Klamath River Dam Removal

[avidangler]

https://ktvz.com/news/government-politics/2020/11/17/klamath-river-deal-revives-plan-for-largest-us-dam-demolition/

[Trouter925]

I suppose there are those for and against. I'm excited to see what comes after the dams go... I hope me knees still work to be able to make a few epic Klamath trips in the coming years.

https://caltrout.org/news/pacificorp-agrees-to-full-terms-of-klamath-dams-removal

[avidangler]

It's exciting I can't wait to see how this changes things!

[JasonB]

This is huge! I can hardly wait

[Andy]

Very exciting they found a way around the wrench FERC threw into the process. It did push the timeline back, but not so far, if I stay fit and keep rowing, that I will still have a shot at steelhead where a bass pond once was and rowing through the old dam sites.

Andy

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

I think the one thing that is exciting is that World wide they are removing dams now and lots of stream restoration too.

I watch a lot of YouTube video and there are many of small dam removal with stream reservations to follow.

They are making many new wetlands and reclaiming marshes now too.

This has to be very good for the environment in many ways.....

[JayDubP]

I think the one thing that is exciting is that World wide they are removing dams now and lots of stream restoration too.

I watch a lot of YouTube video and there are many of small dam removal with stream reservations to follow.

They are making many new wetlands and reclaiming marshes now too.

This has to be very good for the environment in many ways.....



Also interesting is the "Fish Screen" system `developed by the Hood River Farmers' Co-op and licensed to the Farmers Conservation Alliance-- basically an extended and modernized "fish ladder". FCA already has 50 installations, the largest of which is the recently completed Truckee River fish screen which now allow Lahontan Cutthroat to move from Pyramid to Lake Tahoe.

The uniqueness seems to be making the fish "ladder" a lot longer which allows a gradual elevation and a patented method to direct fish to use the fish channel (ladder). Uses approximately the same amount of water as a fish ladder, so no real change to the dam, water level or the water diverted for irrigation.


Again, so far the Truckee is the largest river on which this has been installed. IF this "Fish Screen" can be used in large scale dams, it could provide faster solutions while eliminating most of the objections that removing dams face. It seems to be a workable solution for the huge dams on the Columbia, Snake and all the tributaries.

The need to acquire land to put in the longer fish channel would encounter obstacles and objections-- but those should be far less than the objections that dam removal faces. And the overall cost would be peanuts compared to removing a dam and compensating all the land owners, farmers, etc, etc, etc...


Jim

[Fishtopher]

Great news for the Klamath. Hopefully with the states of CA and OR on the hook for liability, that will be enough for FERC to approve license surrender. This has been a long time coming.

This removal is unique in that the fish passage issues are not the biggest barrier to recovery. Fish passage improvements are just a bonus. Instead conditions created by the reservoirs has resulted in major water quality issues downstream. With the dams removed, scientists estimate up to a 10 degree drop in summer water temperatures on the mainstem. In addition, higher winter flows should largely eliminate the polychaete worm that serves as a host to C. shasta. This should help juvenile salmonids immensely since their mortality in recent years has been above 90%, mostly due to disease.

Another bright spot of removal is that it should largely eliminate the blue-green algae problem which has resulted in no contact orders for people living along the river.

[Peter S]

Excited about this but there is 100 years of sediments behind those dams including some toxic mining waste. Its going to take time for the river to recover. Also I hope the tribes/locals are going to benefit from the remediation and restoration work.

[Trouter925]

Some good vids on the Elwha after dam removed. this one is interesting.
https://youtu.be/Pm9PBumcLzc

[JayDubP]

Great news for the Klamath. Hopefully with the states of CA and OR on the hook for liability, that will be enough for FERC to approve license surrender. This has been a long time coming.

This removal is unique in that the fish passage issues are not the biggest barrier to recovery. Fish passage improvements are just a bonus. Instead conditions created by the reservoirs has resulted in major water quality issues downstream. With the dams removed, scientists estimate up to a 10 degree drop in summer water temperatures on the mainstem. In addition, higher winter flows should largely eliminate the polychaete worm that serves as a host to C. shasta. This should help juvenile salmonids immensely since their mortality in recent years has been above 90%, mostly due to disease.

