A little over a century ago, the Klamath River at Wards Canyon was dammed and flooded for hydroelectric generation.
Copco No.1 and its former reservoir, Copco Lake, are one of four hydroelectric systems now being removed as part of the Lower Klamath Project (FERC No.14083). The intent is to improve life for anadromous fish and to stabilize irrigation for farming. It’s also about how a culture manages water and power in the face of differing beliefs.
Will dam removal and river renewal help save coho salmon from extinction? There is no certain answer other than, it will take time to find out. It’s fair to celebrate this heroic effort. It’s also fair to mourn the loss of a lake and its life.
Killing a lake to save a river isn’t pretty. It requires a leap of faith and a belief in the renewal process. This is the tricky part - humans messing with nature doesn’t always go as planned. Regardless, for some people and wildlife alike, there will be significant burdens.
If all goes well for the river, by autumn of 2024, it’s expected that migrating salmon will reach Wards Canyon for the first time in over 100 years. The river is now free-flowing from Keno, Oregon to the Pacific Ocean. How far will the salmon go?
Despite the ethnographic record, it’s not fully known how many anadromous fish actually cleared the basalt falls of Ward’s Canyon.
Some folks believe salmon can’t and never did pass these falls - others believe they did and surely will again.
The fish will let us know.
21 сен 2024
