After a 15 year campaign by Tribes, fishermen, environmentalist, and local residents to restore the Klamath River salmon, the Klamath dams are set to come down. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is processing a dam removal license, Oregon has issued a dam removal permit and California is taking comments on their dam removal 401 permit.

Meeting times and locations to comment in person are: Feb. 5th Yreka, Ca Best Western Miners Inn 5pm, Feb. 6th 5pm D street Community Center, Arcata, CA, Feb. 7th 12 pm Karuk Tribe Council Chambers Orleans, CA, Feb. 15th 1pm CalEPA Building Sierra Meeting Room Sacramento, CA.

The lower four Klamath River dams block hundreds of miles of historic salmon spawning grounds while creating conditions that cause fish disease and parasites in the river. The dams’ reservoirs host massive blooms of toxic algae each year, posing health risks to people and pets using the river. The dams are a leading cause of salmon declines in the Klamath Basin. The Water Board’s draft EIR supports what dam removal advocates have said all along—dam removal helps alleviate these conditions.