As messy side effects of Klamath River dam removal continue, officials stress that short-term pain will yield long-term gain
After years of heated debates and delays, the world’s largest dam removal is currently underway on the Klamath River across the California-Oregon border. … removing structures of this size come with negative side effects—from droves of dead fish to muddy waters. As a result, critics have recently spoken out against the project, deeming it an “environmental disaster.” But scientists say that they expected many of these short-term impacts before the effort began and they will soon fade. For today’s newsletter, I decided to dig into the science behind dam removal, and how the rocky start to the Klamath River project could yield a healthier river system overall.
Related articles:
- Sacramento Bee: Opinion - New legislation would prevent old policies from undermining Newsom’s “Salmon Strategy”
- California Fisheries Blog: Klamath Dam removal update – April 6, 2024