The farmers lost most of their crops, and some went bankrupt. The land – including several...

The farmers lost most of their crops, and some went bankrupt. The land – including

several wildlife refuges in the area – became a dustbowl.”

“The situation gained nationwide attention in April 2001 when a federal judge ordered

a complete ban on all water normally destined for some 1,400 farmers of the

Klamath River Basin, a large area straddling the Oregon-California state line.

June 14, 2000 June 17, 2001

The Lower Klamath River 2002 Fish Kill

Scientific Investigations

The Reported Cause:

FACT or FICTIONJoseph C. Greene

Research Biologist

Greene Environmental Services

Presented May 23, 2006

Yreka, California

Dead Fish in the Klamath River on September 25, 2002

First reports of fish deaths

were on September 19

Foul play revealed in Klamath fish kill

The Daily Triplicate, Henion, J., 2003, Foul play revealed in Klamath fish kill , http://www.triplicate.com/news/story.cfm?story_no=1035

The decision that led to the death of 33,000 salmon in the Klamath River last year was made to help an Oregon Republican Senator get re-elected, according to the Wall Street Journal.

"The largest fish-kill in America's history could have, and should have, been avoided if it were not for the political pressure put on scientists by administration officials looking for political gain," said U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson (D-St. Helena) yesterday after reading the story.

Outlining several meetings between Rove, Department of Interior head Gale Norton, Sen. Gordon Smith and top Bush Cabinet members, the story said Rove drove a plan to make the farmers happy to help Smith get re-elected.

"While we confirmed a passing reference to the Klamath River Basin Project during an otherwise-unrelated presentation to senior Interior officials," Devaney wrote,.

The Truth Regarding Political Pressure!

A week after the Journal article appeared, presidential hopeful Senator John Kerry requested that Interior Department Inspector General Earl Devaney investigate Rove's alleged role in the Klamath decision, which Devaney agreed to do.

In a March 1, 2004 letter to Kerry, advising him of the results of the investigation, Devaney said his investigators interviewed all the officials and reviewed all the documents involved in the decision.

Devaney ultimately found that the administration process followed in this matter "did not deviate from the norm."

"we found nothing to tie Karl Rove's comments or presentation to the Klamath decision-making process”.

Devaney concluded that the department conducted itself in keeping with the administrative process, that the science and information utilized supported

the department's decisions, and that no political pressure was perceived by any of the key

participants."

There was virtually no coverage of these findings in the mainstream media, although it was widely covered when Kerry asked for the

initial investigation.

The Truth Regarding Political Pressure!

Foul play revealed in Klamath fish kill

Water flows to the lower Klamath were not increased this year after the gates were opened for farmers in 2002, despite pleadings by the Yurok Tribe and its chairperson Sue Masten, that the tribe was given senior water the tribe was given senior water rights by the Federal Government in a treatyrights by the Federal Government in a treaty.

Further evidence of the back-room finagling was outlined in the story, which said a biologist for National Marine Fisheries Service, Michael Michael Kelly, recently asked for protection under federal whistle-blower lawsKelly, recently asked for protection under federal whistle-blower laws.

Kelly said "he was subjected to political pressure to go along with the low-water plan and ordered to ignore scientific evidence castingignore scientific evidence casting doubtdoubt on the plan," according to the story.

"Today's Wall Street Journal sheds further light on what we have known all along — that sound science was ignored in allowing dangerously low water levels in the Lower Klamath Basin," Thompson said yesterday.

The Daily Triplicate, Henion, J., 2003, Foul play revealed in Klamath fish kill , http://www.triplicate.com/news/story.cfm?story_no=1035

Kelly's allegation that a there was a substantial likelihood that the government's decision to adopt its Klamath River flow regime represented a violation of law.

His claim that the fish die-off that occurred in 2002 provides the proof that NMFS engaged in "gross mismanagement".

Kelly's charge that NMFS engaged in a "gross waste of funds".

The Truth Regarding Statements by a National Marine Fisheries Service biologist!

