Oregon Public Broadcasting

Arnold Schwarzenegger was at the Oregon capitol Thursday.  Why?  Because four dams along the Klamath River on the Oregon-California border are one step closer to coming down.

More photos and audio from the signing ceremony are available on Chris Lehman's blog Capitol Currents.

More than 30 governmental, agricultural, tribal and conservation groups, along with PacifiCorp, signed a landmark agreement in Salem. But even the star power of the governor of California can't bring the dams down any time soon.

Joining us now to talk about the agreement is our Salem reporter, Chris Lehman.

Hi Chris.

Hi Beth.

Beth Hyams:  So what exactly was signed today?Chris Lehman: Well, there were actually two agreements signed but they’re interconnected. The first agreement paves the way for removing those four Klamath River dams and restoring salmon passage and habitat. The second agreement is called the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement. It’s more than 300 pages long but it basically is a water-sharing agreement between tribes and irrigators. Farmers in the Klamath basin will be guaranteed enough water for their crops and if they don’t get enough water they’ll be eligible for compensation.Beth Hyams:  This agreement has been in the works for quite some time.  How did those diverse groups finally all get on the same page?Chris Lehman: Negotiations began in earnest 5 years ago but of course the water wars have been simmering in the Klamath Basin for decades. Some of the parties involved have waged legal battles over the years and you may recall the standoff that occurred back in 2001 when the federal government shut off water to farmers during a drought. That was followed by more water for farmers the next year but it came at the expense of thousands of fish. It seems like some key players became convinced that the back-and-forth struggle simply wasn’t sustainable over the long run. Add to this the fact that PacifiCorp, the electric utility that owns the dams, was in the process of re-licensing them. PacifiCorp realized that upgrading the dams to meet current fish passage standards would have been more expensive than tearing the dams out. So starting a couple of years ago the signs began pointing in the direction of dam removal.Beth Hyams:  And today the agreements were signed at the capitol building in Salem. One of the biggest names at the ceremony was California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Let’s listen to what he had to say:Arnold Schwarzenegger: “Today is a great time for celebration because if you think about it, that just 15 months ago, we were all promising each other that we were going to go and do everything we can to kind of go through our difference and to finalize an agreement to tear down those dams and to say ‘Hasta la vista’ to the dams on the Klamath River.  Say ‘Hasta la Vista!”Beth Hyams:  Besides Governor Schwarzenegger, who else was at the ceremony?Chris Lehman: Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski was there, of course. So was Jane Lubchenco, the head of NOAA, along with representatives from dozens of irrigation, conservation and tribal groups. Possible the most significant guest was U-S Interior Secretary Ken Salazar. He could play a critical role over the next few years as the Interior Department will likely have to sign off on the plan after a series of environmental reviews.Beth Hyams:   Not everyone’s on board with the agreements, right?Chris Lehman: That’s right, some environmental groups in Oregon and California say the deal shortchanges the needs of fish and other wildlife in the Klamath basin. I talked with Sean Stevens of Oregon Wild. He told me that his group supports dam removal, but they say this plan will take too much water away from fish when they need it most:Sean Stevens:  “In the driest years, which is really when the Klamath suffers, you’re going to have less water for salmon than you would right now. If you’re putting it simply, that’s what happens.” Beth Hyams:  Now that the agreements have been signed, give us a sense of what else needs to happen for the dams to come out.Chris Lehman: Well, I mentioned the Interior Department’s role. Congress would also have to approve about a billion dollars in funding. And California voters would have to approve a bond later this year that would pay for about half the cost of removing the dams. Oregonians who have electricity through PacifiCorp will be paying for the other half.Beth Hyams:  So, what was the scene like at the capitol building today?  Was there a large turn-out to see Arnold Schwarzenegger?Chris Lehman: Yes.  The rotunda and the surrounding stairwells were packed, and the audience seemed to eat up Schwarzenegger’s every word, especially when he quoted his own movie lines as we heard earlier. Schwarzenegger also reminisced briefly about being in Oregon to film one of his movies, Kindergarten Cop. And he told the crowd that his dog is from, of all places, the tiny town of Christmas Valley Oregon, and that he went there himself to pick up the dog. I’m sure they’re still talking about that one over in Christmas Valley.