Recovery on the Klamath
News sources teemed with stories of recovery this week. From updates on river restoration and wildland fire management in the lower basin to strategies on addressing botulism in waterfowl and land rights in the upper basin.
Local news sources reported that the Klamath Dams are on track for removal in 2023, pending the Federal Regulatory Commission’s final approval. The Commission is slated to release an Environmental Impact Statement early in 2022 – we note this is the third EIS pertaining to the dams drafted since 2004. The public will be asked to comment. After a successful EIS report, FERC can approve Pacificorps’ application for surrender, and dam removal preparations would start next fall.
The Klamath River also made an appearance on the national stage, with Ron Reed appearing in a Good Morning America news segment on the state of salmon populations in the Klamath River.
Also - if you haven't seen the film "Gather" - we recommend you do. We dropped a review from the NY times from last year if you need convincing. The film came out in 2020, but it just made it to Netflix this month and is worth a watch.
News
Climate change: Salmon on the brink | GMA
Research scientist Lisa Crozier and Karuk Tribal Member Ron Reed, on the dwindling salmon population and its threat to the indigenous tribes in the Pacific Northwest.
What Biden’s infrastructure bill means for wildfire management — High Country News – Know the West
The bill allocates $3.3 billion for firefighter raises, prescribed fire, defending communities and more.
Beating botulism - How stakeholders avoided disaster on Tule Lake Refuge
Heading into 2021’s historically dry summer, the question on Lower Klamath and Tule Lake national wildlife refuges wasn’t whether waterbirds would succumb to botulism — it was how many.
Feds pledge $2.7 million in funds for Klamath Basin salmon recovery - oregonlive.com
KLAMATH, Calif. — The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation has announced $2.7 million in funding for projects aimed at helping coho salmon in the Klamath River basin.
Oregon Contemporary's 'Water: NFS' Is an Act of Resistance | Portland Monthly
Indigenous artists Natalie Ball and Annelie Hillman illustrate water wars, drought, land rights, and other issues plaguing Southern Oregon tribal communities.
Stakeholders in Klamath Dam Removal Plan Prepare Final 'Sprint' to Meet 2023 Target for River Restoration
After more than a decade of painstaking negotiations — of deals made and broken, of well-laid plans crumbling under the weight of conflicting goals, corporate greed and bureaucratic inertia — the largest river restoration project in American history is once again moving forward, and stakeholders are optimistic.
Removal of four PacifiCorp dams on Klamath River slated to begin in early 2023 | Elk Grove News.net
If all goes as planned, the removal of four PacifiCorp dams on the Klamath River that have blocked salmon and steelhead migration for over 100 years will begin in early 2023, according to Klamath River Renewal Corporation (KRRC) Executive Director Mark Bransom.
Bringing the fight against dams to COP26 — High Country News – Know the West
Indigenous activists and allies from Oregon to Chile are highlighting how dams harm the climate and Indigenous peoples worldwide.
Counting every drop: Klamath Basin water year tracker | Local News | heraldandnews.com
The Herald and News is launching monthly hydrologic updates for the Klamath Basin. Around the middle of each month, we'll compile on-the-ground data to inform stakeholders about how the current water year is shaping up.
In Case You Missed It...
Pikyavish — ‘little fixing’ — Institute of the Environment and Sustainability at UCLA
"Our health is more than a reflection of the natural world’s health, it is the same thing," says 2021 Pritzker Environmental Genius Award finalist Chook-Chook Hillman. This sense of interconnectedness guides his efforts to make an equitable and sustainable environment for all. He uses the Karuk Tribe's traditional knowledge to pass on ancient wisdom to protect the earth and build community.
‘Gather’ Review: The Struggle to Remain Sovereign - The New York Times
This documentary wonderfully weaves personal stories with archival footage that contextualizes the continued violence against Native Americans.
Seeing COP26 through the lens of Ríos to Rivers’ chief storyteller — High Country News – Know the West
Paul Robert Wolf Wilson, a Klamath and Modoc tribal member, attended the United Nations’ 26th annual climate change summit, called the Conference of the Parties (COP26), with the Rivers for Climate coalition. This coalition consisted of Indigenous youth, scientific and policy specialists, and allies from multiple international nonprofit organizations. Following is a view from the convention through Wilson’s lens, as an advocate and chief storyteller at Ríos to Rivers.
A Christmas Tree from the Klamath River Basin Will Adorn the Nation’s Capital - Reconnect Klamath
The Klamath River Basin has made national news in recent weeks with the harvesting of Sugar Bear, an enormous white fir from Six Rivers National Forest