A4 THE BULLETIN • SUNDAY, MAY 23, 2021 Klamath Continued from A1 “I don’t think there are any of us who are insulated from this,” he said. “Everybody is going to feel the effects, even businesses on Main Street.” A Canal shut down The Klamath Project en- compasses roughly 315 square miles of farmland straddling Southern Oregon and North- ern California. The market value of agricultural prod- ucts sold in Klamath, Modoc and Siskiyou counties totaled nearly a half-billion dollars in 2017, according to the latest USDA Census of Agriculture. Under the Endangered Spe- cies Act, the Bureau of Recla- mation is required to operate the Project so that it will not threaten the survival of endan- gered fish, including suckers in Upper Klamath Lake and coho salmon in the lower Klamath River. Lost River and shortnose suckers are central to the cul- ture and identity of the Klam- ath Tribes, while salmon are revered by tribes and anglers alike downstream. With the region suffering through extreme drought, Reclamation says there is not anywhere near enough water to satisfy its ESA obligations. The agency initially allocated 33,000 acre-feet of water to the Project in April, less than 8% of normal demand. By May, the situation had only grown more dire. Recla- mation took the dramatic step of nixing water for the A Ca- nal, leaving the majority of the Project high and dry. Paul Simmons, executive di- rector of the KWUA, which rep- resents 1,200 family farms and ranches in the basin, said 2021 will be an “extraordinarily aw- ful” year for local agriculture. Looking ahead into the sum- mer, Simmons said he expects domestic wells will dry up due to a lack of recharge in the A Canal system. Dust storms will be an issue from blowing top- soil in barren fields, and farms ple. Farming runs in Luther’s blood. “In 2001, we sold them in- crementally and we’ll do that again this year,” he said. “A cow’s not a complex be- ing. I mean, she wants to eat, drink and raise her baby. If we can’t provide that for her, you’ve got to let somebody else do it.” Luther said it’s a buyer’s mar- ket in the cattle industry, be- cause so many herds are being liquidated. He anticipates hav- ing to sell in the next couple of months. “If we make it a month, I’ll be pretty happy,” he said. In order to have a more pos- itive future for farming in the Klamath Basin, Luther said growers need certainty when it comes to irrigation water. Stakeholders had signed the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement in 2010 to settle water rights and usage, though Congress failed to pass legisla- tion enacting the agreement by the Jan. 1, 2016 deadline. “What the community needs “I’m going to feel pretty ac- complished if I’m still in business in 2022,” said Paul Craw- ford as looks over his farm near Malin in the Klamath Basin . Holly Dillemuth/ For the Capital Press will be lost — some of which normally employ 100-200 peo- ple seasonally. “Many of those jobs are go- ing to be nonexistent or lost,” Simmons said. “The businesses that provide agriculture with tractors and seed have lost rev- enue. All of those people do business with retail business in all these little towns, so it just echoes all the way through.” Buyer’s market for cattle Luther and Candy Horsley inherited their cattle opera- tion in Midland, Ore., from Luther’s dad. They have been through their fair share of bad droughts and worst-case wa- ter scenarios, including 2001 when water was shut off, but nothing like this year. The herd has been down- sized over the years. This year, they are down to 57 cows and will have to sell more than half of them because of the drought conditions. Having to sell off many of their cows is both an economic and emotional loss for the cou- Continued from A1 Horrell added that the dry conditions could cause “wide- spread and severe damage” to a number of sectors and indus- tries, including agriculture and livestock, natural resources, and tourism. For farmers, the tight wa- ter supply reduces the num- ber of acres on which they can plant crops, leaving them less revenue at the end of the year. A drought declaration al- lows farmers to receive funds through their crop insurance plans. Precisely how much is avail- able varies based on the farmer and his or her situation, said Rob Rastovich, a Deschutes County rancher. Rastovich said he attempted to apply for government assistance last year but did not qualify. But the amount of money wasn’t much, he added — less than $5,000. That sum was a frac- tion of the amount he had to spend to buy hay for his cows. Rastovich said he doesn’t have crop insurance. “It’s very expensive. Not many people I know pay for it,” said Rastovich. As farmers work to conserve water, the irrigation districts themselves are also at risk of running out of their annual allotment of water. Last year, Arnold Irrigation District was forced to shut off its water to customers in mid-August due to the low flows. Last month, commission- ers from Jefferson County re- quested a drought declaration for their county. Brown has yet to