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 |
