<div dir="ltr"><a href="http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2013/04/gov_kitzhaber_declares_drought.html#incart_river">http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2013/04/gov_kitzhaber_declares_drought.html#incart_river</a><br>
<h1 class="">Gov. Kitzhaber declares drought emergency in Klamath County</h1>



            
              
              




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        Scott Learn, The Oregonian
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        <br>on April 18, 2013 at 11:52 AM, updated <span class="" title="2013-04-18T18:58:30Z">April 18, 2013 at 11:58 AM</span>
        
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          <span class="">Tight water supplies in the Klamath Basin create problems for farmers, wildlife and fish.</span>
          <span class="">Doug Beghtel, The Oregonian</span>
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Gov. <a href="http://gov.oregonlive.com/governor/">John Kitzhaber</a> 
declared a drought emergency for Klamath County Thursday, noting 
snowpack is well below normal and the chances of more snow "are 
diminishing with every passing day." 
<p>The Klamath Basin has long had one of the state's tightest water 
supplies, with farmers, fish and wildlife refuges competing for water. </p>
<p>It drew national attention in 2001, when fish got water during a dry 
summer and fall instead of farmers. In 2002, farmers got more water, but
 salmon died en masse in the Klamath River. </p>
<p>Kitzhaber's <a href="http://www.oregon.gov/gov/docs/executive_orders/eo_13-05.pdf">executive order</a> allows state agencies to aid farmers and ranchers, request federal assistance and boost water conservation. </p>

<p>Precipitation has been only moderately below average in the Klamath River basin, Kitzhaber noted in a statement. </p>
<p>But warm temperatures have brought more rain than snow, and snowpack 
is crucial for summer and fall water supplies in the heavily irrigated 
basin. The basin is currently at 61% of normal snowpack. </p>
<p>Most farmers served by the federal government's <a href="http://www.usbr.gov/mp/kbao/">Klamath Irrigation Project</a> should get water, the statement said. But conditions in the county above Upper Klamath Lake "may become significantly worse."</p>

<p>Kitzhaber's declaration came at the request of Klamath County, which <a href="http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2013/04/klamath_county_declares_drough.html">asked for it Tuesday afternoon</a>. </p>

<p>-- Scott Learn </p><br></div>