Contributions from Paul Hanson at Wynne Broadcasting’s KFLS 1450AM / 102.5FM and The Herald & News
TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2019
KLAMATH BASIN WEATHER
Today
Mostly sunny, with a high near 46. Breezy winds at time. Overnight windy with a low of 30 degrees.
Wednesday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 50.
Thursday
A chance of rain and snow showers before 11am, then showers at times throughout the day, high near 49. Possible snow flurries overnight, no accumulation.
Friday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 54.
Saturday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 57.
See Road Camera Views:
Lake of the Woods
Doak Mtn.
Hiwy 97 at Chemult
Hiwy 140 at Bly
Hiwy 97 at GreenSprings Dr.
Hiway 97 at LaPine
TODAY’S KLAMATH BASIN NEWS HEADLINES & STORIES…
While Klamath County rivers are filling, they are not yet out of their banks, according to the Klamath County Sheriff’s Office.
Morgan Lindsay, information officer for the sheriff’s office, said it’s been difficult to predict flooding in the county as the weather forecasts have been changing every few hours.
“But none have been close to what we saw in 2017, so we aren’t too concerned right now,” she said, when the Sprague River left its banks.
On Tuesday, patrol deputies, local volunteers, and others will be checking and monitoring river flows to alert the public to any dangers, she said.
A flood watch is in affect for the Sprague River near Beatty until late Wednesday evening, with potential flood stage being reached by Wednesday morning, according to a Monday afternoon National Weather Service report. The regional flood watch also includes the towns of Bly, Chemult, Crescent, Gilchrist and Sprague River.
Flood Control in Upper Klamath Lake
The Bureau of Reclamation announced the beginning of flood control operations on the Upper Klamath Lake with increased releases having started Monday, according to a news release.
The public is urged to take all necessary precautions, including avoiding high-water areas, on or near the Link or Klamath rivers (including below Keno and J.C. Boyle dams) while flows are elevated.
Increased inflows along the stretch of river from Link River Dam to Iron Gate Dam are anticipated over the next week or longer. Based on current projections, flows below Iron Gate Dam will be increasing from approximately 4,000 cubic feet per second; to at least 6,030 cubic feet per second, possibly more than 8,000 cubic feet per second.
“We are very thankful that the weather and increased inflows also created ideal conditions for this flushing flow,” said Reclamation’s Area Manager Jeff Nettleton. “We can optimize the water released to reduce disease among Klamath River salmonids while maintaining Upper Klamath Lake, within flood control levels, as well as providing for habitat and spawning needs for suckers.”
Record Number of Wolves in Oregon
A record number of wolves are roaming the forests and fields of Oregon, 20 years after the species returned to the state.
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife reported Monday that the number of known wolves in Oregon at the end of 2018 was 137, a 10% increase over the previous year. There are likely even more wolves because not all individuals or packs are located during the winter count.
“The ongoing recovery of Oregon’s wolf population is something to celebrate, and perhaps 2019 will be the year that wolves return home to the Oregon Coast Range and Siskiyou Mountains,” said Nick Cady, legal director of Cascadia Wildlands, a conservation organization.
Basin Water Regulation Meeting set for Friday
A teleconference call of an Oregon Water Resources Commission meeting regarding groundwater regulation is set for 10 a.m. Friday, April 12 in Klamath County Government Center.
The state commission will consider a proposal to repeal existing Division 25 rules and adopt interim rules that govern groundwater regulation in the Upper Klamath Basin in an attempt to protect senior surface water rights.
The meeting will convene at OWRD’s headquarters, 725 Summer St., N.E, in Salem and is open to the public.
The OWRD will ask the commission to consider adoption of proposed rules that manage groundwater and surface water in the Upper Klamath Basin.
The proposal under consideration is in response to the termination of the Upper Klamath Basin Comprehensive Agreement.
Hustlin’ Owls Rally Around Local Family
Kara Kiesling held her niece, Faith Seta, on her lap on Sunday as the 5-year-old waved yellow pom-poms at her big brother, Devin Favalora, from the stands at Kiger Stadium.
Faith, wearing a unicorn dress given to her by the Oregon Tech Hustlin’ Owls baseball team, cheered Devin on while he served as bat boy for a day for the Oregon Tech Hustlin’ Owls baseball team.
Members of the Hustlin’ Owls and Corban University teams planned the special day to celebrate Faith’s fifth birthday, that included her entire family: her parents, Ashley and Erik Kiesling; 8-year-old brother, Devin; 1-year-old sister, Kadence; and 3-week-old brother, Jase.
Faith was diagnosed with stage four neuroblastoma in fall 2017, an aggressive terminal cancer. Despite treatment with cannabis oil in recent months, which her parents say has helped her, there is no other treatment available for her.
The teams laced up gold shoelaces all weekend to support Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month. Both Faith and Devin threw out the first pitches of the game followed by the teams singing “Happy Birthday” to her while delivering her a unicorn cake on the field.
…For complete details on these and other stories see todays Herald & News. Wynne Broadcasting and the Herald and News…stronger together to keep you informed.