Siskiyou Under Siege: Buffalo Broadcasting News Service

 Broadcast on KSYC 103.9 FM

Jan. 22, 2013

On Monday, Jan. 21, 2013, The Nature Conservancy held a Field Day in order to explain their reason and proposed methods under which the Conservancy could alter adjudication for the Water Rights they hold.

The reason the Conservancy wants to do this is to allegedly “save” the Chinook salmon. Remember the Chinook salmon are not Endangered, in addition, to this Siskiyou County is experiencing record runs of Chinook salmon with over 29,000 returning to the Shasta river this year.

The Nature Conservancy purchased property in the Shasta Valley, consisting of the former Nelson Ranch, as well as the Shasta-Big Springs Ranch.

Local landowners and Water Right owners are naturally skeptical of the Conservancy’s motives. The Nature Conservancy wishes to obtain a 1707 Permit from the California Department of Water Resources in order to have fish and wildlife declared a “beneficial use” under the adjudication, which affect the Water Right owners of the Shasta Valley.

In the opinion of many ranchers, this is a dangerous precedent in light of recent attempts by the California Department of Fish and Game to gain control of surface Water Rights in Siskiyou County.

There are several problems in the process, which came to light during the Field Trip.

How will The Nature Conservancy shepherd this water past other Water Right owners, who have a right to fulfill their quota with water which is not used by an upstream right holder?

There is no way to maintain physical custody of water moving down a watercourse.

Big Springs water is high in boron, which is harmful to fish.

Is it better to irrigate with the water and grow crops; or let it simply go down river?

If The Nature Conservancy truly is acting altruistically, why do they simply not take the water to begin with instead of setting precedence in the water adjudications of Siskiyou County?

Who will pay for all of their equipment, maintenance, personnel required to see that this water is NOT USED for any human purpose on its way to the Klamath?

Water code and the adjudication state that NO other users can be harmed in the 1707 process.

Is the Siskiyou Co. Water Master District subjecting itself to liability if someone is harmed in this process?

Will all the users see higher fees if legal action ensues?

Water users are already paying to maintain flow gauges, which have nothing to do with water diversion.

Many will wonder – is this simply more of the same? A large percentage of the water users in the county do not trust The Nature Conservancy’s motives or methods.

Last, but not least, in 2016 California Dept. of Fish and Game will be in a position of POWER over The Nature Conservancy property and water. This is a result of the terms of the $10 million dollar Conservation Easement, which The Conservancy signed with CDFG.

CDFG also has the first right of refusal should The Conservancy decide to sell the property. Local agricultural interests may then be trading one with whom they can cooperate – for an agency, which has proven itself time and time again to be without integrity or truth!

# # #