Federal regulators have approved a plan to demolish four Klamath River dams, a historic act that is intended to save imperiled salmon.
In a milestone decision, federal regulators on Thursday signed off on plans to demolish four aging dams along the Klamath River, paving the way for hundreds of miles of native fish habitat along the California-Oregon border to flow freely for the first time in more than a century.
Officials said the dam removal process could begin as soon as next year, with the smallest dam, Copco 2, slated to be removed first. Deconstruction of the remaining three dams will occur in early 2024, with all four dams removed by the end of that year. Indeed, salmon populations in the once-teeming Klamath Basin have dwindled to almost nothing in large part because of the dam-blocked habitat. In an, the Pacific Fishery Management Council noted that the Klamath River once produced the “third-most prolific salmon runs of all river systems in the lower 48 states.”
“People consider this to be a salmon recovery project — I like to characterize it as a resiliency project,” he said on the phone. “It is not only a project to restore conditions for salmon and other species to regain a toehold in their historic range, but it is also being done to enhance the resiliency of the many communities that are reliant on the river, including the tribes. ...
The plan has seen some opposition, however, including from some local residents who have been skeptical of the project’s scope and costs. Onesubmitted to the commission this week expressed concerns about property values and flooding, among other issues.
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