Upper Klamath Basin Comprehensive Settlement Agreement
On March 5, the Upper Klamath Basin Comprehensive Settlement Agreement was reached between ranchers, the Klamath Tribes, the United States, and Oregon. This agreement will resolve water rights disputes throughout the basin above Klamath Lake, implementing a key element of the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement (2010). These agreements, plus the Klamath Hydroelectric Project Settlement Agreement with PacifiCorp, propose one of the nation’s largest programs to restore a river ecosystem to assure sustainability of fisheries, agriculture, and communities.
Water and Power Law Group represented American Rivers and California Trout in the negotiation of the Klamath Agreements. We counsel them (as signatory parties) in implementation, including efforts to secure Congressional authorization. We serve on the Klamath Task Force, which the Oregon Governor and Congressional members convened in July 2013 to address budgetary and other federal issues necessary for the drafting of that legislation.