Salmon will soon have free passage along the Klamath River and its tributaries near the California-Oregon border as the largest dam removal project in U.S. history nears completion. The removal of the dams will allow the river to flow freely in its historic channel, giving salmon access to key habitat areas just in time for the fall Chinook spawning season. The Karuk Tribe, whose culture revolves around salmon, has been advocating for the removal of the dams for over 25 years.
This project is part of a national movement to restore rivers to their natural state and improve ecosystems for fish and other wildlife. More than 2,000 dams have been removed in the U.S. in the last 25 years, including dams on the Elwha and White Salmon Rivers. The Klamath River, once a major salmon-producing river, saw its fish population decline dramatically due to the dams built by PacifiCorp in the early 20th century.
While the removal of the dams will have minimal impact on power supply, it is expected to cost $500 million and will be paid for by taxpayers and ratepayers. There is hope that salmon will return to their historical habitats soon, with reports of fish already starting their river journey. However, it may take years for the river ecosystem to fully recover from the impacts of the dams. The nonprofit overseeing the project notes that it took a decade for the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe to start fishing again after the removal of the Elwha dams.
Overall, the removal of the Klamath River dams is a significant step towards restoring the natural flow of the river and improving the habitat for salmon and other wildlife in the region.
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Photo credit wtop.com