KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – While the largest dam removal project in history aims to restore the Klamath River, experts say it will also have a positive impact on the rest of the Klamath Basin.
"Dam removal down low will certainly have the biggest beneficial impact on the receiving waters downstream… to the Pacific Ocean," said Dave Coffman with Resource Environmental Solutions (RES).
Aside from downstream benefits, Coffman said there will also be positive changes made upstream.
Preliminary construction work has begun as the Klamath River Renewal Corporation prepares to remove a total of four dams.
“We know the dams that are being removed result in warmer water than what would naturally be in that river system…” he said.
By removing the dams in the Klamath River, the water in the Upper Klamath Basin will finally cool down.
RES is working with the Klamath River Renewal Corporation (KRRC) on the dam removal project. Coffman, who is the Southern Oregon and Northern California director of RES, said his team will monitor the environmental impacts.
"We are responsible for restoring the reservoir footprints and other impacted areas associated with the construction portion of the dam removal," he said.
Coffman said the dam removal process is a messy one. One of the main concerns that comes with the construction process is excess sediment making its way downstream. However, that’s another thing RES is looking out for.
“Our responsibility is to get native vegetation established on that remaining reservoir sediment but also the native ground that was there before the reservoirs were impounded to lock that sediment in place so it doesn’t provide a long-term source of sediment laid in runoff,” Coffman said.
Copco 2 will be removed from the river by the end of the summer, according to the KRRC. The other three dams – Copco 1, Iron Gate Dam and J.C. Boyle Dam – will be removed by the end of next year.
