What's wrong with this picture?  How the KBRA falls short, as described by the foremost water law experts at WaterWatch of Oregon.

In January 2008, after three years of negotiations, stakeholder groups, including federal agencies, tribes, fisheries, and more, released draft 11 of the Proposed Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement, a product of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission re-licensing process for the Klamath River dams.

Over two years later, draft 11 was revised again and again until February 2010, wherein a number of settlement parties signed a final agreement.  Many parties withdrew from talks in protest of the flawed agreements.  In addition, the Klamath Conservation Partners, an Oregon-California coalition, called on Congress to fix the deals.  As of July 2010, the settlement remains in legislative limbo--no final bill or sponsors have taken center stage, while the budget grows and the national agenda and economy leaves little room for sympathy.  

Commonly referred to as “the settlement,” this document is the product of difficult and complex discussion among some of the basin’s stakeholders over the needs of the Klamath Basin. This discussion was yet another attempt at a democratic resolution to the basin’s ongoing resource crisis. Unfortunately, despite the years of round-table on the issues in the Klamath, the settlement hardly represents a unanimous perspective. Although this $1 billion agreement contains a number of very positive measures for salmon and other natural resource values, it also contains a large number of very troubling provisions.

Bush administration's Klamath settlement plan prioritizes agribusiness over salmon and wildlife.  Read an analysis of the plan here, or Oregon Wild's views on what a truly balanced settlement should include.

More information?

Some of the most important features of the Klamath Basin that could be affected by the Klamath Settlement Agreement are the National Wildlife Refuges.  Check out why the Settlement Agreement is particularly bad for these treasured and scenic areas in our Refuge Fact Sheet.

Read the articulate Op-Ed from the Times-Standard (3/20/08) by Northcoast Environmental Center's former Executive Director, Greg King.  King speaks to a number of reasons why the Klamath Settlement Agreement isn't exactly an agreement.

See a flow chart of the "off-ramps" in the dam removal draft deal.

Northern California fish and wildlife advocates reject settlement deal. (Press release). Scientists say proposed settlement is bad for fish.

Hoopa Valley Tribe press release on Klamath settlement plan.  Click here to read their analysis if flaws in the deal.