… Damming a river is always a partisan act. Even when explicit infrastructure goals—irrigation, flood control, electrification—were met, other consequences were significant and often deleterious. … Still, something profound is unfolding along the Klamath River, a waterway that flows out of Oregon into northern California before emptying into the Pacific. There, the largest such project in U.S. history has successfully de-constructed four large dams, restoring the river’s unimpeded flow, and begun the slow, careful work of restoring the habitat. The removals are the result of decades of advocacy by Native Americans, including members of the Yurok, Karuk, Hoopa, and Klamath tribes. Their ancestral homelands were once host to some of the most plentiful salmon runs in the world, but by the end of the twentieth century, fish populations dropped precipitously—in some cases, nearing extinction.

Other Klamath River news:

• ICT News: Indigenous youth complete 310-mile Klamath River journey
• Ashland News (Ore.): Feeling of pride, relief for Klamath River paddlers