Thread by @latimes

An agonizing war over water has divided Indigenous people and the descendants of settlers of this region, which like much of the American West, is now plagued by drought.
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Farmers often describe the water conflict as one that pits them against federal bureaucrats.

But that portrayal, members of the tribes say, dismisses a tougher truth: Just under the surface, the real fight is about race, equity and generational trauma.
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Suckerfish in Klamath Falls serve as the ecological and religious heart for tribes – if the fish perish, tribes say they will too.

Now with an intensifying drought this summer, it’s likely too hot and toxic for some suckerfish to spawn and survive.
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Local farmers claim the federal fish science is flawed and holding back lake flows that should be used for fields.

Far-right activists are threatening to use force for control over the irrigation gates that determine how much water stays in the lake.
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Moderates – those unwilling to take the law into their own hands – are frustrated by the tribes’ hardline stance, and some accuse them of “playing the race card” in a bid for more political power.
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The “ripple effect” of the civil rights movement sparked by George Floyd’s death has reached the Klamath.

For younger tribes members, the energy of Black Lives Matter has helped embolden them and led to a shift in tribal policy.
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Tribal leaders long have discouraged calling out discrimination, but they are supporting younger members as they embrace activism in their daily lives and water policy.

While it once was taboo to go public with racial grievances, some are speaking up.
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Read about the rising racial tensions amid Klamath’s water crisis here:

Story by @anitachabria.
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