A recent federal audit prepared in response to claims lodged by federal “whistleblowers” in the Klamath Basin of California and Oregon appears to support this premise. This is serious, and has ramifications not just for family farmers and ranchers throughout the West, but also for anybody with an interest in protecting fish and wildlife resources.

The Office of Special Counsel (OSC) alleges improprieties regarding an agreement between the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) and the Klamath Water and Power Agency (KWAPA) for a water-banking program. The report claims that Reclamation did not have authority for the program, “resulting in $32.2 million in wasted funds spent by KWAPA.”