KLAMATH COUNTY, Ore. —No water is flowing down the A Canal in the Klamath Basin after the federal Bureau of Reclamation requested it be shut down.
Last week, the Bureau said irrigation water will be shut off to farmers in the Klamath Basin, for the rest of the season. That decision was because of drought conditions.
The Bureau of Reclamation said in a letter, that all current project supply is exhausted. The Klamath Irrigation District Executive Director says if he didn’t comply, his district along with several other irrigation districts he serves would lose millions in federal funding. At the same time, he says the KID is legally obligated to supply water to its patrons unless it’s unable to do so.
“I have no legal or contractual defense on the actions my board has directed me to take to close the A Canal, my patrons are being deprived of my property and the legal authority for me to do so is not clear,” said Gene Souza, KID Executive Director.
He says water won’t run down the A Canal for the foreseeable future.
He’s reached out to the federal government for further guidance on the next steps.
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