The U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC) in 2003 determined that allegations made by Michael Kelly did not warrant further

investigation and that the file for this case would be closed.

In a March 5, 2003 letter to Kelly, the Office of Special Counsel

declined to take further action on Kelly's claims, including:

Despite this decision, environmental activists (and the MEDIA!) continue to rely upon Kelly's allegations to support their argument

that Bush Administration policy makers "stifled" sound science during the development of the Klamath Project operations plan.

The Truth Regarding Statements by a National Marine Fisheries Service biologist!

"After careful review of your comments and the materials previously submitted, and consideration of the issues discussed in our recent telephone conversations, we have determined that our original decision to close the case was warranted," the Office of

Special Counsel stated in its letter to Kelly.

Also often overlooked in media coverage of this matter is the Administration's decision to direct the National Academy of Science - perhaps the premier science body in the land - to provide guidance

in federal Klamath decision-making.

Yurok Tribal Chairwoman Susan Masten addressing reporters October 2, 2002 in Washington, DC about the

devastating impact of the fish kill on her people.

Dead Fish Tied to Policy Flaws?

Congressman Mike Thompson delivers dead Klamath River fish to Secretary of Interior Gale Norton, Washington, DC

October 2, 2002. The lower river economy in his district was devastated by the fish kill.

Dead Fish Tied to Policy Flaws?

Final CA Department Fish and Game analysis

concludes:

Low water flows were at the heart of 2002

tragedy; and

Kill size is possibly double the original

estimate

PRESS RELEASE, July 30, 2004

Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations, Institute for Fisheries Resources, Oregon Natural Resources Council, WaterWatch of Oregon

Commercial fishermen and conservationists today applauded the release of the California Department of Fish and Game's final report on the causes of the

tragic 2002 fish kill on the Klamath River.

PRESS RELEASE, July 30, 2004, Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations, Institute for Fisheries Resources, Oregon Natural Resources Council, WaterWatch of Oregon

The exhaustive, peer-reviewed report's primary conclusion-that low water flows resulting from upstream irrigation diversions were at the heart of the kill-is consistent with previous analyses conducted by the

U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Yurok Tribe.


The California Department of Fish and Game, has blamed the federal government for the deaths of 33,000 salmon and steelhead trout in the Klamath River in September because it diverted "too much water for farmers" last year without leaving "enough flow for the fish."

A 63-page study released Friday concluded that "too many migrating fish crowded into a depleted river, allowing the spread of two naturally occurring parasites that destroy the gills of fish. The salmon and steelhead subsequently died of asphyxiation."

The study also warned that unless the U.S. Bureau of

Reclamation increases flows in coming years, "there is a

substantial risk for future fish kills on the Klamath River,“.

The bureau is the federal agency responsible for

overseeing agricultural water diversions from the Klamath.


Among the report'skey findings are:

"USGS has revised the average September 2002 flows down to 1,870 cfs (cubic feet per second), which if accurate, represents the second lowest flow ever recorded."

"Increased flows...(on the Klamath River) should be implemented to improve water temperatures, increase water volume, increase water velocities, improve fish passage, provide migration cues and decrease fish densities."

"Flow is the only controllable factor and tool available in the Klamath Basin to manage risks against future epizootics and major adult fish-kills."

"Let me put it this way – if it is [the cause], you certainly can't use Fish and Game's report to make that conclusion," said Vogel, adding that the most "striking feature" of the report is that "the Department of Fish and Game is building a strong case for its lack of scientific objectivity."

WorldNetDaily, 2003, Bush plan to save Klamath farmers a mistake? Scientist disputes state agency’s conclusion that feds caused massive fish kill.

“Vogel told WorldNetDaily he was "shocked" and "astounded" at the department's conclusion

that the fish kill was due to insufficient water.

"They're trying to build a case – and I believe it's a very weak case – by trying to attack low-flow

releases from Irongate Dam without looking at all the factors in a holistic fashion that is always

necessary in scientific analysis," he remarked.

