Klamath Basin Dam Removal

2001 - 2024

After more than 20 years of Tribal-led advocacy with the support of a broad coalition of conservation and commercial fisheries organizations, four dams along the Klamath River are slated for removal. This effort will be the largest river restoration and dam removal project in US history.

The Klamath River, which traverses the Oregon-California border, was once the third most abundant salmon-producing river on the West Coast of the lower 48 states. For millennia, six federally recognized Native American Tribes lived on the bounty provided by the Klamath River and its forests and surrounding grasslands. Salmon and abundant aquatic life nourished these communities and their spiritual practices, establishing these resources as central to their identity and existence.

The erection of the dams blocked the passage of salmon and damaged the ecology of the river in other profound ways without providing significant irrigation or flood control benefits. A revival awaits, as the free-flowing Klamath will generate economic, cultural, and ecological benefits throughout the magnificent watershed.

1864 - 2000

Historical Summary of the Klamath Dams

  • 1864 - Klamath Tribes of Oregon sign Treaty that includes salmon fishing rights.

    1918 - Copco 1 Dam becomes operational, salmon runs cut off from the Upper Klamath Basin.

    1925 - Copco 2 Dam becomes operational.

    1958 - Big Bend Dam – later known as J.C. Boyle Dam – is completed.

    1962 - Iron Gate Dam completed.

    1983 - U.S. v. Adair upholds Klamath Tribes of Oregon’s right to enough in-stream water to support fishing and hunting on former reservation lands, but does not quantify the amount of water.

    1985 - California State court confirms limited tribal fishing rights for Karuk tribe at Ishi Pishi Falls.

    1997 - Coho salmon listed under the Endangered Species Act.

    2000 - PacifiCorp begins federal relicensing process for the Klamath Hydroelectric Project Dams.

2001 - 2002

Federal Water Management Decisions Lead to the Deaths of 70,000 Adult Salmon

The Klamath Basin experienced a severe drought in 2001-2002. Federal water management decision to curtail irrigation diversions to protect fisheries was reversed. As a result, farmers diverted more water from the Klamath than was recommended by federal scientists. As many as 68,000 salmon die before spawning in the lower Klamath River due to low flows.

2002 – 2010

Agreements Reached

Tensions over water scarcity and allocation reached a boiling point during these years, but quiet diplomacy and good neighbors opened the door to negotiations that successfully concluded with two companion agreements:

The Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement (KBRA) called for widespread investments in restoration and a water-sharing plan, and the Klamath Hydropower Settlement Agreement (KHSA) set the terms for the removal of four lower Klamath River dams.

  • 2006 - Karuk Tribe reports blooms of toxic algae in reservoirs exceed World Health Organization guidelines by nearly 4,000-fold.

    700 miles of coastline closed to commercial salmon harvests because of low returns to Klamath. Many commercial fishermen go bankrupt amid protests.

    2007 - California Energy Commission concludes that dam removal is more favorable for PacifiCorp customers than relicensing.

    FERC EIS concludes that relicensing dams under prescribed terms and conditions would result in a project that operated at a $20 million annual deficit.

    2009 - Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski signs SB76 into law which allows for $180 million to be collected from PacifiCorp ratepayers for purposes of dam removal.

    2010 - Parties sign Klamath Hydroelectric Settlement Agreement and Klamath Basin Restoration Agreements.

    2011 - California PUC approves collection of $20 million from PacifiCorp ratepayers for purposes of dam removal.

JANUARY 2016

Agreements Fail to Pass Congress

The KBRA failed to pass Congress by the January 1, 2016 deadline, leaving both agreements unable to move forward.

APRIL 2016

The Amended Klamath Hydroelectric Settlement Agreement

Undeterred by Congressional inaction, many signatories of the original KHSA came together to develop an amended version of the Klamath Hydroelectric Settlement Agreement, allowing for dam removal to proceed without the companion KBRA or an act of Congress. The AKHSA was signed on April 6, 2016.

