MEMBERS OF THE COALITION CURRENTLY INCLUDE:

American Rivers
Defenders of Wildlife
Earthjustice
Friends of the River
Institute for Fisheries Resources
Klamath Basin Audubon Society
Klamath Forest Alliance
National Center for Conservation Science and Policy
Northcoast Environmental Center
Oregon Wild
Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations
Sierra Club
Klamath Riverkeeper
The Wilderness Society
Trout Unlimited
Waterwatch of Oregon

 


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THE KLAMATH BASIN COALITION
The Klamath Basin Coalition is an alliance of local, regional and national organizations dedicated to conserving and restoring the biological resources of the West's once-great Klamath Basin.

The Klamath Basin in northern California and southern Oregon is still one of the nation's geat ecological treasures. Considered a "Western Everglades," this area attracts nearly 80% of the Pacific Flyway's waterfowl and supports the largest over-wintering population of bald eagles in the lower 48 states. Once the third most productive salmon river system in the U.S., salmon still migrate in the nearly 250-mile river, although in greatly diminished numbers. Many species exist in the Klamath Basin and nowhere else on Earth. Unfortunately, many of those species are now faced with extinction because the scarce water resources of the arid Basin are grossly over-appropriated.

Our vision is to restore a healthy, naturally diverse, and productive Klamath Basin ecosystem by re-establishing, to as great a degree as feasible, 'normative' hydrological conditions and ecological functions throughout the entire basin. This can be accomplished through a comprehensive ecosystem restoration program that accommodates the needs of both wildlife and people. Ecological restoration can help ensure a healthy economy and a high quality of life throughout the basin. The Klamath Basin should support vibrant Native American, sport and commercial fisheries, and wildlife/wildlands-oriented recreational activities.

The Klamath Basin can also support a healthy agricultural economy that is ecologically sustainable. Wasteful water use and water over-appropriation hurts farmers more than anyone, creating massive uncertainty and economic instability in farming communities already hard pressed to compete in global markets. Farmers only benefit from conservation and restoration measures that make better use of the Klamath Basin's limited rainfall and bring the demands on that supply back into balance with the water actually available. Past water policies that pitted farmer against farmer, farmer against fishermen, and upper basin against lower basin are no longer acceptable.

For more detail on what we see as the restoration needs of the Klamath Basin, go to:

"A Conservation Vision for the Klamath Basin"

Check out our other Fact Sheets and Media pages. Also see:


13 May American Fisheries Society (AFS) Letter
to Gale Norton on Flaws in Klamath Water Plan

PRESS RELEASE 2/5/04: Klamath Basin Named Among Top 10 "Most Endangered Areas" in California

Click here for just the Klamath portion of that report


PRESS RELEASE 7/17/03: Federal Court Throws Out Klamath Water Plan, Sends it Back to Redo

Klamath Flows Case Litigation Backgrounder

What California Says on the Klamath Irrigation
Project and Fish

Klamath Flows Case Decision Court Order

The Klamath Basin Coalition
PO Box 1375
Eugene, OR 97440
Ph: (541)689-2000
Email: klamathcoalition@aol.com

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© 2007 The Klamath Basin Coalition | Email: klamathcoalition@aol.com
PO Box 1375, Eugene, OR 97440 Phone:(541)689-2000