"There's a lot of speculation and a lot of innuendo in their report, and a lot of technical information that Fish and Game did not include," said Vogel.


"Notably lacking from the report is an analysis of the water temperatures that were present in the Upper Klamath River downstream of Irongate

Dam during the time of the fish kill," he explained, adding that the information was available.

"I did have water temperature thermographs in the Upper Klamath River downstream of Irongate

Dam and I did examine the data – which clearly demonstrate that the water temperatures from Irongate Dam in the main stem of the Upper

Klamath were within lethal range for salmon."


"Lethal range," he emphasized. "They were too high.


In other words, there was no place for the fish to go."

but the problem with that is that even if the flow had been increased the water temperatures were

unsuitably warm for salmon in the upper river.

So Fish and Game attempts to build an argument for increased flow below

Irongate Dam during early September …

"The (farm) acreage hasn’t increased in 50 years, Keppen said.

And from another source we have this:

The new water demands have been created by regulatory agencies seeking additional

water for fish habitat.”

downstream flows have increased 30 percent over discharges before settlement.

A consulting hydrologist, Mark Van Camp of Sacramento, told the water users an analysis of the draft BuRec historic water flow study shows that

That’s apparently because the irrigated land uses less water than evaporation loss from the thousands of acres of wetlands that existed before the shallow lakebeds

were diked, drained and put to the plow."

In 2001, both the US FWS and the NMFS issued "biological opinions" under the Endangered Species Act that required

higher water levels to protect endangered suckers and higher flows to protect threatened coho salmon.

In an interim report released last year, the Research Council committee found no substantial scientific support for the higher water-level or flow requirements … The committee also noted,

however, that lower minimum water levels in Klamath Lake, proposed by the Bureau of Reclamation lacked, scientific backing as well

Findings of the committee suggest that maintaining water levels higher than that of the recent past is not likely to be effective in restoring sucker populations. Similarly, the committee found that the effect of higher minimum flows in the Klamath River on coho salmon is unlikely to lead to their recovery, although higher flows

may benefit other species that are not endangered or threatened.

National Academies' National Research Council , 2003, News Release, Broader Approach Needed for Protection And Recovery of Fish in Klamath River Basin

Broader Approach Needed for Protection And Recovery of Fish in Klamath River Basin

National Academies' National Research Council

October. 22, 2003

Instead of focusing primarily on how water levels and flows affect endangered and threatened fish in Oregon's Upper Klamath Lake and the Klamath River … federal agencies

charged with protecting the fish should pay greater attention to other causes of harm … such as removal of migration

obstacles, improvement of habitat, and reduction of summer water temperatures in tributaries.

"The continued emphasis on water levels in Upper Klamath Lake and the Klamath's main stem is too narrow a basis for

the recovery of the suckers or salmon" … "The agencies should develop expanded recovery plans that confront the

root causes of the fishes' decline."


The biggest detriment to coho

salmon is probably

excessively high summer

temperatures in tributary waters, the committee

concluded.

National Academies' National Research Council , 2003, News Release, Broader Approach Needed for Protection And

Recovery of Fish in Klamath River Basin

To remedy this problem, cool water should be procured -- by purchasing, leasing, or trading

for groundwater -- to re-establish lower summer temperatures in streams, and woody

vegetation should be restored along the tributaries to provide shade.

Agriculture, forestry, and road construction should be managed to prevent further degradation of

tributary habitat in the lower basin, and …..


Competition with fish grown in hatcheries and released into the river could be a severe

handicap to the recovery of coho salmon, the committee noted, adding that hatcheries may

need to close or alter their operations if adaptive management of hatcheries verifies that

current operations are harmful to coho.

officials should consider removing the Dwinnell and Iron Gate dams, which block access of coho

salmon to good habitat.


The National Academies' National Research Council committee estimated

that the research, monitoring, and remediation outlined in its report would

cost about $25 million to $35 million over the next five years ….

excluding costs for major projects such as dam removal.

