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<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=4 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:14.0pt;
font-family:Tahoma;font-weight:bold'>WATERSHED PLANNING:<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=4 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:14.0pt;
font-family:Tahoma;font-weight:bold'>Scott River Water Trust seeks to help
fish, farmers; Program leases water rights from growers<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=4 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:14.0pt;
font-family:Tahoma;font-weight:bold'>Capital Press – 2/9/07<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=4 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:14.0pt;
font-family:Tahoma;font-weight:bold'>By Elizabeth Larson, staff writer</span></font></b><font
size=4><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
14.0pt'>ETNA - In Northern California a unique effort is under way - possibly
the first of its kind in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">California</st1:State></st1:place>
- that seeks to enhance fish migration by keeping more water in local
streambeds.<br>
<br>
The Scott River Water Trust is a developing program that leases and/or
purchases water historically used for agriculture and pays willing water right
holders to leave the water in the stream for threatened coho salmon.<br>
<br>
The idea behind the water trust was first discussed a decade ago, said project
consultant Sari Sommarstrom. Then the coho salmon, which spawns and rears in
the river, was listed as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act.
Finally funded in 2002, the water trust program is a project of the Scott River
Watershed Council and the Siskiyou Resource Conservation District, with the
California Department of Fish and Game initially funding the effort.<br>
<br>
The <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Scott</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">River</st1:PlaceName>
is one of the <st1:place w:st="on">Klamath River</st1:place>'s four major
tributaries. The river runs through <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Siskiyou</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceType w:st="on">County</st1:PlaceType>'s <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Scott</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Valley</st1:PlaceName></st1:place>,
a largely agricultural area.<br>
<br>
Sommarstrom said the water trust's goal is to improve streamflow for salmon and
steelhead at critical periods within the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Scott</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">River</st1:PlaceName></st1:place>
watershed. The trust proposes to do that through compensating willing
water-right holders - in particular, farmers and ranchers who use the water for
irrigation and stock watering - to forego using some of their water.<br>
<br>
"It's a community idea that developed due to a combination of proactive
nature and upcoming regulatory requirements," said Gary Black, a SRCD
senior project coordinator who has been instrumental in putting the water trust
together.<br>
<br>
The flows of the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Scott</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceName w:st="on">River</st1:PlaceName></st1:place> and its tributaries
are snowmelt-driven. In the spring, Black noted, "there's more than enough
water for fish and farms," but as the snowmelt tails off, supplies become
tough in the late summer and fall. "The issue of late summer competition
between fish and ag is pretty significant," he said. <br>
<br>
Water needs for the fish are most critical in late July, August and September,
Sommarstrom said, when fish species such as coho salmon and steelhead are
rearing their young in the streams. In years when fall rains are delayed, she
said, even the fall chinook salmon have not had enough water for spawning in
October.<br>
<br>
Black said the water trust wants to focus on short-term water leases with water
users to improve fall and summer flows. The typical lease, he said, would be 60
to 90 days in duration during those times.<br>
<br>
Sommarstrom said if a water user agreed to divert less stream water for
irrigation, the water trust would fully compensate him for production loss.
