In ‘momentous’ act, regulators approve demolition of four Klamath River dams
Klamath Tribes say the dams threaten salmon habitat
Klamath River dams: Salmon under threat in Klamath River: On the brink of a historic victory for tribal fishing in the Northwest, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has formally approved the planned demolition of four dams to clear salmon spawning habitat. The tribe has said that if the project proceeds, it could mean the collapse of the salmon run in the Klamath River Delta, creating the potential for starvation for the endangered steelhead. “The tribe would be very disappointed if this isn’t an affirmation of the value of their traditional fishing culture to this community and to their history and future,” said Richard Williams, a Klamath River tribal member and chairman of the Friends of Klamath River Fisheries. “The Corps is saying, ‘Yes, we realize that this cultural resource is vital to this community.'”
The Klamath Tribe and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have reached a compromise to begin the process of demolishing four Klamath River dams. The decision is a watershed moment for tribal fishing, but a historic one for the people of the Klamath and all Oregonians who enjoy the clean salmon-rich water of our state’s river systems.
In a move that was long anticipated, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has formally approved the planned demolition of four dams to clear salmon spawning habitat in the Klamath River Delta.
“This historic decision will protect endangered steelhead as well as the spawning habitats of the Pacific herring and Chinook salmon. This historic and groundbreaking decision marks another major victory for tribal fishing in the Pacific Northwest,” said U.S. Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River).
“This is huge for tribal fishing,” said Williams, chairman of the Friends of Klamath River Fisheries. “This fight is a fight for our future. The Klamath Tribe
