VICTORY- Klamath Dam Removal Underway

On November 17, 2023, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued the final approval for the removal of the lower four Klamath River dams. Dam removal activities are officially underway!

Klamath dam removal is the largest salmon restoration project in history. It will re-open hundreds of miles of historical salmon habitat, improve water quality, and allow one of the world’s greatest salmon rivers to recover. 

Klamath dam removal is a massive victory for Klamath Tribal communities and their allies who fought for decades to make this day a reality. Tribal leaders and activists traveled the globe, fighting energy companies, confronting investors, and gathering allies.

The Yurok, Karuk, Hoopa, and Klamath Tribes have subsisted on Klamath salmon since the beginning of time. Since colonization, dams, diversions, destructive logging practices, and fire exclusion have led to a 95% decline of Klamath salmon. In 2002, dams and diversions led to a massive fish kill that left over 68,000 adult salmon dead before spawning. This traumatic event sparked a campaign led by Tribal communities throughout the Klamath Basin demanding the removal of four Klamath River dams. Twenty years later, dam removal has been approved.

Congratulations to all the leaders, activists, and supporters of this massive win for Tribal communities and everyone else who cares about healthy fisheries, clean water, and social justice!

Explore this historic tribally led grassroots effort through these interactive StoryMaps.

The Path To Dam Removal

Klamath Salmon Runs Before The Dams