Discussion continues about Klamath dam issue

Not all groups involved in settlement talks involving four hydroelectric dams on the Klamath River as well as other issues involving agriculture, commercial fisheries and American Indian tribes agree on how well discussions are proceeding.

Not all groups involved in settlement talks involving four
hydroelectric dams on the Klamath River as well as other issues
involving agriculture, commercial fisheries and American Indian tribes
agree on how well discussions are proceeding.

A spokesman for Pacific Power indicated earlier this week that there is
still work and discussion needed before any kind of settlement can be
reached.

In late April, Greg Addington, executive director of the Klamath Water
Users Association, and Craig Tucker, a representative of the Karuk
Tribe, indicated talks were making progress and the groups involved
were showing increased cooperation and reconciliation.

Tucker said he expected a summary of a settlement framework in coming
weeks, and Addington said he wanted to begin planning a series of
public meetings for community members to brief them on pertinent
details.

Toby Freeman, regional community director for Pacific Power, painted a
different picture earlier this week. He was less enthusiastic about
progress in the settlement talks, indicating that a settlement was far
from being achieved.

“We’re not on the verge of a water settlement,” he said. “There is
still a lot of work to do.”
  

Work ahead
  

Others involved agreed there is still work ahead, but were more
optimistic about how discussions were proceeding and when details of
the settlement may be released publicly.
  

“We’re moving down the path, and we’ve got to let our people know about
it, whether a settlement comes tomorrow or 10 years from now,”
Addington said.
  

T wenty- eight groups, ranging from state and federal agencies,
irrigators and fishermen to American Indian tribes and environmental
organizations, have been involved in the settlement talks for the past
two years.
  

While relicensing of the four dams was the primary reason for the
talks, issues such as irrigation, declining salmon runs and improved
relations between organizations also have cropped up.
  

Progress reported
  

Addington said progress on issues and on improving relations between
organizations is remarkable, indicating that representatives of Pacific
Power are not privy to every detail of the settlement’s progress.
  

Pablo Arroyave, director of the Klamath Falls office for the U.S.
Bureau of Reclamation, shared Addington’s comments, saying there has
been incredible progress despite the work still left to be done.
  

“It’s an indication of the difficulty of the settlement process,” he
said, regarding the difference of opinion.