Klamath Basin funds focus of federal agencies’ dispute

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — A watchdog arm of the U.S. Department of the Interior says the Bureau of Reclamation lacked the authority to enter into an agreement with the Klamath Water and Power Agency on water use, and that consequently $32.2 million spent by KWAPA over seven years “was a waste of funds.”

The department insists that it did have the authority.

The dispute has been referred to the Assistant Secretary for Policy, Management and Budget for resolution.

In its report released this week, the inspector general’s office recommended that the Bureau of Reclamation discontinue funding water supplementation activities in the Klamath Basin unless it has specific legal authority. The Klamath Project is a federal dam project in southern Oregon and northern California to manage Klamath River flows.