PacifiCorp Agrees to Full Terms of Klamath Dams Removal
PacifiCorp Agrees to Full Terms of Klamath Dams Removal
PacifiCorp and Warren Buffet have agreed to the full terms of dam removal on the Klamath River, thus clearing a major obstacle in the long, concerted effort to restore one of California’s largest watersheds. This monumental decision validates decades of work on the part of more than 40 partner organizations, including the Karuk, Yurok, and Klamath Tribes, the states of California and Oregon, and commercial fishing and conservation groups.
“It’s great to see the project continuing to move forward. Big dam removals take time. It’s been 20 years since this process of assessing the dams started. It’s been 100 plus years since Klamath salmon, which tribal communities depend upon, had access to the upper basin. This latest agreement all but paves the way for the largest river restoration project in US history to finally be completed.”
– Curtis Knight, Executive Director, California Trout
Warren Buffet’s support as one of the most world‘s most successful investors signals to the conservation world that he is fully invested in the health of the Klamath River and communities that depend on it.
California Governor Gavin Newsom, Oregon Governor Kate Brown, as well as representatives of dam owner PacifiCorp, the Karuk and Yurok Tribes, and the Klamath River Renewal Corporation announced today a Memorandum of Agreement that clears the way for the final steps of Klamath dam removal.
This agreement comes after the July decision from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved the partial transfer of ownership of the lower four Klamath River dams from PacifiCorp to the Klamath River Renewal Corporation (KRRC) for the purpose of removal.
Removing the Klamath dams will open more than 300 miles of spawning and rearing habitat for salmon and steelhead. It will also be the first time the Klamath will flow freely in over a century and start the healing process for the watershed and the communities that depend on it.
6 Comments
No doubt one of the most exciting bit of news. What a victory for everyone’s hard work. They should be proud of their marvelous commitment. Thank you and thanks from future generations.
Congratulations and thank you to all parties.
This is truly monumental, and I believe ESSENTIAL to the health of our ecosystem and will aid in giving one of the earths most vital renewable sources! With the salmon specifically, being the species responsible for feeding more different species of living creatures than any other food source on the planet, this project will be pivotal in the continued survival of many other species along the Klamath basin, and humans nationwide!
With all of the natural and human-created pressures placed on the life cycle of the salmon today, this is one giant step toward giving this precious commodity a fighting chance for future generations. Now, if other states and regions will just acknowledge the positive impact of this project, maybe Mother Earth will begin healing!
I hope this is a model for all the other dams in the PNW and globally
Thank you! Congratulations
I live on the Williamson river in chiloquin..my life and flyfishing just got much better..