Two States to Address Klamath River Troubles

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski announced plans Thursday for a multi-state summit to address ways to fix the troubled Klamath River, blamed for nearly shutting down the West Coast commercial salmon season this year.

Dams on the river have had a serious effect on salmon and other fish in the river.

The call for a summit comes as federal energy regulators are wrangling over whether to approve a new long-term license for four Klamath hydropower dams considered a culprit in the river’s sagging salmon runs.

“We have the problems of water quality, water supply, listed species, energy generation and agricultural sustainability expressed in countless ways in the Klamath Basin,” Kulongoski said in a statement.

“We must forge a consensus on a sustainable approach to the Klamath.”