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Top nine feet of lake should generate revenue for irrigation

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Editor,

A wall of water flows through Kerr dam 24/7 and I refer to it is a “nine foot tall” wall. It produces an enormous amount of revenue through the generation of electricity and this revenue was intended to service the Flathead irrigation project. The money was to go into the reclamation fund and then be diverted back into the Flathead irrigation project for the purposes of operation and maintenance. This has never happened, and instead the money generated from the nine foot tall wall of water has been diverted away from the irrigation project.

I spent two days this week in Helena testifying before our interim legislative committees in order to help shed some light on the subject of “net power revenues” and the disappearance of those monies from our reclamation funds. There are no guarantees that public officials will act on the hard evidence that has been handed to them so it is our responsibility as taxpayers and as citizens of the State of Montana to make sure they do.

I would urge you to talk to your county commissioners and legislative representatives about this nine foot tall wall of water and the revenues produced by it that were intended for this valley. Ask Anne, Gale, and Bill what they know and what they intend to do. Ask Dan Salomon, Janna Taylor and Greg Hertz if they are aware of the nine foot tall wall of water and what they intend to do. If they don’t seem to know anything then educate them and demand that they take action. Ask WPIC chairman Chas Vincent and Vice Chairman Cathleen Williams what they intend to do about this nine foot tall wall of water revenues. Demand answers.

Each acre of irrigable lands within the Flathead Irrigation project has a recorded water right to water above Kerr dam. This water right is to the so-called “nine foot wall” of water for the purposes of irrigating this valley.

Where are the net power revenues and who diverted them away from this valley?

John Swenson
Ronan

 

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