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<P class=MsoNormal><B><FONT face=Tahoma color=black size=4><SPAN
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<P class=MsoNormal><B><FONT face=Tahoma color=black size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></B><B><FONT
face=Tahoma size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma">SALMON
PROTECTION:<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><B><FONT face=Tahoma size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma">Feds buying
Trinity water for Klamath again <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on"><B><FONT face=Tahoma size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma">Eureka</SPAN></FONT></B></st1:place></st1:City><B><FONT
face=Tahoma size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma"> Times-Standard
– 6/28/05</SPAN></FONT></B><B><FONT face=Tahoma size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma"><BR></SPAN></FONT></B><B><FONT
face=Tahoma size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma">By John
Driscoll, staff writer<BR><BR></SPAN></FONT></B><B><FONT face=Tahoma
size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt">The federal government is spending $618,000 to buy
Trinity River water as an insurance policy against a fish kill on the <st1:place
w:st="on">Klamath River</st1:place>. <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>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt">The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation expects to sign an
agreement soon with a slate of contractors it identified as the Sacramento River
Exchange Group. It would buy 20,000 acre feet -- 6.5 billion gallons -- for
about $30 an acre foot. <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>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt">"We've isolated a hunk of water and we've got a
handshake," said bureau spokesman Jeff McCracken. <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>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt">A subcommittee of the Trinity Management Council will
meet this week to determine what would trigger the release this fall. The size
of the salmon run, the flows in the lower river, and the incidence of disease
will all be considered. <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>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt">In 2002, up to 68,000 adult chinook salmon died of
stress-related diseases in the lower river. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
found low, warm water during a relatively large run was at the heart of the
devastating fish kill. <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>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt">This year on the Klamath is considered a below-average
year, and there is concern that low flows scheduled in August and September
could endanger the salmon again. <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>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt">The Trinity water can't be carried over until next year
if it isn't needed, McCracken said, creating a use-it-or-lose-it situation. If
it isn't used, the bureau would try to sell it to irrigators in the Central
Valley Project, but probably at a loss, he said. <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>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt">The U.S. Department of the Interior has repeatedly
rejected requests to allow water promised to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Humboldt</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType
w:st="on">County</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> to be used for the same purpose.
The county was pledged 50,000 acre feet before the <st1:place w:st="on">Trinity
River</st1:place>'s dams and diversion were constructed.
<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>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt">"Given the fact that Humboldt County is willing to
donate its water it doesn't seem to make a lot of sense to pay $600,000 for
something the bureau could get for free," said Tom Stokely, a senior planner for
neighboring Trinity County. <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>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt">The bureau has also spent millions in recent years -- $7
million this year -- on a program to buy water from farmers in the <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Upper</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Klamath</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType
w:st="on">Basin</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> and send it downstream during the
spring for young salmon. Prior to 2002, as many as 200,000 juvenile salmon died
of diseases in the river. This year, 100,000 acre feet is being sent down the
Klamath as part of the water bank. #<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.times-standard.com/Stories/0,1413,127~2896~2942126,00.html">http://www.times-standard.com/Stories/0,1413,127~2896~2942126,00.html#</A><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
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