$ $ $$ $ $


The process of re-licensing Iron Gate Dam has itself led to a more intense focus by agencies, tribes and environmental organizations of the effects of the dam and on dam decommissioning. This concern with the presence of

Iron Gate and other dams in the upper Klamath Basin has led many organizations to request information on the removal of dams. As listed

below:

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife

California Department of Fish and Game

Oregon Department of Environmental Quality

California State Water Resources Control Board

USDA Klamath and Six Rivers National Forests

Klamath River Inter-Tribal Fish and Water Commission

National Marine Fisheries Service

California Energy Commission

National Academy of Science

Klamath Tribes

Yurok Tribe

Karuk Tribe

Fish, which were once plentiful beyond any sense of potential depletion, are now either threatened or nearing extinction, and will certainly be so in the

near future unless a real examination of the situation and decisive acts replace the political and economic argumentation of the past few decades.

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 COALITION

American Rivers

Defenders of Wildlife

Earthjustice

Friends of the River

Headwaters

Institute for Fisheries Resources

Klamath Basin Audubon Society

Klamath Forest Alliance

Northcoast Environmental Center

Oregon Natural Resources Council

Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations

Sierra Club-Oregon Chapter

Trout Unlimited

The Wilderness Society

Waterwatch of Oregon

World Wildlife Fund

About 30,000 migrating adult salmon were killed in the

Klamath River in 2002 by two common pathogens that become

lethal to fish under stress.

Studies by the California Department of Fish and Game and the U.S. Geological Survey

showed that neither the river flows nor temperatures that occurred during the fish kill

were unprecedented, and the committee agreed that neither flow nor temperature conditions alone can explain the fish kill.

Most of the salmon killed were chinook, which are not listed as endangered or

threatened. Only about 1 percent (344) were coho, which migrate later than chinook.

Factors Contributing to the Decline of Anadromous Species

The decline of anadromous species, within the Klamath River Basin, can be attributed

to a variety of factors which include both flow and non-flow factors.

Logging

Mining

Road building

Over harvest

Stream habitat alterations

Livestock grazing

Irrigated agriculture

Climatic change

Droughts

Ocean Temperatures

Fires

Changes in water quality and temperature

Introduced species

Reduced genetic integrity from hatchery production

Predation

Disease

Poaching

Department of the Interior, 1999, Evaluation of Interim Instream Flow Needs in the Klamath River.

The high density of fish, low discharges, warm water temperatures, and possible extended residence time of salmon

created optimal conditions for parasite proliferation and precipitated an epizootic of Ich and columnaris.

What Caused the 2002 Klamath River Fish Kill?

USFWS, 2003, Klamath River Fish Die-off September 2002: Causative Factors of Mortality, Report Number AFWO-F-02-03

The proximate cause of death was heavy infections of two fish pathogens, Ich and columnaris. However, given that these

ubiquitous pathogens are normally found in the Klamath River, additional factors must have played a role for

them to have become lethal.

Based on a review of available literature and historical records, this was the largest known pre-spawning adult salmonid die-off recorded for the Klamath River and

possibly the Pacific coast.

Klamath Water Users Association Press Release: Fact Sheet

April 21, 2003

Study Shows That Klamath River Temperatures – Not Klamath Project Operations – Are Likely Reason for 2002 Fish Die-Off

It appears that large numbers of salmon entered the lower Klamath River earlier than usual, were exposed to two dramatic and uncharacteristic

cooling and warming conditions that were chronically and cumulatively stressful to fish.

These data indicate that September 2002 was unique, but not for the reasons portrayed by the California Department of Fish and Game.

Until additional data is acquired on the topic, Vogel’s opinion is that the combination of those factors is probably the most plausible reason for the fish die-off.

At the same time, riverine conditions in the upper Klamath River were unsuitably warm for salmon because the normal seasonal cooling trend had not yet occurred.

Klamath Water Users Association

Press Release: Fact Sheet

April 21, 2003

"In my opinion, the best available scientific data and information indicate that the continued operation and maintenance of historical flows at Iron Gate Dam will not jeopardize coho salmon.

