Upper Klamath Water Users Association Signs Historic Upper Klamath Basin Agreement

Agreement seeks final settlement of water disputes for the Upper Klamath Basin

Client Upper Klamath Water Users Association (UKWUA) was among a group of Klamath Basin irrigators, the Klamath Tribes, and the State of Oregon to sign the Upper Klamath Basin Comprehensive Agreement on Friday, April 18, 2014. The signing ceremony was attended by Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell, Klamath Tribes Chairman Don Gentry, U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, along with other dignitaries and members of the community. Stoel Rives partner Greg Corbin represented UKWUA in the settlement negotiation process.

The Upper Basin Settlement provides terms to settle water rights disputes, restore fish habitat in the tributaries to Upper Klamath Lake, and support economic development for the Klamath Tribes and a stable irrigation community. The settlement is distinct from, but compatible with, two prior settlements approved in 2010: the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement and the Klamath Hydroelectric Settlement Agreement. The latest settlement follows a 2013 Oregon Water Resources Department determination of water rights for the Oregon portion of the Klamath River and tributaries. Stoel Rives played a role in that adjudication since the process began in 1975.

“I congratulate my clients and all stakeholders for reaching agreement on this historic settlement that resolves decades of conflict and will provide the conditions for progress in the Upper Klamath Basin,” said Corbin. “I’m confident this agreement can serve as a foundation for rebuilding prosperity throughout the basin.”

Several key provisions of the agreement will require Congressional authorization. Senator Wyden has pledged to introduce legislation in the Senate in May based on the agreement.