This is a time of year when farmers and ranchers all over the Klamath Basin are gearing up water their fields and crops. Stakes are removed from wheel lines, irrigation districts like KID are priming the ditches, and the fields seem to come alive with action as solid set is laid out.
Not this year.
Responding to the request of the Klamath County Board of Commissioners, on March 30th, Oregon Governor Kate Brown declared drought in Klamath with Executive Order 21-07.
With a snow pack of only 77% of average and the Bureau of Reclamation following the demands of the BiOp for sucker fish and salmon, it’s going to be an ugly year for Klamath Basin agriculture. We’re expecting a drastic cut from last year’s drastic cut of 140,000 acre/feet. As a reminder, the Project is allocated to receive 350,000 acre/feet.
Klamath Basin ag is a resilient community. This drought will reach beyond the farms and fields and affect all of our communities, whether they farm or not. As long as we can stand together, remember to be kind to our neighbors, and help those in need, we have a chance of making it through this drought.
Pray for rain. And watch out for each other.