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Great news for salmon & people along the #Klamath today. New agreement among states of Calif. & Oregon, Karuk & Yurok tribes, Pacific Corp., CDFW and others allows dam removal to go forward. Will be largest river restoration project in history of U.S.
Watch announcement live here:
Agreement to remove dams was signed 4 years ago (covered excellently by @Mollydacious for @KQEDnews: https://www.kqed.org/news/11099678/will-the-klamath-river-be-renewed-owner-applies-to-remove-4-of-5-dams) That's been held up by concerns from FERC. Today river stakeholders are moving past that (more details to follow). The relief is palpable.
Key step here is that Oregon and California are becoming co-signers to the agreement, taking on some responsibility for seeing the dam removal through to completion.
2023 estimated year for removal.
Yurok chairman Joseph L. James puts it into perspective: "This general is more than just a concrete project coming down. It's a new day and it's new era for California tribes. To me, this is who we are, to have a free flowing river, just as those who have come before us. ...
"Now for those generations to come, this is a place and time for our prayers, our song, our dances, our sermons will move more with water, more fish in our ecosystem. We are connected with our heart and prayers to these creeks, lands, animals in our way of life will thrive."
Edit! "This dam removal...." NOT "This general." Apologies.
