Video: Lessons from the Klamath River
What’s the key to one of our nation’s most significant river restoration efforts? Collaboration. Learn about what makes the Klamath so special in this interview with Steve Rothert, California director at American Rivers.
For nearly 100 years, dams on the Klamath have blocked salmon and steelhead from reaching hundreds of miles of habitat, and have harmed water quality for people and wildlife. Four dams – J.C. Boyle, Copco No. 1, Copco No. 2 and Iron Gate – built between 1908 and 1962, will soon be coming down. This river restoration project that will have lasting benefits for the river, salmon and communities throughout the Klamath Basin.
American Rivers and more than 40 stakeholders – including tribes, irrigators, commercial fishing interests and conservationists – helped craft the original Klamath agreements to remove the dams, restore habitat and resolve decades-long water management disputes.
Dam removal will restore access to more than 300 miles of habitat for salmon. It will also improve water quality – currently, toxic algae in the reservoirs behind the dams threatens the health of people as well as fish.
Read more about why this dam removal and river restoration effort will be one of the most significant the world has ever seen.
