Facebook Twitter Email
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2002

The Department of Interior is holding back a scientific report that supports fish over farms in the Klamath River Basin, The Wall Street Journal reports.

The Journal reviewed the U.S. Geological Survey report. It concludes there would be greater economic benefit if water were restored to fish and recreational purposes instead of being used by farmers, the paper said.

The report, however, has not been released due to the sensitivity over the tensions between tribes, environmentalists, fishermen non-Indian farmers and the Bush administration. The paper said the recent kill of 30,000 fish contributed to the delay.

Tribes and their supporters want more water for fish. But Secretary Gale Norton cut back after non-Indian farmers complained they were being denied.

Get the Story:
Data Backs River Recreation Instead of Farm Irrigation (The Wall Street Journal 11/1)
Reclamation officials: Decision not to attend salmon kill hearing was internal (AP 11/1)

Related Stories:
Klamath suit targets farmers (10/30)
Pressure cited in Klamath water decision (10/29)
Tribes would receive $20M in Klamath aid (10/25)
Yurok Tribe files Klamath lawsuit (10/23)
Norton blamed for Klamath fishkill (10/16)
Tribe protest Klamath water cut-off (10/14)
Yurok Tribe declares fish emergency (10/11)
'Not enough water to go around' (10/7)
DOI takes no blame for Klamath fish kill (10/3)
Time to count dead fish at Klamath (10/1)
Norton reverses decision on Klamath water (9/30)
Tribes estimate 30,000 dead salmon (9/27)
Salmon dying in Klamath River (9/25)
Water woes affect Calif. tribes (8/26)
Calif. tribes still waiting for water (8/22)
Interior sued over river plan (1/10)
Plan would help restore salmon to river (12/20)