Essay On Klamath Water Crisis

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Klamath Crisis In 2001, the Klamath water crisis occurred in the Klamath region of Southern Oregon. For the first time, the Endangered Species Act caused a large scale restriction of water delivery from a federal project. Although this action became highly controversial after the scientific basis upon which this decision was made was criticized, it was clear that the challenges facing the basin needed to be dealt with. For decades water demand had outstripped supply, irrigation methods were inefficient and the ecosystem was in a state of total degradation. Farmers, Indian tribes and environmentalists all were fighting for the water and for their ideal of what life in the Klamath Basin should look like. Even though it had been known for over a decade that a crisis was looming, no action was taken, hoping that the problem might go away. It was also unclear which agency or department had ultimate legal say over the water supply. A narrow, single lens view by all interested parties, reliance on faulty science and procrastination due to legal uncertainty prevented a balanced and all inclusive solution to the crisis, and better solutions could have been obtained had the crisis been dealt with sooner. In order to understand the Klamath Water Basin Crisis it is…show more content…
One of the difficulties in trying to determine a fair solution is that all groups have legitimate interests. Even though their interests are in conflict with each other, they have one thing in common: they are fighting to protect their own ideal of the landscape to preserving their way of life and culture. Which group has a greater or more legitimate claim to the water? Farmers, Indian tribes, fishermen and environmental conservationists all see their cause as the just and most important
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