Salmon controversy and proposed dam removal Klamath River

—pacific coast federation of fishermen s associations (2008)

historically, klamath river once third productive salmon river system in united states , after columbia , sacramento. eutrophication , raised water temperatures induced construction of dams have created worsening conditions migrating salmon, in years of drought. irrigation along upper klamath , shasta , scott rivers, along almost-total diversion of upper trinity river, have lowered total river flow supporting out-migrating young salmon in spring , in-migrating adult salmon in fall. in 1960s, project proposed divert entire klamath river central california , southern california, undertaking known klamath diversion, project defeated. have limited salmon last 12 miles (19 km) of entire river. in 2002, major fish kill took toll on river , tribes depend on it. more 34,000 salmonoids died alone, due low waters , poor hindsight, compassion, of in charge(pacificorp). in 2005, pacificorp applied federal government relicense 4 hydroelectric dams on klamath 50 years. environmentalists opposed relicensing, arguing dams should removed reopen upper klamath salmon.

cataraft on klamath river



flat water on klamath river

an agreement signed on february 18, 2010.

two years of closed-door negotiations among farmers, indian tribes, fishermen, conservation groups , government agencies had resulted in plan work toward detailed settlement of klamath water usage. called removal of 4 hydroelectric dams—the iron gate dam , copco dams 1 , 2 (in california), , john c. boyle dam (in oregon)—now operating along 300 miles (483 km) of klamath river, starting in year 2020, restoration projects. non-binding agreement in principle (aip) among 4 parties—pacificorp, federal government, california, , oregon—to remove 4 dams had been announced on november 13, 2008. pacificorp ratepayers fund part of plan , state of california fund of remaining projected cost. total cost around $800 million. agreement required federal government scientifically assess costs , benefits of dam removals, determine whether such action in public interest, , make final determination march 31, 2012, whether benefits of project justify costs, although deadline missed. local group, klamath county tea party patriots, formed oppose agreement, , succeeded in unseating local elected officials supportive of deal. on december 31, 2012, parties renewed agreement, providing more time federal, congressional, , california electorate approval finalize dam removal.

on april 4, 2013, u.s. department of interior released final environmental impact statement on plan, recommending removal of 4 dams , $1 billion in other environmental restoration aid native salmon runs on klamath. ron wyden, senior u.s. senator oregon, introduced klamath basin water recovery , economic restoration act of 2014, cosponsored fellow oregon senator jeff merkley , nevada senator dean heller.