Klamath Dam Removal is Set in Motion, but Drought Conditions Persist
Last month work began on the largest salmon restoration project in history as the Klamath River Renewal Corporation (KRRC) laid the groundwork for the deconstruction of the four lower Klamath hydroelectric dams. The project is expected to conclude at the end of next year, then Resource Environmental Solutions (RES) will ramp up restoration efforts, restoring the entirety of lake footprints post-removal. RES recently released a short film outlining their preparation and plans for restoration that you can view below.
Recently, Governor Newsom lifted drought restrictions throughout the state, except in the Colorado and Klamath River Basins, where drought conditions persist. As we head into another dry year, tough decisions about water allocations will have to be made, and there will likely be no winners. Federal water managers decided to cut Klamath flows below biological minimums triggering a lawsuit from Yurok and PCFFA.
Explore the articles below to learn more.
News
After the dams: Restoring the Klamath River will take billions of native seeds - OPB
Restoration contractor Resource Environmental Solutions and area tribes will plant up to 19 billion native seeds as the Klamath Dams come out and reservoirs are drained
Yurok Tribe, fishing groups sue over water delivery to farms in Klamath River Basin - OPB
A northern California tribe is pressing the federal government to stop water deliveries for farming in southern Oregon and northern California unless a federal agency can show it’s met all legal requirements for endangered species, including salmon and killer whales.
Threatened Coho Salmon at Risk Due to Federal Mismanagement, Groups Allege | KQED
Tribes along the Klamath River and commercial fishing groups say the Bureau of Reclamation released too much water for farmers last summer, and not enough for federally threatened coho salmon eggs to hatch this year.
Ground Has Been Broken on Klamath River Restoration, the World's Largest-Ever Dam-Removal Project | Lost Coast Outpost | Humboldt County News
In a monumental step that’s taken decades to achieve, work has officially begun on the world’s largest-ever dam-removal project. This complex endeavor will entail both removal of the four dams that comprise the Lower Klamath Hydropower Project, formerly owned by PacifiCorp, and major environmental restoration in and around the land that has been sitting at the bottom of man-made reservoirs for more than a century.
No California salmon: Fishery to be shut down this year - CalMatters
The salmon industry, worth about half a billion dollars, is devastated. The culprits: Drought and decades of water diversions and development.
Secretary of Interior Deb Haaland meets with Klamath Project farmers | Basin Ag News | heraldandnews.com
As part of an unannounced visit to central and southern Oregon, Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland met with farmers in the Klamath Project on March 18, touring the headworks of the Klamath Project “A” Canal and learning firsthand what Klamath Irrigation District is doing to ensure the canal’s safety.
County supervisors from Klamath, Modoc, and Siskiyou address water challenges | Basin Ag News | heraldandnews.com
Klamath County is ranked 5th in total agricultural farm gate value out of 36 counties and is first in total organic agricultural revenue for the State of Oregon. The Klamath Basin Research and Extension Center (KBREC) exists to support this industry, staffed by professionals with expertise in agriculture, natural resources, and related fields. As one of 14 Agricultural Experiment Stations in Oregon, KBREC is part of the research arm of Oregon State University’s College of Agricultural Sciences.
Restoring Balance
RES is leading a massive restoration effort integral to the largest dam removal and river renewal project in US history – a task vital to the future of several imperiled salmon populations on the West Coast. This film, Restoring Balance, reveals the scope and scale of the massive restoration effort unfolding on the Klamath River. Woven together, the collective efforts of hundreds of experts, from engineers and hydrologists to local tribes, will transform this landscape into a clean, free-flowing river that will once again support one of America’s greatest fisheries.
In Case You Missed It...
KRRC Construction Timeline
This is the projected timeline for the deconstruction of the four Klamath hydroelectric dams.
Gov. Gavin Newsom Announces Ending State Water Restrictions | California Globe
Governor Gavin Newsom announced on Friday that the state would be ending numerous water restrictions, while keeping those aimed at preserving groundwater and helping further recharge the Klamath River and Colorado River areas.
