A bird’s-eye view of the Klamath dam removals
Written by Michael Dotson
Recently, I had a bird’s-eye view of the largest river restoration project in this country’s history. Kestrels and red-tails flew next to us on a bluff above Irongate Dam, where we also spied their feathered brethren, a pair of great blue herons, in the concrete and algae below. When you drive east several miles from Interstate 5 at Hornbrook, California, Irongate is the first of four dams you come to that is part of the Lower Klamath Hydro Project. During a field trip, it’s where a group of farmers as well as fishing and river enthusiasts tuned into presentations from directors at the Klamath River Renewal Corporation (KRRC) and Resource Environmental Solutions (RES) - two entities overseeing a $450 million project that includes collaboration with several Tribes along the upper and lower Klamath River.
The largest dam removal in US history has been a long sought-after project for Tribes
A view of the Irongate dam and reservoir on the Klamath River. Credit: Michael Dotson
In order to restore and revive this stretch of the Klamath River, four dams have to be demolished first. Earlier this year, the first and smallest of four dams (Copco 2) came down. Long-time operator of the dams, PacifiCorp, will close down dam operations for the other three dams in early January 2024, and it’s expected that Irongate, Copco 1 and JC Boyle will be gone by summer and fall 2024. This stretch of the Klamath River will once again be connected to the ocean for the first time in 100 years!
It has taken decades of advocacy by Tribes like the Yurok and Karuk to get to this point, and it has taken collaboration by Tribes, utility companies, private interests, and public agencies to develop the 40 different management plans that guide the largest river restoration project in this nation’s history. One such management plan deals solely with the National Historical Preservation Act and the preservation of Indigenous artifacts or burial sites. At the moment, KRRC and RES are consulting with more than 14 Tribes across multiple states.
How will the dam removal impact local communities?
When you’re dealing with a project of this magnitude, there are bound to be snags in the plan. Folks are preparing for geologic and hydrological shifts given that homes and vacation rentals have been built along the reservoirs’ edges for decades. A mitigation fund has been set up to support locals impacted by the return of the river’s natural course. Impacted landowners can participate in a claims process associated with groundwater changes, rim stability, or flooding. Not everyone is happy with dam removal, nor will they be; but KRRC and RES are doing a lot of listening and learning, while reminding folks that they don’t have all the answers. Mother nature will dictate a lot. While demolition should wrap by the end of 2024, RES plans to be working and monitoring conditions with the project through 2031.
Once the dams come down on-the-ground restoration will begin shortly after. With more than 18 million cubic yards of sediment built up behind the dams, anywhere from 20-30% of that will work its way down river. The EPA has been monitoring the sediments in advance of their dispersal and have noted very little risk of these sediments carrying toxins. With the draining of the reservoirs, RES and Tribes have set out to collect more than 20 billion native plant seeds to disperse across a couple thousand acres of barren land that will no longer be inundated by water. There won’t be too much active restoration in the mainstem of the river, but we are likely to see woody debris placement and native seed planting initially.
How will this project affect aquatic species?
Jenny Creek (pictured here) is one of five tributaries slated for major restoration work once Irongate dam and the other remaining dams come down in 2024. Jenny Creek flows out of the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument in Oregon and flows into the backside of Irongate Reservoir in far northern California. After the dams come out, Jenny Creek will flow into the main stem of the Klamath River, with no man-made barriers blocking it from the ocean and anadromous fish. Credit: Michael Dotson
Active habitat restoration for anadromous fish will actually take place at the intersection of 5 main tributaries. In the next couple of years, RES will focus habitat restoration efforts at the mouths of Camp, Scotch, Jenny, Beaver, and Spencer Creeks. These were historic spawning grounds over a century ago, and everyone is excited to see the salmon return. However, no one can guarantee they will return. KRRC and RES know how important the salmon are to the Tribes and people of the Klamath River watershed, and they are excited to advance a restoration project that sets the stage for the salmon’s return. Since the project spans both California and Oregon, both states are handling separate salmon reintroduction plans. Natural reintroduction seems the way to go for Oregon, while California Department of Fish and Wildlife is currently offering alternatives in their plan using “assisted” migration. The existing Irongate fish hatchery will become a casualty of the dam’s removal, and there are plans to restore a hatchery at Fall Creek upriver. Built in 1919, the Fall Creek hatchery last saw operation in 2003, but will be revived on a limited, 8-year operating schedule.
I hope to have more opportunities to share progress on this project, as dam removal and river restoration takes place along the Klamath River. I am excited to return to the area with friends and colleagues (when it’s appropriate to do so) and check out the progress of restoration efforts at the five key tributaries, several of which originate in the vicinity of the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument. While many are focused on the return of salmon to this stretch of river, we were reminded to be patient and appreciate what the restoration can do for a wide range of species. Steelhead, lamprey, western pond turtles, and foothills yellow-legged frogs are all species of concern in the project, as is the elusive pollinator, the Franklin’s bumblebee.
You can keep a close eye on Klamath River dam removal, restoration efforts, and management plans from KRRC and RES; or through Indigenous-led conservation organizations like Ridges to Riffles. I would also like to thank Angelina Cook with the Friends of the Shasta River and California Sportfishing Protection Alliance for organizing a field trip with leaders from KRRC and RES.