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class=headline11><B><FONT face=Tahoma color=#333333 size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma"><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns =
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face=Tahoma color=#333333 size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma"><o:p><FONT face=Arial color=#000000
size=2></FONT><STRONG>
<P class=sl-headline style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B><FONT face=Tahoma
color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma">KLAMATH:<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></B></P>
<P class=sl-headline style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B><FONT face=Tahoma
color=black size=4><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma">Editorial:
Costly cut-rate power; Klamath energy subsidy distorts economics of
farming<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></B></P>
<P class=sl-subhead style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0pt"><?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City
w:st="on"><B><FONT face=Tahoma color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma">Fresno</SPAN></FONT></B></st1:City></st1:place><FONT
face=Tahoma size=4><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma"> Bee –
3/3/05<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=sl-subhead style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0pt"><B><FONT face=Tahoma color=black
size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></B></P>
<P class=sl-subhead style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0pt"><B><FONT face="Times New Roman"
color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal; FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'">The
West Coast's storm cycle hammered Southern California this winter but ended up
missing <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Oregon</st1:place></st1:State>. That has produced dry conditions that
have set the stage for another farmers-vs.-fish drama on the <st1:place
w:st="on">Klamath River</st1:place>. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></B></P>
<P class=sl-subhead style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0pt"><B><FONT face="Times New Roman"
color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal; FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></B></P>
<P class=sl-body style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'">On top of this looming
fight over a limited water supply, a new debate is unfolding over electricity.
This feud should be simpler to solve. Farmers — or any consumer, for that matter
— should purchase electricity at 2005 prices, not those set in
1917.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=sl-body style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=sl-body style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'">Farmers throughout the
Klamath basin have enjoyed the same rate for electricity since Woodrow Wilson
was president. The going price is sixth-tenths of a cent per kilowatt of
electricity. A Northern California farmer in the service <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:PlaceType w:st="on">territory</st1:PlaceType> of <st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Pacific Gas</st1:PlaceName></st1:place> and Electric, for a
comparison, pays a rate that is about 20 times higher.
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=sl-body style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=sl-body style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'">PacifiCorp is proposing
to raise the price tenfold. Still, the proposed price is a bargain compared with
what many <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">California</st1:place></st1:State> farmers have to pay. And raising
the price to reflect 2005 costs would bring a much-needed dose of economic
forces to the debate.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=sl-body style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=sl-body style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'">If a marginal farming
operation can only survive by keeping electricity prices frozen at 1917 levels,
it's questionable whether it really should have the use of precious Klamath
water. There is no choice but to use water efficiently for fish and farmers
alike. Raising electricity prices to 2005 levels is one way to achieve that
efficiency. #<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"><A
href="http://www.fresnobee.com/opinion/story/10057166p-10886321c.html"><!-- END Component: FresnoBee : component/z_CodeBlue/storylevel/body_nophoto.comp -->http://www.fresnobee.com/opinion/story/10057166p-10886321c.html</A><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt">####<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> </STRONG></o:p></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN class=headline11><B><FONT face=Tahoma color=#333333
size=4><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma">WATER SUPPLY OUTLOOK:
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></B></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN class=headline11><B><FONT face=Tahoma color=#333333
size=4><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma">Mountain snowpack
levels melting away<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></B></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN class=headline11><B><FONT face=Tahoma color=#333333
size=4><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma">Redding Record
Searchlight – 3/3/05<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></B></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN class=headline11><B><FONT face=Tahoma color=#333333
size=4><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma">By Alex Brietler,
staff writer<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></B></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Tahoma color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black">Surveyors have ventured into some of the
north state's most rugged backcountry for the second time this winter,
discovering a snowpack that has diminished to below average in some areas.
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black">Just one month ago, surveys revealed a
thick blanket of snow up to 142 percent of normal. Now, the snowpack in some
river basins has shrunk to about 90 percent. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black">One exception was the <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">McCloud</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType
w:st="on">River</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> area, which measured a healthy 118
percent of average this month. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black">Statewide, the numbers remain good.
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">California</st1:State></st1:place>
already has more snow than it typically would at the beginning of April.
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black">The largest concern rests in the embattled
Klamath River region in Northern California and southern <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">Oregon</st1:State></st1:place>. The snowpack
there is just 43 percent of normal, painting a "pretty grim" picture for the
coming agricultural season, said Bureau of Reclamation spokeswoman Rae Olsen.
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black">She noted that March has often been the
basin's wettest month. "Perhaps we will revert to that pattern," she said.
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black">Snow certainly doesn't seem to be a
problem on <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Mt.</st1:PlaceType>
<st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Shasta</st1:PlaceName></st1:place>, where at least 320
inches of powder -- nearly 27 feet -- has dropped since fall.
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black">The most recent dumping came early
Wednesday, when 8 inches of snow topped the mountain. The new flakes prompted
the U.S. Forest Service to warn of considerable avalanche danger on Shasta's
slopes. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black">New snow falling in <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Trinity</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType
w:st="on">County</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> earlier this week prevented snow
surveyors from making their rounds there, a Forest Service official said.
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black">A variety of agencies and even private
landowners like Pacific Gas and Electric Co. conduct snow surveys by skiing or
snowshoeing into some remote basins, or using a helicopter to get to others.
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black">It's been an odd winter all over the West,
with the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Los
Angeles</st1:City></st1:place> area drowning in nearly 34 inches of
precipitation. Normally sopping-wet <st1:City w:st="on">Seattle</st1:City> has
had just more than 16 inches, while <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City
w:st="on">Redding</st1:City></st1:place> fits right in the middle, with 26.15
inches of precipitation to date. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black">Back in the <st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Klamath</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType
w:st="on">Basin</st1:PlaceType>, the Bureau of Reclamation recently extended an
annual water bank in which farmers can voluntarily idle their land or use
groundwater rather than taking water deliveries from snowmelt-fed <st1:place
w:st="on">Upper Klamath Lake</st1:place>. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black">The extension gives more farmers a chance
to participate this year, in light of the poor snowpack, Olsen said.
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black">Officials will receive one more weather
report in the coming weeks, and will make a final decision about water
allocations for irrigation by mid-April. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black">Many Klamath farmers went without water in
2001 as the government protected sensitive fish in the lake and in the
<st1:place w:st="on">Klamath River</st1:place> downstream. American Indians,
commercial and recreational fishermen, conservationists and farmers have been
embroiled in a fierce battle for water ever since.
#<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black"><A
href="http://www.redding.com/redd/nw_local/article/0,2232,REDD_17533_3590759,00.html">http://www.redding.com/redd/nw_local/article/0,2232,REDD_17533_3590759,00.html</A><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>