Scott Valley Protect Our Water

is not holding the

Protest against DFG

on April 1

at Baird’s Ranch

NOAA predicts storms – not a good time to open an irrigation headgate

Who is “Walking on the fighting side of me”?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32-OyyLJzHw&feature=youtu.be

Check out this video from the Central Party Tea Party and North Valley Tea Party Patriots present

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=aYsXN4AnMJQ

Warm temps of 62 degrees after rain and snow gave rise to the flow of the Scott River. Hum, the Klamath RiverKeepers should try navigating the Scott River now!

The town of Callahan is at the base of Mt. Bolivar straight ahead.  — Editor Liz Bowen

Wind died down, sun showed through the clouds. Temps climbed to 62 in Scott Valley and daffodils were happy.

I was headed to the Post Office in Callahan and there was a rainbow. Yes, this is Main Street of Callahan — less than a block long on Highway 3. Most of the residences are up the hill. Callahan is an old mining town. Population 50.

 Photos by Liz Bowen

Geothermal energy plant planned for Klamath wildlife refuge | Sustainable Business Oregon

http://www.sustainablebusinessoregon.com/articles/2012/03/geothermal-energy-plant-planned-for.html

Geothermal energy plant planned for Klamath wildlife refuge

By Christina Williams

Sustainable Business Oregon

March 26, 2012

A geothermal power plant planned in the Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge Complex would be the first in the U.S. to tap a new technology that can efficiently convert lower-temperature geothermal resources into electricity.

The plant, which will be developed by Klamath Falls-based Entiv Organic Energy, will use technology developed through a partnership between French energy giant Technip and geothermal specialists Mannvit of Iceland.

The basic systems is known as the Kalina Cycle. The plant pulls hot water out of the ground and uses it to heat another liquid, a mixture of water and ammonia that carries a lower boiling point, which in turn creates the steam to power a turbine and generate power.

The closed-loop system can make use of water heated to between 180 degrees and 300 degrees Fahrenheit — geothermal resources previously deemed too chilly to generate power.

In the Klamath River basin, where both water and energy prices are hot topics, such technology holds extraordinary promise.

Take, for example, the Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge. The complex has been perpetually short on water in recent years and a jump in power costs in 2004 has made pumping water to replenish wetlands prohibitively expensive.

Drilling in 2002 established a geothermal well with water heated to around 200 F — too hot for the wetland habitat but prime for this new type of low-temperature geothermal power technology.

Ron Cole, refuge manager, learned about the technology from Mike Noonan, president of Entiv.

Noonan, an organic farmer in the basin, formed his company with an eye toward working with Technip to develop a handful of geothermal plants in the region. A participant in the refuge’s “Walking Wetland” program — which has farmers hosting temporary, bird-friendly wetlands on their land — Noonan also knew of the refuge’s need for a power resource.

Cole estimates that in 2001 it cost 33 cents to pump an acre-foot of water onto the refuge. The cost to do the same to day is $9.20.

“We had a need for cheaper power, they wanted to put this technology to work,” Cole said.

The plant will cost more than $10 million to build — the total cost is offset somewhat by the fact that the wells have already been drilled.

“This technology needs to be implemented because it will help out with all kinds of power issues and water issues,” Noonan said. “This one here is a win-win for everybody involved.”

Noonan said Entiv has investors lined up and aims to move forward with the project as quickly as possible. The environmental review process is underway and if all goes smoothly construction could begin before the end of the year.

Noonan is meeting next month with the CEO of Organic Valley — Noonan Farms is a supplier to the brand — and Noonan said the company has expressed support for the project.

“It’s nice to have them on our side,” he said.

Technip, which has its U.S. headquarters in Houston, is guaranteeing the plant will generate at least 3 megawatts of power, though some estimates have the plant generating as much as 6 megawatts.

“This plant will be the first of its kind,” said Michael Mugerwa, program director for renewables at Technip USA. “We are looking at, at least, 10 to 15 percent more power (than similar plants).”

Mugerwa said Technip is betting big on the improved geothermal technology, which is based on a version of the Kalina system that’s been in place in Germany since 2009, but has been improved with further efficiencies through the partnership with Mannvit.

If the refuge site implementation is successful, Noonan said Entiv has four other sites in the region in mind for a similar plant.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
NOTE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, any copyrighted
material herein is distributed without profit or payment to those who have
expressed a prior interest in receiving this information for non-profit
research and educational purposes only. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml

This information and much more that you need to know about the ESA,
the Klamath River Basin, and private property rights can be found at The
Klamath Bucket Brigade’s web site – http://klamathbucketbrigade.org/index.html –
please visit today.

