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Klamath Dam Removal Deal Back on Track!

On the afternoon of November 17th, an agreement was made regarding the Klamath dam removal.

New Deal Brokered to Remove Klamath Dams | News Blog
The Irongate Dam on the Klamath, Photo Courtesy of Thomas Dunklin

For background information on the dam removal, click here for our last blog post on it. Otherwise, continue reading!

A deal had already been struck between PacifiCorp and the Klamath River Renewal Corporation (KRRC), but a major roadblock hit when the courts agreed to let KRRC remove the dams provided that PacifiCorp would stay partially responsible for any mishaps during demolition.

Luckily, the deal has been resealed. The states of California and Oregon, Yurok and Karuk tribes, PacifiCorp, Berkshire Hathaway, and the KRRC agreed to ensure that the dam deconstruction begins in 2022. This new agreement puts the necessary deconstruction back on track, and anglers are optimistic that it will largely benefit the diminishing salmon runs on the Klamath.

The Klamath, with its six dams that prohibit salmon and steelhead runs from reaching its upper basin, is going to be restored. America’s largest-ever dam removal project will be completed, and the dwindling Klamath salmon runs and entire river ecosystem will have the opportunity for recovery.

A big thank you to all those who participated in advocating for this removal project!

Ryan Rintala | Social Media @mattheronflyfishing

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