Furthermore, in my opinion the operations of Iron Gate Dam during the summer and fall of 2002 did not cause and could not have prevented the fish die-off in the lower Klamath River.“ Dave Vogel, Fisheries Biologist

Gill Rot Symptoms

Initially there are no symptoms because the disease is out of sight

behind the gill covers but once some damage has been done to the gills the fish will begin to gasp at the surface in an effort to maintain

their oxygen supply to their body. the fish will also become

increasingly lethargic due to the lack of oxygen.

The cause of gill rot does not explain the blisters and boils

covering the fishes bodies.

“Last year, all the fish were sick I could tell because they were bleeding, every time they hit the net they would be bleeding before you clubbed them. And after the river came up, about ten days later the fish got better. So I think that if they wouldn’t have released the water I think a lot more than 30,000 fish would have wound up dying.

Statement by Harold Tripp Traditional Fisherman, Cultural

Technician Karuk Department of Natural

Resources

John F. Salter, Ph.D., 2003, WHITE PAPER ON BEHALF OF THE KARUK TRIBE OF CALIFORNIA, A Context Statement Concerning The Effect of the Klamath Hydroelectric Project on Traditional Resource Uses and Cultural Patterns of the Karuk People

Within the Klamath River Corridor, Written Under Contract with PacifiCorp in Connection with Federal Energy Relicensing Commission Proceedings Concerning the Relicensing of Iron Gate Dam, Performed Under: Contract No. 3000020357

They had some kind of big boils on They had some kind of big boils on them,them,

and some of them, had blisters”.and some of them, had blisters”.

“Soon after the fish kill manifested itself (7-days), claims were made that toxic substances may have been the cause. Water samples were collected from 5 locations to determine if any

toxic substances were present at concentrations toxic to fish.”

Organochlorine pesticides (i.e., Hexachlorobenzene, DDE, Pentachlorophenol, Trichlorophenol, Oxychordane, Mirex, Heptachlor Epoxide);

Triazine pesticides (atrazine, simazine, propazine, and the degradants diamino-chlorotriazine (DACT), desethyl-s-atrazine (DEA), and desisopropyl-s-atrazine (DIA);

Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) :used in hundreds of industrial and commercial applications including electrical, heat transfer, and hydraulic equipment; as plasticizers in paints, plastics and rubber products; in pigments, dyes and carbonless copy paper and many other applications; and,

Glyphosate (a non-selective herbicide to kill weeds ).”

No substances were found at concentrations toxic to fish and therefore, were not a factor in the 2002 fish kill.

“The scans tested for a broad spectrum of organic compounds including:

California Department of Fish and Game, 2003, September 2002 Klamath River Fish Kill, Preliminary Analysis of Contributing Factors, p.45

Dead fish up Blue Creek a tributary to the Klamath River

A single moribund coho salmon carcass, measuring 77 cm Fork Length, was collected by the U. S. FWS on October 3, 2002 (reports of dying fish began September 19), at the

mouth of Blue Creek for tissue analysis of contaminants. The carcass was immediately placed on ice, then frozen and submitted to the CDFG Fish and Wildlife Water Pollution Control Laboratory for pesticide and organic contaminant analysis.

One Fish Was Collected One Fish Was Collected for Gill Tissue Sample for Gill Tissue Sample

Analysis for Analysis for ContaminantsContaminants

Fish Tissue Sample Collectedfor Analysis of Contaminants

These analyses, although based on a fish collected later during the fish die-off (15-days), support the

finding of no persistent toxic pesticide, herbicide, or PCB congener in the water at the time of the die-off.

The gill, because it is an active site of contaminant uptake, was excised by the

CDFG for tissue analysis.

USFWS, 2003, Klamath River Fish Die-off September 2002: Causative Factors of Mortality, Report Number AFWO-F-02-03

Their analyses of 1 fish tissueTheir analyses of 1 fish tissuedid not detect any contaminants.did not detect any contaminants.