By: Dr. Richard Gierak

It is of interest to note that Irma Lagomarsino, area supervisor with the NMFS agency’s Arcata office, does not appear to know what the listing of Threatened under the Federal Endangered Species Act authorizes on waterways that are under the Commerce Clause of the Constitution. With a listing of Threatened the only action that can be undertaken is NO ACTION. Only a listing of Endangered can initiate actions. Under the Federal ESA the only action that can be taken on rivers or waterways with a species listing of Endangered is to water and substrate only. This is clearly delineated in both the Magnusson Stevens Act and the Sustainable Fisheries Act.

The attempt to remove more dams to save a species that is non-indigenous to the Klamath Basin is capricious, arbitrary and unlawful under the Federal Endangered Species Act. The present listing of Coho Salmon in the Klamath Basin is in violation of the Federal Endangered Species Act as there is no provision to list a non-indigenous species. Documentation from both the Karuk Tribal Council and the Shasta Nation, who have lived in the Klamath Basin for centuries, clearly state that Coho Salmon were not native fish in the Klamath.

The earliest planting of Coho Salmon in the Klamath were done in 1895, 1899, the 60’s and the 80’s. The expert panel that studied the plans for dam removal indicated that the Coho Salmon in the Klamath were planted from Cascadia, Oregon. There are no historical records indicating that Coho Salmon were ever in California waters prior to plantings in 1895. The 2007 Finfish & Shellfish book, published by California Fish & Game, does not even list Coho Salmon as being present in California waters.

Based on the above material this attempt to remove a dam for a fish that is non-indigenous is ludicrous and should be dismissed with prejudice.

http://pioneer.olivesoftware.com/Olive/ODE/HeraldandNews/

Water report

Herald and News

March 29, 2012

   Link River flows

   Flows out of Upper Klamath Lake spiked Tuesday, but the change in outflows is only temporary and should not have a major effect on lake levels, local officials say.

   Maintenance work on a fish ladder at Link River Dam required a temporary increase in outflows, said Kevin Moore, spokesman with the Bureau of Reclamation’s Klamath Basin area office.

   Flows at Link River Dam were about 1,030 cubic-feet-per-second Tuesday and Wednesday, up from about 300 cfs in recent weeks.

   Upper Klamath Lake levels

   The elevation of Upper Klamath Lake Tuesday was 4,142.64 feet. The lake level on that date was 4,143.05 feet in 2011, a full-water year, and 4,140.33 feet in 2010, a drought year.

   Snowpack

   Snowpack in the Klamath Basin Wednesday was 92 percent of historical average for that date.

http://pioneer.olivesoftware.com/Olive/ODE/HeraldandNews/

Herald and News

Letter to the Editor

March 29, 2012

    A March 2012 ruling by the U.S. District Court of Oregon has the potential to profoundly influence our state’s farming, forestry, grazing and related practices on private, state and federal ground.

   The court invalidated the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision to approve Oregon’s accepted water quality standards as set forth under the Clean Water Act. This ruling will force even tougher compliance with often   unachievable TMDL’s to protect fish.

   Oregon will be required to revise its watershed protection plans and implement new pollution control regulations on nonpoint sources, such as agricultural, forested or urban lands.

   Municipalities (like the city of Klamath Falls or Lakeview) will be required to reduce the amount of heat that their industrial wastewater discharge permits now allow. With inherently high Upper Klamath Lake water temperatures, this portends huge problems for any municipal or industrial water user with or without already set point source temperature standards.

   The city and south suburban sewer systems, several of our local schools, lumber products companies, farmers, ranchers or any other business using water may find itself with substantially higher water use fees in the future to meet these unattainable standards.

   The suit was brought by the Northwest Environmental Advocates against the EPA to invalidate Oregon’s Natural Conditions Criteria for temperature to protect fish. We again find ourselves at the mercy of extremist groups and judicial activist judges who are effectively destroying Oregon’s private property, businesses, farms and forestry industries.

   Like the spotted owl fiasco, where after 25 years and hundreds of thousands of acres of pine bark beetle blighted forestland, we discover that the “science” behind these environmental decisions is flawed if not outright false.

   When will our U.S. Congress take the needed action to modify the ESA and the CWA to meet reality?

   Gail Whitsett

   Klamath County

   Editor’s note: Gail Whitsett is a candidate for state representative, District 56.  

Crescent City California News, Sports, & Weather | The Triplicate

http://www.triplicate.com/News/Breaking-News/BREAKING-VOLUNTARY-EVACUATION-FOR-KLAMATH-FLOOD-WARNING-FOR-SMITH-KLAMATH

Written by Triplicate Staff

March 29, 2012

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
NOTE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, any copyrighted
material herein is distributed without profit or payment to those who have
expressed a prior interest in receiving this information for non-profit
research and educational purposes only. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml

This information and much more that you need to know about the ESA,
the Klamath River Basin, and private property rights can be found at The
Klamath Bucket Brigade’s web site – http://klamathbucketbrigade.org/index.html –
please visit today.