A little more than a year after the historic removal of four hydroelectric dams on the Klamath River, the return of salmon has exceeded expectations. California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) scientists are reporting that salmon are reoccupying just about every corner of their historic habitat, marking a pivotal success in river restoration.
“The speed at which salmon are repopulating every nook and cranny of suitable habitat upstream of the dams in the Klamath Basin is both remarkable and thrilling,” said Michael Harris, Environmental Program Manager of CDFW’s Klamath Watershed Program. “There are salmon everywhere on the landscape right now, and it’s invigorating our work.”
Signs of Recovery Across the Basin
Initial reports suggest a stronger fall-run Chinook salmon return than last year, with widespread dispersal of fish throughout the basin. Key signs of this recovery include:
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Century-Old Habitats Reopened: The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and Klamath Tribes report widespread salmon spawning within the Oregon portion of the Klamath River, including multiple tributaries upstream of Klamath Lake where salmon haven’t been seen in more than a century.
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Strong Spawner Counts: Fish-counting stations on newly accessible tributaries have recorded 208 adult Chinook salmon in Jenny Creek and 260 adult Chinook salmon in Shovel Creek to date.
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Juvenile Salmon Flourish: CDFW snorkel crews this summer documented juvenile salmon and/or steelhead occupying nearly all newly accessible tributaries. In Fall Creek, approximately 65,000 wild juvenile Chinook salmon were counted.
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Record Hatchery Spawning: CDFW’s state-of-the-art Fall Creek Fish Hatchery has spawned 416 female fish and collected roughly 1.27 million eggs since mid-October—four times the number of salmon spawned this time last year.
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Healthier Ecosystem: Temperature monitoring reveals the return of natural, seasonal water temperature fluctuations that benefit both adult and juvenile salmon. Critically, scientists are seeing a lower prevalence of the parasite Ceratonova shasta and smaller, less frequent harmful algal blooms.
Investing in the Future of the Klamath
A primary goal of the dam removal was to reestablish viable, wild, self-sustaining populations of anadromous fish. To support this objective, CDFW has invested more than $30 million to support fish habitat restoration projects within the Klamath Basin.
This includes:
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$20 Million for Strongholds: Grants were awarded to 10 projects in crucial salmon strongholds, the Scott and Shasta rivers and watersheds, to improve fish passage and support post-McKinney Fire restoration.
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Habitat Protection: Grants totaling over $1.5 million have been awarded to Trout Unlimited for projects, including the removal of a barrier on Jenny Creek and installing protective buffer fencing around the former reservoir footprints to protect riparian habitat and reduce erosion.
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Public Access: A $582,915 grant will develop a new public access and recreational boating launch facility in the Copco Valley, providing new opportunities for boating, fishing, and recreation on the restored river.
The success on the Klamath River is a key component of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Salmon Strategy for a Hotter, Drier Future, charting important priorities and actions needed to support California’s struggling salmon populations.