Lower Klamath River dams set for removal in project touted by California tribal leaders

The biggest dam removal project in U.S. history has begun in Northern California, aimed at restoring of one of the state’s largest rivers and reviving salmon runs in a move long called for by Native American tribes and environmentalists.

The $500 million project, expected to resurrect the lower half of the Klamath River historically fished by tribal communities and populated by salmon and migratory birds, has been championed by tribal leaders, U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Oregon Gov. Kate Brown.

“It’s probably the biggest planned dam removal outside of wartime,” said Craig Tucker, policy consultant for the Karuk Tribe, one of five tribes that have historically made their home along the 257-mile-long river. “And it’ll be the biggest salmon restoration in world history, as far as we can tell.”

The project, originally set to start in 2020, involves demolition of four dams once used by California power companies for energy production along a canyon area just south of the Oregon state line in California's Siskiyou County. The Klamath, one of the state's largest rivers, stretches from Oregon’s Cascade Mountains into Northern California, emptying into the Pacific Ocean south of Crescent City.

Project follows decades of advocacy

Crews began razing the first of the dams this week. The restoration, which is expected to conclude next year, should revive salmon runs through the region, a significant cultural symbol and dietary source for tribes who have long inhabited the areas along the river.

Those tribes − including the Karuk, Yurok, Shasta and Klamath − have been calling for restoration of the river for decades, and more recently, so have commercial fishermen. The dams, which were turned over to the state in a deal struck after the energy company operating them decided necessary upgrades were not worth the expense, have cut into salmon runs by raising water temperatures and cutting off access to salmon spawning habitats, Tucker said.

“That has really affected commercial salmon fishing, which has been a big part of the economy here for a lot of years,” he said. “One wild-line-caught salmon is more valuable than a barrel of oil.”

Tucker credited the tribes’ river restoration advocacy efforts for making the project a reality.

Looking to ensure cultural preservation

The smallest of the four dams is nearly dismantled, Tucker said, and crews are already laying the groundwork for removal of the other three starting early next year, taking apart the old powerhouses and boring tunnels in the canyon sides to divert water from reservoirs created when the dams were built.

Cultural tribal monitors are at the site, Tucker said, to ensure that any uncovered tribal history is protected as trenches are dug and roads are built. The area includes the former homelands of the Shasta Indian Nation.

“There’s village sites, cemeteries and sacred areas,” he said. “So there’s a plan to protect any relics or remains that might be found.”

The Klamath River Renewal Corp., which is overseeing the project, has said it expects removal of the dams to improve water quality, revive fisheries, create local jobs and boost tourism and recreation.

Contributing: The Associated Press