The Federal Government is planning to destroy four dams on the Upper Klamath River. One in southern Oregon; the other three in northern California. Allegedly, it is to save the Coho salmon. According to people in the area, dam removal will wipe out clean, affordable, electrical power to 70,000 homes, release tons of sediment from behind the dams and make the river less reliable for irrigation; the river will be a mere stream in the summer, a flood threat in the spring, and toxic.
Already government policies have removed miners and loggers from the area; now the target is ranchers and farmers. One reason California is in such bad shape economically is because of government policies in our rural areas. It's time we stood up and put a stop to any more destruction of our rural communities and their economies.
I urge you to write or e-mail comments challenging the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) and the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). See below for the two lead agencies to contact. Also see below for example points you may wish to make (in your own words).
Be sure to request that the dams NOT be removed.
Next, please forward this message to other people you know will agree with keeping the dams in place. We must let the government know we will not stand for the destruction of rural America and the water rights/property rights of our fellow citizens.
Thank you in advance for you help.
Matt Grocott
Please see below for detailed information.
Deadline to comment is Nov. 21, 2011 (postmarked)
Write to both:
Bureau of Reclamation
2800 Cottage Way
Sacramento, CA 95825
via fax (916) 978-5055
Mr. Gordon Leppig
c/o California Department of Fish and Game
619 Second Street
Eureka, CA 95501
via fax (707) 441-2021
WATER QUALITY
Challenge:
How will taking out dams improve water quality?
Klamath is naturally warm and polluted up stream
* Area of headwaters is volcanic and rich in minerals, including basalt, magnesium and phosphorus
* System of four dams filters out the minerals and allows the water to cool
POLLUTING SEDIMENTS from BREACH
Challenge:
How will the release of toxic sediment into the river ecosystem, caused by the breaching of the dams, be mitigated?
* Years of built up, toxic sediment will be released
* Toxic sediment will pollute water, banks, riparian plant life, fish and underground acquifers
* Toxicity of river and acquifers may last 100 years or more
GREEN and AFFORDABLE ENERGY
Challenge:
How will the green, affordable energy currently provided by the four, hydroelectric dams be replaced?
* Existing four dams provide hydroelectric power
* Hydroelectric power is both green and economical
* Current system provides enough electricity to power 70,000 homes
STAKEHOLDERS
Challenge:
How were "stakeholders" determined?
* 40,000 Siskiyou County residents and their local, elected representatives were not included in the Klamath River Dam removal meetings
* Four tribes exist in the Klamath Basin - the Shasta, Karuk, Yurok, and Hupa; the Shasta have been left out of all agreements and their sacred burial grounds will be destroyed when the dams are breached
PROTECTING NON-NATIVE FISH
Challenge:
A major impetus for dam removal is concern over the Coho salmon, a non-native species to the Klamath River; why?
* Coho salmon are not native to the Klamath and were planted in the river in the late 1800's
* Coho are not natural to the Klamath and yet millions of fish produced at the Iron Gate fish hatchery are not included in the river population because they are not considered natural
* Coho typically spawn within 30 miles of the ocean; first dam on the Klamath is 187 miles upstream
