Double hit leaves Klamath dry

The 2009 irrigation season is proving troublesome for Klamath Basin farmers even before it's begun. The amount of water stored in Upper Klamath Lake is insufficient to meet federal fish habitat standards, prompting the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to delay water deliveries to irrigators. "Basically, what we're up against is a tough water year," said Luther Horsley, president of the Klamath Water Users Association. "We're going to have to be as conservative as possible to make it through the year." Stream flow into the Upper Klamath Lake is projected to be roughly 30 percent below average this season, and the lake is roughly one foot below the minimum level set by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to protect endangered fish...Capital Press