Klamath River

[Wandering Sagebrush]

The Federal Courts have approved the removal of the four dams that block anadromous fish (salmon, sturgeon) from being able to return to sites over most of their historic spawning territory.


https://www.opb.org/article/2022/11/18/klamath-river-dam-removal-southern-oregon-dams-northern-california-drought/

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

Read the story this morn in the SF paper.
Sure is great news for all involved.
Frank

 

[buckland]

When I read it I was amazed it went through but then at the end it was too expensive for them to do the augmentations to provide passage for fish as it is now. Good example of "incentive" to cooperate. What a great legacy for those that made this happen. I live near one of the most dammed river. The Deerfield. A beautiful river that was once so thick with Atlantic salmon you could almost walk across. Our village is called Shelburne Falls but was called Salmon Falls for centuries. It was dammed. Trout is still there but I think there are 20 small dams on it's length making Salmon nearly impossible. They do have agreements for timed releases and minimal flow rates. I would love to see these removed though.

 

[AWG_Pics]

A net good result. The fish are getting hammered by high water temperatures and various consequent diseases. Though hard on irrigators, it is a positive for many, including the electric utility, the tribes and the recreation and tourism economy. In the rush to build dams in every conceivable drainage, a fair amount of over building took place.

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

According to the article the only purpose for the dams was power generation.
Glad to see them on there way out.
Frank

 

[AWG_Pics]

It will take some time to heal the rivers, bogs, side channels and wetlands after dam removal. The healed land and water will not be the same as the pre-existing terrain that existed before the dams, but it will heal, be more natural and have a greater diversity of wild things. A good outcome all around.