Salmon to Swim Freely in Klamath River for First Time in a Century

For the first time in over a century, salmon will gain unrestricted access to the Klamath River and its tributaries, as the largest dam removal project in U.S. history approaches its final stages. This monumental effort marks a significant step towards restoring the river’s natural habitat, particularly benefiting local salmon populations.

This week, crews are set to breach the rock dams that have been obstructing water flow upstream from the nearly removed Iron Gate and Copco No. 1 dams. With these actions, the river will flow freely through its historic channel, allowing salmon to access vital spawning habitats just as the fall Chinook or king salmon spawning season begins.

Leaf Hillman, ceremonial leader of the Karuk Tribe, expressed hope for the future as the river returns to its original state. The Karuk Tribe, alongside others in the region, has engaged in a 25-year fight to see the Klamath dams removed, recognizing the cultural and spiritual importance of salmon.

The demolition of these barriers comes one month prior to the completion of the removal of four massive dams on the Klamath, aligning with a national movement aimed at allowing rivers to resume their natural courses and regain their ecological balance for fish and wildlife alike.

Since February, over 2,000 dams have been removed across the United States, with most of these removals occurring in the past 25 years, as noted by the advocacy group American Rivers. Landmark projects include the Elwha River dam removals in Washington state, which were part of a broader strategy to enhance river ecosystems.

Joshua Chenoweth, senior riparian ecologist for the Yurok Tribe, highlighted the importance of the Klamath River’s restoration. He believes that while human efforts can facilitate recovery, removing the dams is crucial for rivers to revert to their natural states. Historical precedence from other dam removal projects, such as those on the Elwha and the Condit Dam on the White Salmon River, shows that rivers have a remarkable ability to self-heal.

The Klamath River was once celebrated as the third-largest producer of salmon on the West Coast. However, the construction of the dams by PacifiCorp between 1918 and 1962 disrupted the river’s natural flow and significantly affected the life cycle of salmon. Consequently, the fish populations plummeted.

In 2002, a severe bacterial outbreak linked to low water levels and warm temperatures devastated more than 34,000 fish, predominantly Chinook salmon. This crisis galvanized advocacy from tribes and environmental activists, ultimately leading to federal approval for the dam removals in 2022.

As of now, the smallest of the four dams, Copco No. 2, has been taken down. Crews are actively engaged in draining the reservoirs of the remaining three dams and have commenced their demolition in March. The power produced by these dams represented less than 2% of PacifiCorp’s energy generation capacity, translating to enough power for approximately 70,000 households. Although hydroelectric power is viewed as a clean, renewable energy source, many large dams in the western United States face scrutiny due to their negative impact on fish and river ecosystems.

With an estimated cost of about $500 million, primarily funded by taxpayers and PacifiCorp’s ratepayers, the dam removal project has received broad support.

The timeline for the return of salmon to their historical spawning grounds remains uncertain, along with the river’s overall recovery. Early signs of salmon activity have been reported at the river’s mouth, indicating they are beginning their upstream journey. Michael Belchik, senior water policy analyst for the Yurok Tribe, expressed optimism that fish will soon navigate past the Iron Gate dam.

“I think we’re going to have some early successes,” Belchik remarked. “I’m pretty confident we’ll see some fish going above the dam this year, or at the very least, next year.”

There are still two smaller Klamath dams upstream that allow for salmon passage through fish ladders – structures that create pools for fish to leap through to bypass the dam.

Mark Bransom, CEO of the Klamath River Renewal Corporation, the nonprofit tasked with overseeing the project, cautioned that recovery would take time. He referenced the decade it took for the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe to resume fishing after the Elwha dam removals, acknowledging that reversing a century of damage and disruption to the river ecosystem is not an overnight process.

In summary, the dam removal efforts on the Klamath River signify a promising shift towards ecological restoration, with hopes for revitalized salmon populations and a healthier river system.