KLAMATH TRIBES OF
OREGON PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE- December 2, 2011
Chiloquin, OR- Today was a
milestone in the lengthy Klamath Basin Water Rights Adjudication. The judge hearing the part of the
Adjudication that deals with the claims of the Klamath Tribes issues six
Proposed Orders quantifying the Tribes’ water rights. In each case he ruled largely in favor of the
Tribes’ claims.
“The Proposed Orders give
everyone in the Basin plenty to think about,” said Jeff Mitchell who leads the
Klamath Tribes’ Negotiating Team. “These
rulings highlight the role that the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement can
play in resolving Basin water issues.
The Tribes will be evaluating the rulings and discussing them with
others in the Basin to determine the best path from here on.”
Some interests in the Basin
advised people that the Tribes’ water rights are minimal, but those interests
have been proven wrong. People who
followed that advice have obviously been misled in a situation where they are
risking a lot.
The rulings encompass the
Williamson, Sycan, Sprague, and Wood Rivers along with many of their
tributaries, as well as the Klamath Marsh and springs scattered throughout the
former Klamath Reservation. Cases
involving Upper Klamath Lake and the Klamath River are expected to have
decisions handed down in April.
“These rulings emphasize the need
for Basin water interests to work together to find ways to share the water,
share the pain of drought, and share the bounty of our waterways,” said Tribal
Vice-Chairman Don Gentry. “The Tribes
are committed to restoring fisheries and water bodies in the Basin, and we
believe that agricultural and other water dependent communities can be restored
at the same time. That is what the KBRA
can do,” he said.
The ruling is welcomed by the
Tribes who have fought for their treaty rights for many decades, and are
prepared to fight many more. The Tribes’
commitment to the Adjudication reflects their commitment to restoring the
health of Basin fisheries and water bodies.
“Our commitment to these bounties provided by the Creator will never
end,” said Mitchell.
(No Ratings Yet)
Loading …
Posted in 
