Hundreds of Salmon Are Spawning Above The 4 Recently Dismantled Klamath River Dams

More than one hundred salmon and even a few steelhead are now spawning in Klamath River tributaries above the recently dismantled dams for the first time in 60 and 112 years. Salmon are spawning in the mainstem of the river above the dams too.
It is extremely exciting to see fish begin to recolonize upper river and its tributaries. Although we are already seeing benefits from dam removal, it will take several years for salmon and steelhead runs to recover from a century of dams. Revegetation and habitat restoration projects are ongoing in the former reservoir footprints.
With the dams out of the way, the Yurok Tribe, other local tribes and conservation groups are working on the second phase of a coordinated effort to restore the upper basin. For several decades, anadromous fish species did not factor into natural resources management and infrastructure development decisions above the former dams. These actions negatively impacted parts of what were historically the most productive spawning streams, such as Shovel Creek. With funds from NOAA, the Yurok Tribe, Karuk Tribe, Shasta Nation, Modoc Nation and Klamath Tribes of Oregon, in partnership with Trout Unlimited, are currently working on plans to holistically restore sections of multiple tributaries in the coming years.
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