confirm the drought status. The dry ground and ex- posed fields in Jefferson County have set the stage for dust storms that blow away topsoil and make driving haz- ardous. Drought conditions exist across much of Oregon but are especially severe in Central Oregon, where Deschutes County is experiencing its driest spring in 127 years. Making tough decisions Paul Crawford, who grows alfalfa, orchard grass and small grains near Malin, said he is farming just 40% of his nor- mal acreage this year, focusing on ground that he can irrigate with wells. The rest, which was already planted in hay and winter wheat, will be left dry. “I’m going to feel pretty ac- complished if I’m still in busi- ness in 2022,” Crawford said. “As a small family farm, we have fairly tight margins to be- gin with ... Now I’m going to produce 40% of what I’ve al- ready invested in.” Crawford said he typically spends up to 80% of his annual expenses before cutting his first hay crop in June, months before he will see any return on investment. Continued on next page Do you have diabetes? Drought conditions in Oregon Drought is some kind of balance,” Lu- ther said. “Lawsuits are flying ... We need to get out of that and try and find some solu- tion, because I don’t think you really win in courts too much.” Are you taking non-insulin oral medications to treat your diabetes? Are you 18 years old or older? (As of May 18) Legend Madras Abnormally dry Bend Moderate drought Prineville You may qualify for a clinical research study. Diabetes and Obesity Care is investigating the Freestyle Libre 2 glucose monitoring system to help manage type two diabetes. Severe drought Extreme drought Exceptional drought Source: National Drought Mitigation Center, University of Nebraska-Lincoln To fi nd out if you qualify, call our research coordinator today at 541-639-5717 or our offi ce in Bend at Diabetes and Obesity Care 541-388-6789. Alan Kenaga/For The Bulletin “I do think a drought declaration is warranted. Our reservoirs are really empty and the snowpack is melting off very quickly without increasing the flow in creeks and the river much.” — Phil Chang, Deschutes County commissioner “Soil blowing off the land is more than a hardship for farm- ers,” said Gail Snyder, founder of Coalition for the Deschutes, a non profit that brings together conservationists, farmers and others to protect the Deschutes River. “It is a bad situation for all of us. The dust bowl of the 1930s was not an aberration that will never happen again.” Phil Chang, one of three county commissioners, said in an email that he plans to vote to request the governor de- clare a drought. “I do think a drought dec- laration is warranted,” said Chang. “Our reservoirs are really empty, and the snow- pack is melting off very quickly without increasing the flow in creeks and the river much.” Chang, a career resource manager, said multiple years of low groundwater recharge are resulting in “very thirsty ground” which is absorbing snowmelt without much dis- charge from springs to creeks and rivers. Larry O’Neill, State Clima- tologist at Oregon State University, said drought con- ditions in Deschutes County are worse now compared to a year ago, when much of the county was in a state of severe drought. Deschutes County is in the midst of its driest March to April period on record, span- ning 127 years, he added. The past two years have been the second-driest two-year stretch during that time. The only drier period occurred in 1932, during the Dust Bowl era. “This drought in Central Oregon is not just about the Find it all online bendbulletin.com Can you believe this maniac? No sunscreen. One in fi ve Americans will develop skin cancer. Don’t be the one. short-term deficits, but is a product of an extremely dry last three wet seasons,” said O’Neill. “This drought is shap- ing up to be one of the worst ever for Central Oregon.” Reporter: 541-617-7818, mkohn@bendbulletin.com www.diabetesandobesity-care.com If your hearing aids can’t keep up with your lifestyle, trade them in for new technology. We are the only physician supported audiology clinic in Central Oregon working with hearing aids and cochlear implants. May is Better Hearing Month Trade-In Special: $ 1000 OFF Any New Technology up to Trade in your current hearing aid - any manufacture - any condition - for up to $1,000 off the purchase of new technology thru the end of May. **Restrictions apply** Don’t be pressured into making poor decisions. Get the facts about hearing loss. 21st-century medicine. Good old-fashioned care. The region’s expert in Mohs surgery • Dr. Peters specializes in high-risk skin cancer treatment, early detection, and prevention Care for the skin you’re in SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT TODAY! 541-526-1133 Gerald Peters, MD, FAAD, FACMS Ann Reitan, MHS, PA-C • Ericka Luckel , PA-C • Julie Natoli , PA-C 541-323-SKIN (7546) • www.petersderm.com • 2353 NE Conners Ave, Bend Bend Clinic Location COENT Bend 2450 NE Mary Rose Pl, Ste 120 Redmond Clinic Location COENT Redmond 1020 SW Indian Ave, Ste 102