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Turmoil draws farmers back to headgates
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| Adolph Drazil, a retired potato farmer, was one of about 10 people who showed up to check water levels at the headgates Wednesday afternoon. |
published June 26, 2003
By PETER MARTINI
It was back to the headgates Wednesday for Joe Bair.
Bair was among the organizers of weeks-long protests at the A Canal headgates in 2001, when the Klamath Reclamation Project was shut down for most of the summer.
When word got out Wednesday that another shutdown was in the offing, he was back at the headgates within the hour.
"I'm totally shocked," Bair said. "What they are doing is wrong. I don't care what the law says."
Federal water managers had ordered a shutdown for shortly before noon Wednesday to allow the Upper Klamath Lake to reach the June 30 water levels established by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Hours after announcing the shutdown, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation halted what Bair said would have "financially killed the farmers."
"It would be devastating to the farmers, especially the spud farmers, even if they only shut it down for five days," Bair said. "What they need right now is water."
Adolph Drazil, a retired potato farmer who was one of about 10 people who joined Bair at the headgates, said the federal government is failing in its duties to support farmers.
"It's sad that we have to fight our own people to survive," he said. "They're supposed to support all of us, but instead, they are robbing us of our land.
"This isn't a water issue, it's a land issue. The farmers need the water for their land, and the government isn't supporting that."
Drazil said he was in contact with friends from around the area and the country, but no protest had yet been organized.
"That's not something you can ever really organize," he said. "Things just happen."
Drazil said he is prepared to do whatever it takes to defend farmers' rights.
"I fought in World War II, but I was fighting the wrong enemy," he said. "The enemy is our own government.
"World War II, Korea, Vietnam are all over. The battle now is against our own government," Drazil said.
"I don't want violence, but sometimes it's necessary. All I know is that if they shut off the water, then we're all going to have some serious problems."
Sports writer Peter Martini covers sports for the Herald and News. He can be reached at 885-4440, (800) 275-0982, or by e-mail at pmartini@heraldandnews.com.
By PETER MARTINI
It was back to the headgates Wednesday for Joe Bair.
Bair was among the organizers of weeks-long protests at the A Canal headgates in 2001, when the Klamath Reclamation Project was shut down for most of the summer.
When word got out Wednesday that another shutdown was in the offing, he was back at the headgates within the hour.
"I'm totally shocked," Bair said. "What they are doing is wrong. I don't care what the law says."
Federal water managers had ordered a shutdown for shortly before noon Wednesday to allow the Upper Klamath Lake to reach the June 30 water levels established by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Hours after announcing the shutdown, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation halted what Bair said would have "financially killed the farmers."
"It would be devastating to the farmers, especially the spud farmers, even if they only shut it down for five days," Bair said. "What they need right now is water."
Adolph Drazil, a retired potato farmer who was one of about 10 people who joined Bair at the headgates, said the federal government is failing in its duties to support farmers.
"It's sad that we have to fight our own people to survive," he said. "They're supposed to support all of us, but instead, they are robbing us of our land.
"This isn't a water issue, it's a land issue. The farmers need the water for their land, and the government isn't supporting that."
Drazil said he was in contact with friends from around the area and the country, but no protest had yet been organized.
"That's not something you can ever really organize," he said. "Things just happen."
Drazil said he is prepared to do whatever it takes to defend farmers' rights.
"I fought in World War II, but I was fighting the wrong enemy," he said. "The enemy is our own government.
"World War II, Korea, Vietnam are all over. The battle now is against our own government," Drazil said.
"I don't want violence, but sometimes it's necessary. All I know is that if they shut off the water, then we're all going to have some serious problems."
Sports writer Peter Martini covers sports for the Herald and News. He can be reached at 885-4440, (800) 275-0982, or by e-mail at pmartini@heraldandnews.com.
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| Shooting activities this weekend |
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