Klamath River salmon reclaim 88% of historic range after dams are removed
Following the removal of four dams in 2024, the Klamath River has seen a rapid ecological recovery with Chinook salmon reclaiming 88% of their historic range. Research published in Nature confirms that removing physical barriers can lead to swift environmental restoration.
Why it matters
This project serves as a landmark case study for large-scale river restoration and the effectiveness of dam removal in reviving endangered ecosystems.
Four concrete barriers blocked the way for salmon that once swam freely between the Pacific Ocean and the high desert reaches of Oregon and California for more than a hundred years. The dams were removed in 2024 as part of one of the largest dam removal projects in U.S. history, letting the river flow freely for the first time in generations. The results were swift and striking. Within just two salmon runs, more than 21,000 Chinook salmon moved upstream, accessing 88 percent of the range they historically occupied before the dams were built.
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