Klamath River Runs Free for First Time in a Century as Largest Dam Removal in US History Nears Completion

Today, the last coffer dams were broken at the former Iron Gate and Copco No. 1 Dam sites, returning the Klamath River to its natural path and marking an end to a significant construction phase in the largest salmon restoration project in U.S. history. The project is a major step toward healing a critical watershed for West Coast salmon production and is widely recognized as a Tribal justice initiative that will help revitalize the culture and economies of several Tribal Nations whose homelands are in the Klamath Basin.

​“I am excited to be in the restoration phase of the Klamath River. Restoring hundreds of miles of spawning grounds and improving water quality will help support the return of our salmon, a healthy, sustainable food source for several Tribal Nations. This is truly a great day for the Karuk and all the Native People of the Klamath Basin,” said Russell ‘Buster’ Attebery, Chairman of the Karuk Tribe.​

Another wall fell today. The dams that have divided the basin are now gone and the river is free. Our sacred duty to our children, our ancestors, and for ourselves, is to take care of the river, and today’s events represent a fulfillment of that obligation,” said Yurok Tribe Vice Chairman Frankie Myers.

Four dams have been under deconstruction on the Klamath River, which traverses the California-Oregon border, over the past year. Benefits of dam removal include reintroducing salmon to more than 400 miles of historical habitat, eliminating reservoirs that hosted massive blooms of toxic blue-green algae each summer, and eliminating conditions that enabled fish diseases to thrive. All of these benefits are expected to support the rebound of what was once the third largest salmon fishery in the lower 48 states.