Sooooo...

[MThompson]

with these dams starting to come down on the Klamath, what will the river look like this fall? Next fall? I know it's been in bad shape the last few years with drought and burn scars but is there a chance we'll be able to fish it this fall?

[cutthroat22]

Copco #2 has been removed but the other three dams including the lowermost dam (Iron Gate) are scheduled for removal in 2024. In short, dam removal will not impact fishing this fall. Next fall? We'll see how the schedule and associated impacts pan out. Fires are an unknown as we are still in the middle of fire season. As we've seen, one big fire followed by a big storm can be a game changer.

[Jeff F]

From what I've heard, the big slide that mucked things up last year is no longer causing clarity issues. The river is clear all the way down to the Glen. And I haven't heard of any algae issues either. I understand that the powers that be will be soon increasing flows into the Trinity to cool the Klamath a bit. It's at 69 deg this week, which is actually pretty standard for this time of year. No heat waves up there in the forecast, so it should stay cool-ish for a while. Word is there was a push of adult summer fish a couple weeks ago, and a bunch of fall half-pounders. So there should be fish spread throughout the river.

The fire up that way is by the Tish Tang area on the Trinity, southeast of Hoopa. So it's not affecting the Klamath. Fingers crossed we have no more fires up there.

I'm actually heading up there next weekend for 4 days. I'll post a report when I get back. I've had some epic days in the past the first week of September. So we shall see......

~Jeff

[TahoeJoe]

I heard from someone working near the Trinity yesterday that it was running dark brown. It's probably due to rain on burn scars and flow increases for the Hoopa boat dance. Apparently, it rained a bunch up high but not down in Hoopa. That'll make the Klamath murky below Weichpec. Hopefully, it clears up quickly.

I'm waiting for a report on Klamath conditions up by Orleans. It may be better there.

[Jeff F]

I heard from someone working near the Trinity yesterday that it was running dark brown. It's probably due to rain on burn scars and flow increases for the Hoopa boat dance. Apparently, it rained a bunch up high but not down in Hoopa. That'll make the Klamath murky below Weichpec. Hopefully, it clears up quickly.

I'm waiting for a report on Klamath conditions up by Orleans. It may be better there.

I'm fishing around Orleans next week. I'll let you know.

~Jeff

[Jeff F]

From today's Kenny Priest North Coast report:

Lower Klamath
Flows on the lower Klamath are peaking Wednesday following the releases from Lewiston last Friday. As of Wednesday, flows were 5,220 cfs and leveling off. Reportedly, there is muddy water headed downriver from the Happy Camp area from the flash floods over the weekend. When that hits, it will be a few days before the river will be fishable again.

[TahoeJoe]

My sources confirm the same. The Klamath was "nasty" at Orleans yesterday. And, firelines are being cut close to Orleans to protect town from the Pearch fire as it continues to grow.

I'm hoping it all clears out in a couple of weeks but I'm not holding my breath. Maybe the Rogue is faring better? 199 has been closed so the lower Rogue might be interesting.

[Brian Clemens]

Please check water Temps before fishing mid to lower K. Orleans 70deg Klamath Glen 69. Klamath Glen will go back up after T flows come back down.

[Jeff F]

My sources confirm the same. The Klamath was "nasty" at Orleans yesterday. And, firelines are being cut close to Orleans to protect town from the Pearch fire as it continues to grow.

I'm hoping it all clears out in a couple of weeks but I'm not holding my breath. Maybe the Rogue is faring better? 199 has been closed so the lower Rogue might be interesting.

Pearch Fire? Oh no! Didn't know about that one. Well since I was planning on camping at Pearch Ck, looks like yet another Klamath trip down the tubes. 4th year in a row.

[TaylerW]

Until it rains and nighttime temps drop dramatically really no one should be fishing. Some very well known outfitters are down there fishing clients is 70 degree water….,

[Brian Clemens]

You know me Tayler, I won't be one of them.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Until it rains and nighttime temps drop dramatically really no one should be fishing. Some very well known outfitters are down there fishing clients is 70 degree water….,

October is my favorite month, on average.

By then the water is cool enough and the Steelhead can sit in the tail outs.

[cutthroat22]

In response to the original questions about impacts from dam removal on future fishing here is something from yesterday's KRRC newsletter:

What does that mean for downriver communities, for fish, and for the entire Klamath River ecosystem?

The good news is that the composition of the sediment has been extensively tested, and the results are reassuring. The US Environmental Protection Agency noted that, “...reservoir sediments contained generally low levels of chemical contaminants, were not acutely toxic, and were relatively homogenous. As such, it was determined at the time that the unavoidable release of sediments upon removal of the dams would not result in unacceptable adverse impacts in relation to any of the several exposure pathways evaluated.” Years of testing since early work in 2020 did not reveal any substantive new information. In short, the sediment is not a concern for human health.

However, the river will be very muddy for the first several months after dam removal, and more cloudy than usual for up to two years after the construction crews demobilize. The high turbidity and sharp reduction in dissolved oxygen will have a short-term negative impact on aquatic life as a plume of sediment moves downriver before it washes out to the ocean and dissipates.

But regulatory agencies agree that the short-term pain will lead to long-term gains for both the ecosystem and people. The impacts to Coho salmon and other fish will be minimized by timing reservoir drawdown to avoid major fish runs (while fish are safe at sea or in tributary habitats), and there will also be a Coho collection and relocation effort. Sediment transport modeling shows that suspended sediment will tend to return to baseline conditions by 2026 with successful establishment of vegetation in the reservoir footprint areas. So, while people who live along the Klamath River will see short-term river impacts that will affect fishing and recreation opportunities, the long-term results of dam removal are expected to very positive for water quality and for healthier, more robust fish runs.

[Al Baltz]

Cutty 22, thanks for sharing this. I've been curious about the silt and sediment that has built up over the years. I'm glad that it is perceived as non toxic to people, but wont it tend to silt up the spawning gravel?
I'm glad the project is finally underway. Short term pain for long term gain is right.

[John H]

I have not been there the last two years because of water conditions. Sounds like sediment could be a problem for a couple of years and I might need to give it a rest and come back in 2026. That seems like such a long way off. Maybe by the time the reservoir sediment moves through the water temperature will be down, the algae will be dead and the steelhead will be thriving. We might even have some salmon by then also. I guess we’ll see. Hopefully nobody screws the whole thing up.

[cutthroat22]

I have not been there the last two years because of water conditions. Sounds like sediment could be a problem for a couple of years and I might need to give it a rest and come back in 2026. That seems like such a long way off. Maybe by the time the reservoir sediment moves through the water temperature will be down, the algae will be dead and the steelhead will be thriving. We might even have some salmon by then also. I guess we’ll see. Hopefully nobody screws the whole thing up.

I wouldn't give up on fall of 2023 or 2024. The impacts from dam removal are likely to begin in winter 2024. Keep an eye on fires, flows and turbidity.