Another bright spot of removal is that it should largely eliminate the blue-green algae problem which has resulted in no contact orders for people living along the river.

Great post, very informative!

Jim

[Trouter925]

CalTrout had a Q&A session on the dam removal project a few days ago.

here's the link to the Q&A recording I was emailed (https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/play/rDqTo_oC0xViebPhq3XyqQE1dGHQiHmeGGXpLbV9QyiDgmSD3y pCf9xJwTHFf8VCjmKBHCMjsjx4xhhi.b7hf0VQFKOqe1PHx?ut m_source=California+Trout+List&utm_campaign=30c37f7faa-KLAMATH_QA_WEBINAR_RECAP&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_cf2a51cf18-30c37f7faa-300270869&mc_cid=30c37f7faa&mc_eid=7b8e3e72ea). hopefully it works.

[JayDubP]

CalTrout had a Q&A session on the dam removal project a few days ago.

here's the link to the Q&A recording I was emailed (https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/play/rDqTo_oC0xViebPhq3XyqQE1dGHQiHmeGGXpLbV9QyiDgmSD3y pCf9xJwTHFf8VCjmKBHCMjsjx4xhhi.b7hf0VQFKOqe1PHx?ut m_source=California+Trout+List&utm_campaign=30c37f7faa-KLAMATH_QA_WEBINAR_RECAP&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_cf2a51cf18-30c37f7faa-300270869&mc_cid=30c37f7faa&mc_eid=7b8e3e72ea). hopefully it works.

Good Stuff- thanks for informing us. Looks like it may actually happen.

Jim

[BumpBailey]

Another step closer!!! The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) yesterday approved the transfer of the Lower Klamath Project License from PacifiCorp to the Klamath River Renewal Corporation (KRRC) and the States of Oregon and California.

http://www.klamathrenewal.org/press-releases/

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Exciting......I hope I am still alive to witness it.

[John H]

The approval process is painfully slow. Government operations can be frustrating at times. Let’s break ground before something goes wrong and derails it.

[Digger]

I've heard the spiel from Kurtis Knight down here at a local Orvis store a couple years back.
and probably a couple years before that.
i think i got excited about this back in 2010.
And when they were finally removed in 2015... Oh wait, never happened.

Call me Buzz Kill, but this has been a next year thing, for over a decade.
It seems every year a step closer, but then they have to get another approval, another agreement, another signature, create another committee, almost as if no one really knows all of what has to happen.

these dams will still be standing in 2025, Jeeez just go in and set some charges and let it rip for God's sake.

[Bob Smith]

They are starting to award contracts for dam demolition and river restoration so I do think the dam removal will proceed sooner rather than later.

[Digger]

How's this going?
are they still there?

I'll check back next year

[Fishtopher]

FERC issued the final EIS today for removing the lower four mainstem Klamath dams, and is recommending that the FERC license be surrendered and the project decommissioned!

https://www.ferc.gov/news-events/news/ferc-staff-issues-final-environmental-impact-statement-lower-klamath-and-klamath

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Thanks........

[JayDubP]

I've heard the spiel from Kurtis Knight down here at a local Orvis store a couple years back.
and probably a couple years before that.
i think i got excited about this back in 2010.
And when they were finally removed in 2015... Oh wait, never happened.

Call me Buzz Kill, but this has been a next year thing, for over a decade.
It seems every year a step closer, but then they have to get another approval, another agreement, another signature, create another committee, almost as if no one really knows all of what has to happen.

these dams will still be standing in 2025, Jeeez just go in and set some charges and let it rip for God's sake.

I am with Bill on this- "hopefully in my lifetime."

I am hoping this is not like Charlie Brown trying to kick the football and every year for the past 40+ years Lucy has promised that she willing to take the ball away when he tries to kick it, and Charlie Brown and I are hopeful this will be the year....

I'd rather think it is just another step in a long journey and as Merle sang "someday we'll look back and say it was fun."

For you of who know not of what I speak- here is a link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiSDkXWQMdI

Keep safe and dry

Jim

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Thanks Jim...


Loved that song.......


I really love watching the YouTube videos of small defunct dams coming down all over the World now.

We just need to get as many river flowing completely wild, with no dams on them.

Then we need better Regs on those "born again" rivers.


There are lots of YouTube videos of stream restorations going on all over the World right now too.