Happening much sooner than expected, Salmon have returned to the Klamath Basin, after a century's absence.
The removal of the four dams along the upper Klamath is the largest removal in U.S. History. The goals of this Herculean effort were to support evolution fish passage and other species past the former dam sites and to improve water quality.
Last week, experts and partners from the Klamath River Renewal Corporation( KRRC), the Tribes, non-profit government agencies and other public agencies hosted a webinar on monitoring fish returns post-Klamath dam removal.
Hope you’ll pardon the phrase, the collaborative report went “swimmingly” well.”
A yellow-ragged Chinook was observed in the upper Klamath basin, far past the dams, in Oregon. In mid-October a full-run Chinook salmon was identified by the Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife, above the recently-demolished J.C. Boyle Dam. The lucky Chinook was the first fish to return to the Klamath basin since 1912.
The Chinook may have traveled some 225 miles from the Pacific to reach the Klamath tributary. The reality of Chinook, Coho, Pacific Lamprey and Steelhead Trout follows a twenty year advocacy in successfully removing the dams and opening up the river for unfettered access from the Pacific and the entire length of The Klamath.