Klamath River dam removals restore flow and salmon for Oregon‑California tribes

Four hydroelectric dams on the Klamath River, built between 1918 and the mid‑20th century, have been demolished, allowing the river to resume its natural flow. The removal has begun to reverse decades of temperature increases, sediment blockage and habitat loss that had driven out iconic Chinook salmon.

Indigenous groups—the Yurok, Karuk and Hoopa tribes—have led the restoration effort, seeing the return of salmon as a revival of their cultural and economic ties to the river. The project is cited as a model for other waterway clean‑ups worldwide, though comparable successes such as the Thames River required extensive, costly works.