[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 92 (Monday, July 17, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7074-S7076]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. SMITH of Oregon (for himself and Mr. Wyden):
  S. 2882. A bill to authorize Bureau of Reclamation to conduct certain 
feasibility studies to augment water supplies for the Klamath Project, 
Oregon and California, and for other purposes; to the Committee on 
Energy and Natural Resources.


         the klamath basin water supply enhancement act of 2000

  Mr. SMITH of Oregon. Mr. President, today I am introducing 
legislation, cosponsored by my colleague Mr. Wyden, to authorize the 
Bureau of Reclamation, an agency of the Department of

[[Page S7076]]

the Interior, to conduct feasibility studies in the Klamath basin.
  The Klamath Project in Oregon and California is one of the earliest 
federal reclamation projects. The Secretary of the Interior authorized 
development of the project on May 15, 1905, under provisions of the 
Reclamation Act of 1902. The project irrigates over 200,000 acres of 
farmland in south-central Oregon and north-central California. The two 
main sources of water supply for the project are Upper Klamath Lake and 
the Klamath River, as well as Clear Lake Reservoir, Gerber Reservoir, 
and Lost River, which are located in a closed basin. The total drainage 
area is approximately 5,700 square miles. The Klamath River is subject 
to an interstate compact between the States of Oregon and California.
  There are also several wildlife refuges in the basin that are an 
important part of the western flyway. There are listed suckers in Upper 
Klamath Lake that require the lake to be maintained at certain levels 
throughout the summer. There are also salmon in the Klamath River for 
which federal agencies are seeking additional flow. It is my 
understanding that there will be significant additional flow 
requirements next year.
  The Upper Basin has not been adjudicated by the State of Oregon, 
which is trying to use an alternative process to formal adjudication. 
The tribes in the basin are also seeking a resolution of their water 
rights claims.
  In recent years, there has been growing concern about meeting the 
competing needs of various water uses in the Basin, including the needs 
of the farmers, the fish, the tribes and the wildlife refuges. There is 
a consensus in the basin about the need to increase overall water 
supplies in order to meet these growing needs and enhance the 
environment.
  The bill I am introducing today is an effort to build on this 
consensus. I have discussed the concepts in this bill with a number of 
the stakeholders in the Upper Basin, and I am committed to a 
legislative process that will consider the views of the various 
interest groups in the basin. I know that there will be other issues 
that stakeholders will want considered, and I will endeavor to do so.
  I believe it is vitally important, however, that we take the first 
step to enable the Department of the Interior to study ways to improve 
both the water quality and the water quantity in the Upper Klamath 
basin. There is significant private irrigation in the Upper Basin as 
well, and I am committed to a process that includes these water users 
as well.
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