Blog
A Banner Year for Acorns Boosts Oak Woodland Restoration Efforts
Hundreds of acres of oak woodland were drowned when the Klamath dams and subsequent reservoirs were created. So replanting tens of thousands of oak trees is a high priority after the four lower Klamath Dams come out and thousands of acres of now-submerged land are...
Observations from a First Time Klamath River Visitor
Here at Reconnect Klamath, we typically highlight the issues, people, and wildlife that are meaningful to communities who live throughout the Klamath Basin. Today’s blog is something a little different: observations from a first-time visitor to the region who toured...
Sedimentation and Dam Removal: Bringing a River Back to Life
Left: Bloede Dam, photo by American RiversRight: Patapsco River after Bloede Dam removal, photo by Jessie Thomas-BlateGuest Article by Dr. Ann Willis, California Regional Director for American Rivers One of the primary concerns when planning for dam removal is the...
Connecting Dam Removal, Indigenous Cultures, and Native Fishes
UC Davis Professors Beth Rose Middleton Manning and Robert Lusardi recently published a compelling piece in the online news publication “The Conversation.” In “Removing dams from the Klamath River is a step toward justice for Native Americans in Northern California,” the authors explore the connections between the removal of four Klamath river dams and the ways in which returning the river to health will benefit both the people who have called the Klamath Basin home since time immemorial and the fish populations that rely on the river for survival. Continue Reading Connecting Dam Removal, Indigenous Cultures, and Native Fishes
Implications of Sediment Release in the Klamath River
Beginning in January 2024, reservoir drawdown and removal of the four Lower Klamath Project dams will cause the release of impounded sediment into the Klamath River below the site of Iron Gate Dam and exposure of sediments in the reservoir footprints. Peak concentrations of sediment – mostly dead algae, clay and fine material the consistency of talcum powder – will occur in the first few months following drawdown of the reservoirs. Modeling of sediment transport shows that suspended sediment will tend to spike in January/February 2024, with a second spike in June/July of that year, tapering off afterwards. What does that mean for downriver communities, for fish, and for the entire Klamath River ecosystem? Continue Reading Implications of Sediment Release in the Klamath River
Why is Copco No. 2 Dam #1?
The Klamath Basin has been abuzz with the news that removal of the first of four Klamath River hydroelectric dams is well underway. Removal of Copco No. 2 dam is well underway and expected to be completed in September. Continue Reading Why is Copco No. 2 Dam #1?
Update on Copco No. 2
The deconstruction of Copco No. 2, the smallest of the four hydroelectric dams being removed from the Klamath River, is underway. This week, crews removed the gates, walkway, and two of the five bays down to the spillway. This work was done to direct waters around the dam, rather than over it, allowing construction crews to do work through the summer months. Continue Reading Update on Copco No. 2
A race to save endangered fish
Kick-off and safety meeting at Iron Gate ReservoirThey are called c’waam and koptu in the native tongue of the Klamath Tribes. They are two fish species that often live for decades, up to fifty years, and they have been an integral part of the diet and culture of...
Klamath Dam Removal Construction: What’s Happening, What’s Next
The Klamath River Renewal Corporation (KRRC) officially broke ground on the Klamath dam removal project on March 10. The dam removal contractor, Kiewit Infrastructure West (Kiewit), is in the field preparing for reservoir drawdown and dam removal in 2024. Kiewit is currently working on pre-drawdown construction work and the rest of 2023 will be spent on the early construction work necessary to prepare for drawdown of the reservoirs beginning in January 2024, followed by removal of the dams later in 2024. Continue Reading Klamath Dam Removal Construction: What’s Happening, What’s Next
When nature shouts, “Look at me!”
A superbloom doesn’t happen often, but when it does you can see it from space. Seeds that have long lain dormant in typically dry swaths of California soils explode in a wild splash of hues during unusually wet periods. And boy has 2023 been unusually wet! The stunning result in many places is a landscape painted with broad strokes of eye-popping color as drought-adapted species awaken from slumber. Continue Reading When nature shouts, “Look at me!”
Restoring the Klamath River: Science informs where future runs may go
On November 17 the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued the Final License Surrender Order for the Lower Klamath River Hydroelectric Project. With this final regulatory hurdle now crossed, the Klamath River Renewal Corporation and its local Tribal and nonprofit partners can remove the four lower Klamath River Dams located on both sides of the California/Oregon border over the next two years. Continue Reading Restoring the Klamath River: Science informs where future runs may go
A Case for Additional Conservation Program Capacity in the Klamath Basin
One key challenge contributing to large-scale ecological impairments facing the Upper Klamath Basin is the lack of voluntary landowner conservation program enrollment. Continue Reading A Case for Additional Conservation Program Capacity in the Klamath Basin
Will the Wolf Survive?
Wolves have returned to the Klamath Basin. Learn more about your new neighbors and how to share the landscape. Continue Reading Will the Wolf Survive?
A new storymap sheds light on the plight of Klamath Basin birds
Wetlands, Waterbirds, and Water: A visual journey through a century of change presents the history of the Klamath Basin from the perspective of the birds. Continue Reading A new storymap sheds light on the plight of Klamath Basin birds
Next Steps: The Scott River’s Coho Salmon
While the riddle of Scott River water management is far from solved, efforts are being made to manage water to allow for agricultural users to remain while ensuring the Scott can continue to play a fundamental role in Klamath Basin fisheries production. Continue Reading Next Steps: The Scott River’s Coho Salmon
A Place She’ll Never Part With…
Video interview with Hupa Tribal member Danielle Frank, Youth Coordinator, and former President of the Hoopa High School Water Protector Club. Continue Reading A Place She’ll Never Part With…
Dam Removal One Step Closer to Accomplishment
There is great news for those interested in the removal of four dams from the Lower Klamath River. Continue Reading Dam Removal One Step Closer to Accomplishment
Living Within Karuk Lands
Video interview with Phil Albers, Karuk Tribal TANF Cultural Activities Coordinator. Continue Reading Living Within Karuk Lands
Federal Funding Getting Closer to the Basin
The Federal Government is about to make the biggest investment in Klamath fisheries and water quality restoration efforts in history Continue Reading Federal Funding Getting Closer to the Basin
A Lifetime Along the Trinity River
Video interview with Hupa Tribal member Danielle Frank, Youth Coordinator, and former President of the Hoopa High School Water Protector Club. Continue Reading A Lifetime Along the Trinity River
Ishkêesh
Video interview with Maymi Preston-Donahue, a Karuk language teacher, mental health clinic intern ASW, MSW for Two Feathers Native American Family Services Klamath Basin. Continue Reading Ishkêesh
After the Dams Come Down
These are critically important steps towards ensuring the productivity of salmon runs throughout the basin and the ongoing ecological restoration of the Basin as a whole. But there’s more vitally important work to be done Continue Reading After the Dams Come Down
Life is Everywhere
Video interview with Phil Albers, Karuk Tribal TANF Cultural Activities Coordinator. Continue Reading Life is Everywhere
Get Involved in Your Culture
Video interview with Hupa Tribal member Danielle Frank, Youth Coordinator, and former President of the Hoopa High School Water Protector Club. Continue Reading Get Involved in Your Culture