PHOENIX — Last week, the final dam of four that had threatened salmon populations along the Klamath River, which forms the California-Oregon border, was taken down. This marks a huge win for tribes and environmental advocates who have worked tirelessly for decades to bring the river back to life.

Brook Thompson, a member of the Yurok Tribe, was just 7 years old when she witnessed the devastating fish kill on the Klamath River in 2002. Now at 28, she recalls that moment vividly.

“Seeing thousands of fish the same size as me floating dead in the river was heartbreaking,” she said.

This tragic event ignited Thompson, along with many others from the Yurok, Karuk, Hupa, and Klamath Tribes, to embark on a 20-year journey aimed at saving the Klamath River. Their primary objective: remove the four dams that obstructed the river’s natural flow and fostered toxic algae, which led to the devastating fish deaths in 2002.

This past Tuesday, the last barrier was breached, restoring the Klamath to its natural course. The coffer dams that had redirected water from the last two aging hydroelectric dams being torn down were finally taken down, allowing the river to flow freely once more and reopening access to approximately 400 miles of critical salmon spawning and nursery habitats.

People who protect the river and salmon celebrated and shed tears of joy as the coffer dams at Iron Gate and Copco I were dismantled, allowing the river to pour through its ancient channel. This moment represents a turning point in a more than two-decade struggle to reduce the presence of dams and restore the river as part of the largest dam removal project in U.S. history.

It represents the start of a new chapter in efforts to revitalize the Klamath Basin.

Healing the River and Indigenous Communities

The Klamath River has suffered from over a century of mismanagement and injustices directed at tribal communities. This included the construction of dams on sacred Shasta Nation lands, reconstructing the Upper Klamath Basin for agriculture, and altering a vital tributary, which resulted in an influx of phosphorus contaminating Upper Klamath Lake and consequently the river below.

As fish populations, including salmon, were deprived of hundreds of miles of peaceful waters crucial for laying eggs and juvenile fish to flourish, their numbers plummeted by about 95%. This decline prompted the federal government to implement protections for certain salmon species.

As the salmon populations dwindled, the morale of the Native peoples who have lived alongside the Klamath for countless generations also declined. Salmon is deeply interwoven into the culture of the Yurok, Hupa, Karuk, Shasta, Klamath, Modoc, and Yahooskin Paiute peoples, who have measured their lives by the cycles of spring and fall salmon runs. With a diet that included other vital foods such as acorns, berries, and coastal seaweed, the well-being of the Klamath’s human inhabitants relied heavily on the health of the river.

The presence of these dams, paired with fire suppression, excessive industrial activity in the forests, and the alteration of water flow in the basin, have had significant negative effects on the river. The loss of traditional lifestyles and access to nourishing foods led to a rise in despair, with increasing rates of suicide, domestic violence, substance abuse, and health issues related to poor nutrition within tribal communities. Thompson noted that several friends of hers did not make it to their 30s.

Jeff Mitchell, a member of the Klamath Tribes who has been involved with his tribe in various roles for over five decades, mentioned that his community had been striving to raise awareness about these issues for nearly two decades prior.

“The dams completely depleted our fish populations and deteriorated the quality of our water,” he explained. A significant portion of the tribe’s diet depended on salmon, steelhead, and other fish, Mitchell stated.

In addition, governmental procedures such as altering the Sprague River and draining its wetlands resulted in substantial amounts of phosphorus flowing into Upper Klamath Lake, which already faced elevated phosphorus levels.

Excessive nutrient levels, known as hypereutrophic conditions, along with the decision to drain wetlands for agricultural purposes, created a toxic environment that was harmful to many fish species, particularly the c’waam and koptu. These algae blooms devastated essential habitat and increased the vulnerability of juvenile fish to predation by larger fish.

Both species of sucker fish hold significant cultural and nutritional importance for the Klamath Tribes. They are on the brink of extinction and are classified as endangered under the Endangered Species Act.

Mitchell, along with other tribal leaders throughout the river, dedicated their efforts to promoting awareness about the interconnectedness of the entire basin for many years, often without much success.

Then in 2002, around 70,000 salmon died in a historic fish kill caused by toxic algae that was released into the river from the dams that produced the harmful algae. Following this tragedy, the tribes united in their determination to restore their river and their well-being.

The “Undam the Klamath” initiative was launched over the next 20 years with the goal of dismantling the dams and reviving salmon populations. Tribal members, environmental activists, and their allies passionately filled legislative chambers, corporate offices, and government agencies to advocate for the removal of the dams.

In November 2023, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission granted final approval for the removal of the lower four Klamath River dams, with the deconstruction process commencing soon after. Additionally, the Link River Dam and the Keno Dam, situated further upstream, have already been outfitted with fish ladders.

The removal of the final coffer dams provides salmon and other migratory fish with an uninterrupted route to Upper Klamath Lake, the Sprague River, and the Williamson River.

What Comes Next After Dam Removal

The last phase of demolition, which includes some remaining infrastructure along the riverbank, is expected to be completed by the end of September. Resource Environmental Solutions is embarking on a project to rehabilitate lands and tributary creek beds that were previously inundated with often algae-filled waters, a process that will span several years. This initiative aims to restore the river’s health by clearing its channels and creating new salmon redds, or nursery nests.

Thompson mentioned that the dam removal has inspired the youth of the tribe, stating, “They can see that the tribe is making progress and understand their potential role in solutions.”

Furthermore, the Shasta Indian Nation is looking forward to celebrating a new agreement with California, which involves the restoration of 2,800 acres of land reclaimed from the reservoir, land that was taken during the early 20th century for dam construction.

A spokesperson from the Klamath River Restoration Corporation reported that the surge of water has carried away some silt and old algae, temporarily reducing water quality. However, they assured that the river will quickly wash away this small amount of debris. Thus far, salmon downstream have not shown any adverse effects from this impure water.

While celebrating the dismantling of the dams, Mitchell emphasized the need for ongoing efforts to ensure salmon, steelhead, and other migratory fish regain their significance in the diet of the Klamath Tribes by allowing them to return to their historical spawning grounds. He also stressed the importance of maintaining a vibrant and healthy Klamath River Basin.

“It’s essential to provide the fish with a true home,” he remarked. “Everything in this system is interconnected.”

Debra Krol covers Indigenous communities where climate, culture, and commerce intersect in Arizona and the Intermountain West. To contact Krol, email debra.krol@azcentral.com or follow her on Twitter @debkrol.