Klamath Falls, Ore. – Some of the battles over water in the Klamath Basin are being fought among the irrigators themselves.
The Klamath Irrigation District (K.I.D.) board of directors voted last week to withdraw from the Klamath Water Users Association.
“We’re going to hire a lobbying firm to represent us in Salem.” Said Brent Cheyne, a K.I.D. board member favoring the withdraw. “We can probably do that for about 40 to 50 cents an acre. We can do the same thing in Washington, D.C.”
The move to withdraw was prompted by frustrations over a variety of issues, including the K.B.R.A, and dam removal.
“They don’t like the Tribes.” Noted K.I.D. board member Dave Cacka. “There are individuals that are property rights advocates when it concerns their own property – but when it concerns Pacificorp’s property, they’re not property right advocates.”
Opponents of the split from the Water Users Association claim the independent group doesn’t have a specific plan.
“You don’t go out in the pasture and hook up the horses we used to plow with.” Stated irrigator Ed Bair. “If there’s a problem with some of the issues, the way Water Users are run, it only makes common sense that we address them.”
The board finally voted to re-instate relations with the Klamath Water Users Association, at least until an alternate plan can be identified.
The Klamath Irrigation District is the largest district of it’s kind in Oregon.
The K.I.D. hass been with the Klamath Water Users Association since the Association was formed in 1953.
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