP purposes:

1.  To largely restore the Klamath River ecosystem to achieve recovery
    of the Lost River and Shortnose suckers, and to substantially
    contribute to the recovery of the SONC Evolutionarily Significant
    Unit of Coho salmon;

2.  To contribute to, but not to fully discharge, the tribal trust
    responsibilities of the Federal government; and

3.  To ~~allow~~ (encourage) continued sustainable operation of existing
    water management facilities and future water resource improvements
    for human use in the Klamath Basin.

The following are comments, suggestions and questions that meeting
attendees expressed regarding this purpose.

Purpose 1 -- Ecosystem Restoration

-   What does "largely" mean? Largely seems to only imply, it does not
    mean total commitment**.** Largely needs to be replaced with fully
    committed**.**

-   Why did Reclamation choose specific species of fish? Why did
    Reclamation include adjectives relating to fish recovery?

-   A Federal program will not work unless it is driven by the locals.

-   The dams need to be removed. What is the relationship between FERC
    and the CIP? What happens if the dams are removed before the CIP is
    implemented? Would the CIP then assist FERC?

-   The CIP is not going to happen. FERC is going to need to comply with
    its license procedures. For ecosystem improvements, need to have all
    groups involved.

-   The CIP says, "can't give advice to Federal." This region needs
    collaboration and cooperation. How can collaboration and cooperation
    occur if Federal agencies do not want advice? The basin's
    fundamental problems have not been addressed. Christine asked what
    Reclamation could do to address these problems, and meeting
    attendees responded that Reclamation should delete these words from
    the CIP.

-   The CIP needs to address the fundamental problems. Restoration
    efforts will cost substantial amounts of money, and this CIP is only
    including short-term band-aids instead of addressing the fundamental
    problems. Examples of ways to address the fundamental problems
    include the removal of dams and optimal flows for fish.

-   The focus of this purpose seems to be narrow. This purpose should be
    as inclusive as possible.

-   The Klamath basin is largely Federal lands with private interested
    party groups. When will all these groups be involved in the
    decision-making process?

-   What about the spring Chinook? Chinook salmon is a proposed
    threatened species in the Klamath River Basin. How can we capture it
    in this statement?

-   Where is funding going to come from?

-   This purpose needs to be made clearer on the things that will be
    done for other species instead of focusing on specific species. What
    about flora and fauna? This purpose needs to be more explicit and
    include other animals.

-   This purpose needs to be broader -- what about fall Chinook?

-   This purpose should not be species-specific, but should focus on the
    entire ecosystem.

Purpose 2 -- Tribal Trust Responsibilities

-   Strike the first 9 words in this purpose. Change wording: "To
    recognize and uphold the tribal trust responsibilities."

-   Distrust of both the Tribes and Federal Government because of lack
    of follow through. Who identifies the tribal trust committee?

-   Add another purpose that discusses the public trust rather than
    tribal trust**.**

-   What are the tribal trust responsibilities? Christine explained that
    establishing tribal trust responsibilities will be part of the
    committee structure; the CIP will have to work out those conflicts.

Purpose 3 --Sustainable Operations and Human Use

-   What about agricultural issues in upper basin? Agricultural interest
    is not about money but it is a way of life.

-   Does this program have the will to address the problems? Can we
    receive attention from the Federal and State government to allow for
    restoration? If the initiative for restoration comes from the people
    within the watershed, then there is a chance. If it is a
    Federally-funded project, then the government will have control.
    People living within the watershed should be the ones to prioritize
    the projects that need to be addressed.

-   Purpose #3 should say, "Achieve sustainable water management that
    provides for future resource improvements in the Klamath basin and
    coastal communities."

-   How does the CIP relate to the Klamath Act? If the Klamath Act
    charter was renewed, at what point will folks be involved in
    decisions concerning public lands?

-   The purpose needs to better define "Existing water management
    responsibilities."

-   The CIP needs to define benefits of dams and the adverse effects if
    dams are removed.

-   The highest priority goal should be the focus on recognizing upper
    and lower economies (coast and basin) and striving to create
    sustainable economies.

-   The Klamath Falls basin is affecting the coast by damaging the way
    of life for commercial fishermen. Changes in commercial fishing will
    affect thousands of businesses. The CIP must consider that salmon go
    all the way to the coast. Commercial fishermen concerns are social,
    cultural, and economic.

-   The Klamath fish kill may result in closure of all lakes from the
    mouth of the Columbia River to Central California.

-   Conservation as an option needs more attention.

-   For this purpose, the word "sustainability" should be removed.
    Christine explained that she had meant sustainable to mean that
    agriculture would be commercially viable.

-   This purpose is a conflicting statement of existing water
    management. The current operation of existing water management
    facilities is not sustainable.

-   Need to address fundamental problems in water use and project
    operations.

    **Organizational Structure**

-   Who will be on the Coordination Council? Christine answered that the
    Coordination Council will include representatives from different
    groups and entities.

-   Need meetings in the middle and lower basin also to coordinate and
    collaborate appropriately.

-   The CIP needs better consideration of conservation. A way to better
    include conservation would be through DVDs to communicate people's
    views, cultures, thoughts, and ideas to show to others.

-   How much will happen within the committees?

-   Will the CIP incorporate the goals of the Klamath and Trinity Act?
    Reclamation needs a prioritized plan on how these acts relate to the
    CIP.

-   Policies need to be made that will reflect the lower basin needs as
    well. How will these policies be established and enforced?

-   These words need to be in the CIP, **"**we are willing to
    discuss**"** changes to agency policies.

-   Is the CIP able to fund a flow study group?

    **Conclusion and Suggestions**

-   Coastal people and issues need attention.

-   The CIP should use TMDLs studies and requirements. Existing data
    could help to quickly identify and evaluate alternatives for
    consideration.

-   Databases need to be linked. The CIP needs to use existing programs
    and structures.

-   The CIP needs to address private land and the health of rural
    economies, preserve open space, and meet the needs of the
    agricultural community in the upper basin.

-   The CIP needs to be more than a Main stem of the Klamath River
    planning process

-   The CIP should identify the alternatives and let the people decide
    on what the alternatives should be.

-   Keep CIP committees small.

-   Additional professional help should be obtained for professional
    communication and professional negotiators. Agencies need to be more
    involved because they have a wealth of information that can help.
    The CIP needs people that will be responsible as leaders to prepare
    for meetings, and Agency people can help in this role.

-   Efficiencies are gained through work by other groups and combining
    those efforts with the current efforts.

-   Good job, a valiant effort. You are doing good work.

Christine Karas thanked everyone for attending and participating in the
meeting. Reclamation will hold at least three more meetings throughout
the watershed, and will use comments to revise the CIP. This draft will
be circulated, and it will likely require another set of public
meetings. There will be a possible meeting in Weaverville, as there have
been some suggestions for it.