Organochlorine

Organophosphate

Pyrethroid

Carbamate pesticides

Triazine herbicides

Glyphosate

Surfactants

PCB congeners

The U. S. FWS Analyzed a The U. S. FWS Analyzed a Gill Tissue forGill Tissue for::

A Methamphetimine WasteA Methamphetimine Waste Dump Might DistributeDump Might Distribute::

Toluene

Ether

Drain cleaner (sulphuric acid)

Car batteries (lithium)

Red Devil lye (sodium hydroxide)

Hydrochloric acid

White gas

Laundry soap

Diesel fuel

Why do you suppose that chemical analysis of the gill tissue did not detect any contaminants?

The California Department of Fish and Game (CADFG) and the U. S, Fish and Wildlife Service (U. S. FWS) each separately concluded that toxic substances could not have caused the fish kill.

In reality there's no way in the world that

either agency could reach that conclusion when the water samples were taken by CADFG a full week after the fish kill was underway and the U. S. FWS collected their 1 fish 15-days after

the fish kill was underway.

Most significantly neither agency analyzed for the chemicals that might be

found in a meth lab dump. An analysis of the wrong classes of chemicals is the

equivalent of no analysis at all and the analytical test results do not allow for a

conclusion that “toxic substances could not have

caused the fish kill”.

09/20/02 Dead Count %Reach 1 732 26.4Reach 2 1, 202 43.5Reach 3 759 27.4Reach 4 76 2.7 Total 2,76909/24/02 Dead Count %Reach 1 18,345 55.0Reach 2 8,590 25.8Reach 3 5,411 16.2Reach 4 1,014 3.0 Total 33,36009/27/02 Dead Count % Reach 1 22,474 60.7Reach 2 10,436 28.2Reach 3 3,151 8.5Reach 4 970 2.6 Total 37,031

Table 2. Summary of fish counts and estimated numbers of dead fish determined from surveys to

assess the September 2002 Klamath River fish die-off.

USFWS, 2003, Klamath River Fish Die-off September 2002, Report on Estimate of Mortality, Report Number AFWO-01-03

X

Klamath Basin Water Crisis, 2005, 2002 fish die-off FACTS & ARTICLES, http://www.klamathbasincrisis.org/articles/00FishKill2002.htm

Summary of Some Fish die-off Facts Water levels in the Klamath in 2002 were higher than water levels during three of the last 10 years. There were no significant die offs of salmon in those years when water levels were lower than they were earlier last fall, suggesting that other factors than flows may be responsible for the disease that killed the fish;

The number of returning salmon at Iron Gate Hatchery on the Klamath River in 2002 was the THIRD HIGHEST since records have been taken (1961). 100,000 healthy fish returned to upstream hatcheries and spawning areas;

The Klamath Project only represents 2% of the entire

Klamath River watershed;

Project releases from Iron Gate Dam represent just one of

over 100 downstream "tributaries" to the Klamath River

mainstem;

The fish kill occurred 200 miles from the Klamath Basin;

There is simply no scientific or other evidence to suggest that

increased warm-water flows in the Klamath at the time of the

fish kill would have provided any benefit to the salmon fisheries;

Most of the fish killed were Trinity-River chinook salmon.

Summary of Some Fish die-off Facts

Klamath Basin Water Crisis, 2005, 2002 fish die-off FACTS & ARTICLES, http://www.klamathbasincrisis.org/articles/00FishKill2002.htm

"They have no morals, no "They have no morals, no integrity, and they don’t integrity, and they don’t

care about us."care about us."

American farmers, ranchers, miners and property rights advocates are forever continuing to fight for their very

existence. The impact on their families, their way of life and the lifestyle they wish to share, and ultimately leave to future

generations, has more than one common enemy.

Pioneer Press, Barry R. Clausen, B. R., 2004, My Opinion: "Foreigners" in "Armed Boats" Kill Klamath Fish, Outside Magazine - August 2003

Most believe it is environmentalism,

but without liberal left wing media, where would these radical earth worshippers be?

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