Why is the US getting rid of dams from its rivers?

In a remarkable undertaking, the United States is embarking on a significant dam removal project aimed at restoring rivers and revitalizing salmon runs. The largest dam removal project in American history is currently underway on the Klamath River, along the Oregon-California border in the western Rockies.

This ambitious effort seeks to reinstate the natural flow of rivers, enhance fish habitats, and restore ecosystems in collaboration with Native American tribes.

The movement

The United States has witnessed over 2,000 dam removals so far, with a majority occurring in the last 25 years, reflecting a growing national consensus to restore the natural flow of rivers.

• The recent focus has been on the Klamath River, where four hydroelectric dams were built starting in 1918 to generate electricity.

After decades of work, “the Klamath salmon are coming home,” said Yurok Chairman Joseph James. The USA’s largest-ever dam removal + river restoration will impact four dams in the Klamath Basin + is a massive win for sovereignty. 💧💪🏽 #Sovereignty #Salmonhttps://t.co/b63FDnGhbh

— NativeGov (@NativeGov) November 30, 2022

• These dams disrupted the river's natural flow and severely impacted the lifecycle of salmon, which is culturally and spiritually significant to several Native American tribes in the region.
• In 2022 alone, the authorities in 20 different states undertook the removal of 65 dams as part of their initiatives to restore the connectivity of streams and rivers.

The project

• The $500 million Klamath Dam removal project, overseen by the Klamath River Renewal Corporation, involves complex planning and execution.
• Crews have started razing the smallest of the four dams, using the drill-and-shoot method. The remaining three dams are scheduled for demolition in early 2024.
• The process will follow a staged removal approach, taking advantage of winter's biological dormancy to minimise environmental impact during the sediment release.
• The construction of dams to meet energy requirements, significantly affected the salmon population, reducing it to less than 10% of its original volume in the region. As the fishes from the Pacific make way for the upper reaches of the river during winter to lay eggs, the dams did not let the fishes get far.

'Removal of the four Klamath River dams will be the largest dam removal project in the history of USA and the largest salmon restoration project ever'

"Dam removal will open 400+/- miles of habitat for fish that has been inaccessible for over 100 years"https://t.co/88STZrRtsD

— Wynn Lare (@RippleCreekNW) July 9, 2023

• Last year (2022), a warmer summer, low water flow and a bacterial outbreak in the river killed thousands of Chinook Salmons.
• This alarming decline not only threatened the livelihoods of local communities that historically relied on salmon as a vital resource but also endangers other wildlife dependent on this keystone species.
• Additionally, the dams contributed to water quality issues, leading to toxic blue-green algae blooms during warmer months due to trapped nutrient-rich water in shallow reservoirs.

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Natives and Klamath

• For decades, Native American tribes, including the Karuk, Yurok, Shasta, and Klamath, have been advocating for the restoration of the Klamath River.
• The salmon holds deep cultural and historical significance for these tribes, making the restoration efforts important to preserving their way of life and traditional practices.
• With their extensive knowledge of the region's ecology, tribals have been actively involved in gathering nearly 17 billion native seeds belonging to 98 native species and contributing to the river's rejuvenation.

The future

• After the dams are removed, the restoration project extends to a 2,200-acre footprint behind the dams, needing the growth of native vegetation and enhanced habitat for salmon and other species.
• The success of this restoration effort depends on the synergy between tribal ecological knowledge and Western scientific expertise.
• If successful, the project is expected to reconnect more than 643 km of the river, paving the way for the revival of salmon runs and the ecosystem as a whole. 

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The Klamath River restoration serves as a beacon of hope, showing the power of deconstruction in shaping a sustainable future for both the environment and indigenous communities.