The Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations recently outlined why “alternative options” to dam removal are unfeasible: “A trap and haul program to get migrating fish around the dams . . . is an attempted engineering fix to what is fundamentally a biological problem. Geologically, most of the river between the dams flows through very deep, sharply incised basaltic rock formations and there are no good road transportation routes, nor good collection points for constructing fish trapping facilities, within PacifiCorp properties. Much of the river involved is also classed as ‘wild and scenic’ and public lands, a legal classification which would prohibit such constructions. Also, while it might be possible to trap some in-migrating adult salmon, trapping and hauling elusive out-migrating juvenile salmon over several weeks each year, collecting for different species with different migration patterns throughout the year, would be exceptionally difficult to do en mass. Furthermore, such trap and haul programs require handling and hauling fish in unnatural conditions that create much higher stress and disease related mortality rates than would occur through natural, volitional migration.”

Read more here: elibrary.ferc.gov/eLibrary/filelist?accession_num=20210820-5022 ... See more

“The river was cut by the world's great flood and runs over rocks from the basement of time. On some of the rocks are timeless raindrops. Under the rocks are the words, and some of the words are theirs."
- Norman Maclean, “A River Runs Through It” And Other Stories


Learn more about the epic effort to restore the Klamath River at klamathrenewal.org ... See more

“Why was the license transfer from PacifiCorp to KRRC and States not subject to the provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)?”

In issuing the June 17, 2021 “Order Approving Transfer of License,” the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission said this: “The Commission’s regulations provide that license transfers are categorically excluded from NEPA’s requirement to prepare an environmental analysis . . . Because the transfer will result in no additional environmental impacts and is merely an administrative action, there are no environmental effects for the Commission to analyze under NEPA related to the transfer application. The Commission will comply with NEPA and fully consider environmental impacts associated with the proposed decommissioning and removal before making a decision on the surrender application.”

It is thus in the surrender proceeding (which is still ongoing) that FERC will review KRRC’s detailed plan for removal of the structures, restoration of the reservoir footprints, mitigation plans and related matters. The transfer proceeding was merely about ownership. A mere change in ownership does not create an environmental impact, hence there was nothing for FERC to analyze under NEPA during that process.

Please keep those questions coming! You might also wish to visit our FAQ page at klamathrenewal.org/faqs/ ... See more

“How can Coho salmon be endangered when I can buy them at the grocery store?”

You can’t buy Klamath River Coho at the grocery store. Klamath River Coho are a population unit of the Southern Oregon/Northern California Coast (SONCC) Coho salmon, and are listed as “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) because of low populations numbers. They are genetically different from commercially-harvested Coho salmon. Klamath Coho are adapted to live in the unique habitat and conditions of this region and are best suited to adapt to changes in their environment due to their genetic diversity. Dam removal is an opportunity to rebuild Klamath Coho stocks by improving water quality and returning historic river and tributary habitat currently cut off by the dams. Commercial harvest of non-threatened, non-Klamath Coho salmon primarily occurs in Alaska where most populations are considered healthy.

We love to answer your questions, so keep them coming! You can email us at info@klamathrenewal.org ... See more

“The fish leave the territory of the Yurok, who have been here for thousands of years. They move forward in the Klamath through deep, spectacular gorges that crease uplifted granite mountains. Sixty-six miles upriver, the Salmon River bustles in to join the Klamath. The river used to be famous for its surfeit of thousands of chinook each spring. This year biologists counted 95 fish.” -- https://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/2021/1018/Untaming-a-river-The-stakes-behind-America-s-largest-dam-removal ... See more