2016 – 2019

Klamath River Renewal Corporation and Transfer of License

In 2016, the signatories formed the Klamath River Renewal Corporation (KRRC), a private, independent nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, to oversee the removal of the four lower Klamath River hydroelectric dams. KRRC’s work is funded by PacifiCorp customer surcharges and California Proposition 1 water bond funds. The organization will dissolve once the four dams are removed. Dam owner PacifiCorp and KRRC filed a joint application to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to seek a transfer of the license for the four dams from PacifiCorp to KRRC.

JULY 2020

Dam Ownership Transfer Process Threatened

In July 2020, FERC granted approval for KRRC to join the license with PacifiCorp, but did not allow the utility to remove itself from the license, citing concerns over long-term liability issues that might arise after KRRC had dissolved. PacifiCorp was unwilling to stay on the license through the dam removal process, citing concerns over liability and ratepayer protections.

In upending the terms laid out in the KHSA, FERC’s July 2020 Order threatened to derail the entire dam removal effort.

NOVEMBER 2020

Agreement Reached to Move Dam Removal Forward

November 2020 Memorandum of Agreement with KRRC, the states of California and Oregon, PacifiCorp and Karuk and Yurok tribes is reached. Following a fierce advocacy campaign by a broad coalition of dam removal supporters, negotiators from the Karuk and Yurok Tribes, California and Oregon and current dam owner PacifiCorp concluded a landmark agreement to keep dam removal on track.

The States of California and Oregon agreed to join KRRC on the license for the purpose of dam removal, allowing the utility to remove itself from the license before dam removal begins. The side agreement breaks the logjam that threatened dam removal and puts the ambitious plan to revitalize the Klamath river back on track.

DECEMBER 2020

Surrender Notice

FERC issues surrender application notice.

Removing the Klamath Dams will unlock between 300-400 miles of fish habitat, which is a critical first step toward recovering salmon and steelhead populations. Salmon populations have been struggling for decades and are less than 5% of their historical abundance, with some runs extirpated from the system.

Sustainable Northwest and other dam removal advocates are working hard to ensure the river restoration effort can move forward on an aggressive timeline, with the hope of seeing all four dams removed in 2024.

JANUARY 2021

Formal Application to FERC

PacifiCorp, California, Oregon, and KRRC filed an updated Joint License Transfer Application with FERC, adding the states and removing PacifiCorp from the license. FERC approved the transfer of the Lower Klamath Project License from PacifiCorp to the Klamath River Renewal Corporation (KRRC) and the States of Oregon and California.

SEPTEMBER 2021

Consultations Initiated

FERC initiated all formal consultations related to the processing of KRRC’s Surrender Application.

FALL 2021

Environmental Permitting

Environmental Permitting submitted into the FERC record by all federal agencies.

SUMMER 2022

Final Environmental Impact Statement

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) released a Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) recommending the approval of the proposed license surrender, decommissioning, and removal of the Lower Four Klamath Dams.

NOVEMBER 2022

License Surrender Order Approved

On November 17th, 2022, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued the Final License Surrender Order for the Lower Klamath RiverHydroelectric Project. This clears the last major hurdle necessary to implement the world’s largest river restoration project – the removal of the lower four Klamath River Dams.

“Dam removal represents a monumental achievement. As we look beyond this historic moment, Sustainable Northwest will continue partnering in the Klamath Basin to build on this success to improve water quality and meet water demands that support Tribes, farmers, ranchers, and wildlife.”

- Greg Block, SNW President

2023

Copco 2 Diversion Dam Removed

KRRC has contracted with Kiewit Infrastructure West to deconstruct the dams and Resource Environmental Solutions (RES) to restore the reservoir footprints. Dam removal activities began in summer 2023 with Copco 2 removal.

JANUARY 2024

DAM DRAWDOWNS

Drawdown initiated for Copco No. 1, Iron Gate, and J.C. Boyle dams. Native seed replantings begin in the footprint of former reservoirs.

Spring/Summer 2024

DAM DECONSTRUCTION

Expected date for deconstruction to begin at Copco No. 1, Iron Gate, and J.C. Boyle dams.