Likewise, the trust would help ranchers get alternative sources of water for
watering livestock during the post-irrigation season.<br>
<br>
Determining water value is important, Sommarstrom said. "We don't want to
pay too much or too little for water, just what is fair and reasonable."<br>
<br>
Just how much water do the fish need? She suggested the amount could range from
as little as 0.5 cubic feet per second (CFS) and up. "That can make a big
difference in a small creek that's only flowing a half CFS already," she
said. <br>
<br>
Sommarstrom emphasized that the water trust seeks to benefit the fish without
hurting other water users - the farmers and ranchers who are irrigating their
crops of pasture and alfalfa, and watering their livestock.<br>
<br>
"We don't want to take land out of production permanently. I know that's
been an issue in some other states," she said.<br>
<br>
Black, who is also a rancher in the area, agreed.<br>
<br>
"Agriculture is the main economy in this valley and is the only answer to
protect existing open space from development. The intent of the RCD is to find
local solutions that demonstrate agriculture can and will be the best economy
for the environment and community. The water trust is an extension of that
belief."<br>
<br>
Even though it's a community-based effort, Black called the response from both
the ag and environmental communities "mixed." While some
environmentalists don't feel it goes far enough, some water users are concerned
about the risk associated with having less water available.<br>
<br>
Black said many people think the effort's intent is to increase water flows
into the <st1:place w:st="on">Klamath River</st1:place>. "That is entirely
not the intent and is not possible," he said.<br>
<br>
The trust's water transactions will have "minimal to no influence" on
the Klamath, he said, and its goals include addressing fishery and water
quality issues within the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Scott</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceName w:st="on">River</st1:PlaceName></st1:place> watershed only.<br>
<br>
Water trusts are a new concept in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">California</st1:State></st1:place>,
said Sommarstrom. "When we are formalized, we will be the first water
trust in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">California</st1:State></st1:place>,
as far as I know."<br>
<br>
The concept has already been adopted in <st1:State w:st="on">Oregon</st1:State>,
<st1:State w:st="on">Washington</st1:State> state, <st1:State w:st="on">Colorado</st1:State>
and <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">Montana</st1:State></st1:place>,
she said.<br>
<br>
A critical step in transferring water to instream uses, for the short- or
long-term, is state approval, a process that both Black and Sommarstrom report
has been very slow.<br>
<br>
Sommarstrom and Black said that there are already a few instream transactions before
the State's Water Resources Control Board's Division of Water Rights, which
hasn't approved them yet. One of the transactions has been waiting for approval
for 16 months, said Black.<br>
<br>
Part of the issue, Sommarstrom said, may be that the instream water transfer
concept is so new to the state that officials don't know how to handle it and
staffing is limited.<br>
<br>
"This process is regulatorily strangled," Black said. "The
community is proactively trying to do the right thing for fish and water
quality and the process won't allow us do what agencies and interest groups
continually ask of us."<br>
<br>
Going forward, Sommarstrom said, building relationships will be key to the
effort. They're calling this a water trust with a capital T, she said, but what
will be essential is to establish trust - with a small t - within the <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Scott</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">River</st1:PlaceName></st1:place>
watershed community. <font color=black><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></font></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><st1:place w:st="on"><b><font size=4 color=black
face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;color:black;
font-weight:bold'>KLAMATH RIVER</span></font></b></st1:place><b><font size=4
color=black face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;
color:black;font-weight:bold'>:<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on"><b><font
size=4 color=black face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:
Tahoma;color:black;font-weight:bold'>Klamath</span></font></b></st1:PlaceName><b><font
size=4 color=black face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;
color:black;font-weight:bold'> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Basin</st1:PlaceType></span></font></b></st1:place><b><font
size=4 color=black face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;
color:black;font-weight:bold'> Dam Removal Will Restore Habitat for Endangered
Fish<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on"><b><font size=4
color=black face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;
color:black;font-weight:bold'>News Release</span></font></b></st1:City><b><font
size=4 color=black face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;
color:black;font-weight:bold'>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">U.S.</st1:country-region></span></font></b></st1:place><b><font
size=4 color=black face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;
color:black;font-weight:bold'> Bureau of Reclamation – 2/6/07<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=4 color=black face=Tahoma><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;color:black;font-weight:bold'>Contacts:
Jeffery McCracken, 916-978-5100</span></font></b><font size=4 color=black><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>In a major step toward recovering
endangered fish in the Klamath Basin, Interior's Bureau of Reclamation has
awarded a nearly $9 million contract to remove Chiloquin Dam, which would open
80 miles of spawning habitat on the Sprague River in southern Oregon.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>"In cooperation with the Bureau of
Indian Affairs (BIA), Reclamation awarded the contact to the Slayden
Construction Group of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Stayton</st1:City>,
<st1:State w:st="on">Oregon</st1:State></st1:place>, on February 5,
2007," said Kirk Rodgers, Regional Director of Reclamation's Mid-Pacific
Region. "The removal of Chiloquin Dam and construction of a new pumping
plant for delivery of irrigation water represents another major milestone in
President Bush's commitment to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Klamath</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Basin</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> restoration."<br>
<br>
"Restoring access to this habitat on a tributary above Upper Klamath Lake
will enable the endangered <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Lost</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType
w:st="on">River</st1:PlaceType> and shortnose suckers to migrate upstream to
historical spawning areas in the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Sprague</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceType w:st="on">River</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> watershed,"
said Steve Thompson, Manager of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's
California/Nevada Operations Office. "This is a significant step in
helping to restore the traditional fishery for the Klamath Indian Tribes, which
have reserved fishing rights in the area."<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>Chiloquin Dam, 220 feet wide and 11 feet
high, is located on the Sprague River about 30 miles north of Klamath Falls,
Oregon. The dam was built by the U.S. Indian Service in 1914 to divert
water for use by the Modoc Point Unit of the Klamath Indian Reservation.
