Klamath Dam Removal: America's Biggest River Restoration Ever

In 2024, four massive dams on Oregon and California's Klamath River were demolished — the largest dam removal project in US history, freeing 400 miles of river for the first time in a century.

Coho Salmon Are Coming Home

Coho, Chinook, and steelhead salmon couldn't pass the dams for over 100 years. Within months of removal, salmon were spotted in reaches they hadn't accessed since the early 1900s — a wildlife miracle unfolding in real time.

Yurok & Karuk Tribes Win a Century-Long Fight

For the Yurok and Karuk peoples, salmon are sacred — central to culture, food, and spiritual identity. The dams devastated their communities for generations. The restoration is one of the greatest environmental justice victories in US history.

Nature's Healing Power: Faster Than Expected

Where muddy reservoir beds once sat behind dams, willows, sedges, and native plants are already sprouting. The Klamath is healing itself — showing that when given the chance, rivers and ecosystems can recover remarkably fast.

Klamath Shows America What's Possible

There are 90,000+ dams in the US — many outdated, many blocking critical fish migration. Klamath's success is inspiring dam removal efforts nationwide, proving river restoration can heal ecosystems, honor tribal rights, and revive fisheries simultaneously.

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