October 4, 2024 — Salmon watchers in the Pacific Northwest are warning it could take at least a decade for fish in the Lower Klamath River to recover following the nation’s largest-ever dam removal.
The breaching of four hydroelectric dams restored more than 400 miles of free-flowing waterway to the region and came after decades of negotiations among a host of parties, including tribal nations, states, the federal government, a power company and nonprofits.
Months of aggressive demolition allowed the Klamath River to return to its main channel for the first time in more than a century in August, as work continued through Wednesday to remove hydropower facilities and other remaining infrastructure.