Ownership of the dam was transferred to the Modoc Point Irrigation District in
1973. The project will also construct a new pumping plant on the <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Williamson</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType
w:st="on">River</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> to provide an alternate means to
deliver irrigation water to the Modoc Point Irrigation District.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>In June 2005, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service issued a Biological Opinion supporting the Bureau of Indian Affairs'
proposal to remove the dam. In September 2005, the BIA completed an
Environmental Assessment which analyzed the environmental impacts of the various
alternatives. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>The Bureau of Indian Affairs' proposed
construction schedule will be carried out over 2 years. During the first
phase, the new pumping plant will be constructed from July to December
2007. During the second phase, the dam will be removed from July 2008 to
December 2008. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>The contractor is expected to start
on-site mobilization in May 2007. Under an agreement, Reclamation will
serve as the contracting entity and provide construction management services to
the Bureau of Indian Affairs.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><st1:PersonName w:st="on"><em><i><font size=2 color=gray
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:gray'>Byron
Leydecker</span></font></i></em></st1:PersonName><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><em><i><font size=2 color=gray face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;color:gray'>Friends of <st1:place w:st="on">Trinity
River</st1:place>, Chair</span></font></i></em><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><em><i><font size=2 color=gray face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;color:gray'>California Trout,Inc., Advisor</span></font></i></em><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><st1:address tabIndex="0"
style="BACKGROUND-POSITION: left bottom; BACKGROUND-IMAGE: url(res://ietag.dll/#34/#1001); BACKGROUND-REPEAT: repeat-x"
w:st="on"><st1:Street w:st="on"><em><i><font size=2 color=gray
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:gray'>PO Box</span></font></i></em></st1:Street><em><i><font
size=2 color=gray face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
color:gray'> 2327</span></font></i></em></st1:address><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on"><em><i><font
size=2 color=gray face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
color:gray'>Mill Valley</span></font></i></em></st1:City><em><i><font size=2
color=gray face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:gray'>, <st1:State
w:st="on">CA</st1:State> <st1:PostalCode w:st="on">94942-2327</st1:PostalCode></span></font></i></em></st1:place><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><em><i><font size=2 color=gray face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;color:gray'>415 383 4810 ph</span></font></i></em><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><em><i><font size=2 color=gray face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;color:gray'>415 383 9562 fx</span></font></i></em><o:p></o:p></p>
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style='font-size:10.0pt;color:blue;font-style:italic'><a
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style='font-size:10.0pt;color:blue;font-style:italic'><a
href="mailto:bleydecker@stanfordalumni.org"><em><i><font face="Times New Roman">bleydecker@stanfordalumni.org</font></i></em></a></span></font></i><em><i><font
size=2 color=blue face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
color:blue'> </span></font></i></em><em><i><font size=2 color=gray
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:gray'>(secondary)</span></font></i></em><i><font
size=2 color=blue><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:blue;font-style:italic'><o:p></o:p></span></font></i></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><em><i><u><font size=2 color=blue face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;color:blue'>http://</span></font></u></i></em><i><font
size=2 color=blue><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:blue;font-style:italic'><a
href="http://www.fotr.org"><em><i><font face="Times New Roman">www.fotr.org</font></i></em></a><o:p></o:p></span></font></i></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><em><i><u><font size=2 color=blue face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;color:blue'>http://</span></font></u></i></em><i><font
size=2 color=blue><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:blue;font-style:italic'><a
href="http://www.caltrout.org"><em><i><font face="Times New Roman">www.caltrout.org</font></i></em></a></span></font></i><i><font
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