Final Step in Klamath River Dam Removal Opens Path for Returning Salmon
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NOAA Fisheries led coordination efforts to protect water quality.
Heavy equipment removed the final obstacle separating the Klamath River from the Pacific Ocean on Tuesday. The reconnected river was turbid but remained safe for fish after crews took steps to avoid erosion and impacts to water quality.
“These final dam removal steps set the stage for salmon to return to reclaimed habitat and expand their population recovery,” said Jim Simondet, NOAA Fisheries West Coast Region Klamath Branch Supervisor.
The final step in removing the Klamath dams involved dismantling a final cofferdam that temporarily diverted the river to allow for deconstruction activities.
In advance of that step, NOAA Fisheries convened a forum called the Fisheries Coordination Team to discuss how to best protect fish and water quality. It included experts from tribes, states, and other federal agencies. The team provided technical recommendations to manage water quality impacts, such as those observed earlier in the year when the reservoirs were initially drained. Crews used a strategy of releasing sediment and organic material that muddied the river but avoided a decline in dissolved oxygen that could have otherwise harmed fish.
The Coordination Team developed recommendations for the Klamath River Renewal Corporation, which is responsible for completing the dam removal project. The team advised the KRRC to consider using methods that would release the material in a controlled way prior to the complete removal of the cofferdam.
