Secretary Jewell Backs Klamath River Dam Removal: Salmon Rejoice
Story by Gerry O’Brien, editor Herald and News / Klamath Falls, Oregon / October 2016
[dropcap]U.[/dropcap]S. Secretary of Interior Sally Jewell has penned a letter in support of the removal of four hydroelectric dams on the Klamath River.
The letter was sent Monday to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) urging FERC to approve the applications by PacifiCorp (owner of the dams) and the Klamath River Renewal Corp. — a consortium of federal, state, tribal and local officials hoping to take ownership of the dams — for dam demolition.
The transfer of ownership would relieve PacifiCorp of all liability once the dams are decommissioned and removed.
Klamath Fishery
“Since time immemorial, the Indian tribes of the Basin have been sustained by the bounty of the Klamath River,” Jewell wrote. “Once home to the third-largest salmon runs on the West Coast, the river and the fishery it supports are at the core of the cultural, spiritual, and economic well-being of six federally recognized Indian tribes.
“The river changed, however, in the early 20th century when the first of four hydroelectric facilities now owned by PacifiCorp was constructed.
“While these dams brought prosperity to many, their construction came at a steep cost to tribes and fishing communities. The returning runs of salmon repeatedly bludgeoning themselves against the new dam walls were a harbinger of a declining fishery that cast a cloud over those who, for millennia, have called the Klamath home.
“More than 100 years later, we have a unique opportunity to restore this magnificent river.
“Importantly, we recognize that dam removal must be undertaken in a manner that protects all the uses of the river, including the farming and ranching interests that are interwoven into the fabric of the Basin.
“In short, dam removal can re-write a painful chapter in our history, and it can be done in a manner that protects the many interests in the Basin.”
County to vote on dams
Meanwhile, there remains opposition to the dam removal. The Klamath County Commissioners have a place on the Nov. 8 ballot an up or down vote on whether the dams should be removed. The vote is mostly symbolic, but it gives the Basin a voice some say has not been heard of regarding the dam removal issue. It is hoped that if the vote is overwhelming against dam removal, that it can be presented to FERC as an argument against the project.
The four dams are up for relicensing. However, to do so, they would have to be outfitted with expensive fish ladders to allow salmon to travel up the Klamath from the coast to reach Upper Klamath Lake. Salmon have not been seen in the lake since the early 1900s.
Instead, California’s and Oregon’s governors, federal officials, tribal government leaders, environmental groups and PacifiCorp in April signed the Klamath Hydroelectric Settlement Agreement (KHSA). It would remove the four hydroelectric dams — Copco 1, Copco 2, Iron Gate and J.C. Boyle — by 2020 to improve water quality for fish and downstream water users.
A nonprofit corporation known as the Klamath River Renewal Corporation was created earlier this year to take ownership of the dams from PacifiCorp, but this transfer will also need to be approved by FERC.
FERC has yet to set up public hearings on the issue.
Maintaining momentum
Website Image provided courtesy of Thom Glace. “Study of an Open Water Female Chinook (King) Salmon.” Prints Available – image size: 20-inches x 10-inches.
Meanwhile, Oregon Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley Tuesday issued statements backing Jewell.
“Today’s letter from Secretary Jewell is a welcome move in maintaining the momentum around all parts of a workable Klamath River Basin resolution. The Interior Department’s support is critical to allowing the administrative process of dam removal along the Klamath River to move forward. As Secretary Jewell recognizes in her letter, this iconic river provides critical habitat for threatened salmon species, crucial water supply for farmers and ranchers, and has been hallowed ground for the Klamath Tribes and other tribes since before recorded history.”
In a signing ceremony that included Oregon Gov. Kate Brown, California Gov. Jerry Brown Jr., Secretary Jewell, along with tribal leaders, farmers and other stakeholders, the state and federal agency leaders announced they have also agreed to take steps to protect the needs of irrigators in the Keno Dam and Link River Dam, which are not among the four on the list of dams that will be removed, the release said.
NOTE: Featured Image spring chinook salmon. NOAA image.
