Klamath Basin potato growers in California and Oregon lost an appeal April 30 for a preliminary injunction sought by the Klamath Irrigation District to save their irrigation water.
Despite the fact the entire Basin's agriculture economy depends on the water, the scarcity this year coupled by claims to save suckers and salmon as well as secure tribal trust resources took precedence over the multi-million-dollar agriculture industry.
Federal Judge Anne Aiken denied the injunction and said that the plaintiff's request that the Court stand in place of Reclamation as the operator of the Project and reallocate Project water is inconsistent with law.
The Judge's 30-page opinion is available at www.fwaa.org/klamath.pdf.