Sooooo...

[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.