Get the latest tech news

Salmon return to lay eggs in historic habitat after Klamath River dam removal

Less than a month after four towering dams on the Klamath River were demolished, hundreds of salmon made it into waters they have been cut off from for decades to spawn in cool creeks.

These are scenes local tribes have dreamed of seeing for decades as they fought to bring down four hydroelectric dams blocking passage for struggling salmon along more than 400 miles (644 kilometers) of the Klamath River and its tributaries along the Oregon-California border. Video shot by the Yurok Tribe show that hundreds of salmon have made it to tributaries between the former Iron Gate and Copco dams, a hopeful sign for the newly freed waterway. Through protests, testimony and lawsuits, the tribes showcased the environmental devastation caused by the dams, especially to salmon, which were cut off from their historic habitat and dying in alarming numbers because of poor water-quality.

Get the Android app