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<DIV><FONT face=Tahoma size=4><STRONG>KLAMATH RIVER BASIN</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Tahoma size=4><STRONG>Klamath Indians to bend ear of dam owner
</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Tahoma size=4><STRONG>Eureka Times-Standard -
8/15/04</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Tahoma size=4><STRONG>By John Driscoll, staff
writer</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV>
<P><FONT size=4>Representatives of four Klamath River tribes will meet with the
CEO of dam owner PacifiCorp, just weeks after visiting its parent company in
Scotland. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4>Two Yurok tribal councilmen described the visit to Scotland as
successful, having drawn the attention of ScottishPower to problems the tribe
sees with the continued operations of its subsidiary's hydropower facilities on
the Klamath, half a world away.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4>More than two dozen people from tribes, fishing groups and
environmental organizations traveled to Scotland last month, and some got the
ear of Scottish Power CEO Ian Russell. Tribal representatives will meet with
PacifiCorp CEO Judi Johansen in Redding on Monday. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4>"He gave us his word that PacifiCorp would start negotiating
with the tribes," said Councilman Sid Nix.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4>The Yurok, Hoopa, Karuk and Klamath tribes are pressing for the
removal of six dams on the Klamath. The facilities' license expires in
2006.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4>The dams are in part responsible for the decline of salmon runs,
but the tribes say they've also taken a toll on other fishes, like lamprey,
candlefish and sturgeon. In PacifiCorp's draft application to the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission, the company proposed trucking salmon around the dams, but
did not consider building fish ladders, which could be expensive.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4>Nix said the tribes are committed to the removal of the dams,
and believes the trip to Scotland advanced their cause.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4>The California Energy Commission and the National Research
Council have both recommended FERC analyze removal of some of the
dams.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4>Questions in that analysis might include the effects of dam
removal on water quality and flow and how sediment trapped behind the dams can
move out of the system.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4>Yurok Councilman Richard Myers said many of the ScottishPower
shareholders first learned about the effects of the dams during the tribes'
visit.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4>"They seemed to be good people, and want to return the salmon
home," Myers said. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4>Meanwhile, the tribes and fishing and environmental groups on
Friday called on President Bush -- stumping in Portland, Ore., -- to release
more water down the Klamath. They want to avoid a repeat of the 2002 fish kill,
which wiped out 34,000 to 68,000 salmon. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4>A plan is being hashed out by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
this week to release water from Lewiston Dam on the Trinity River, the Klamath's
main tributary. Fishermen on the lower Klamath have reported extremely warm
water and a small number of fish that appear to be succumbing to gill rot, one
of the symptoms of a disease that killed fish in 2002. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4>They are concerned that the planned flows, expected to increase
beginning Aug. 22, might come too late. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4>The groups say the Bush administration's continued denial that
it's irrigation project upstream on the Klamath prompted the fish kill doesn't
square with its efforts to find, and buy, water to release from the Trinity.
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