Klamath Dam Removal

That sounds like a good deal!

The Klamath was once the premiere salmon and steelhead stream on the west coast,it is my hope that it will return to a good portion of its former glory. One of the prettiest streams in the world,albeit crowded with jet boats these days. 3oo miles of spawning habitat will be made available to these fish,the largest river restoration in history. I have to think the Elwha dam removal project really helped to set these wheels in motion. Nice to see man,for once,try and do what's right,costs be damned.

It is my belief that actual ecological recovery of the river will occur on the Klamath before the Elwha. Most of the reasons are geographical and management. I believe that CA is wholly responsible for the management. Not Co, so only one decision-maker which means failure is easy to assign. The second, and even more important, is that I don't think the Klamath salmon are anywhere near as impacted by BC and AK as are Elwha. They may not even be too heavily impacted by WA so that most of the meaningful ocean mortality is dealt with by just CA and OR. A simpler system that again has fewer players so "blame" is easier to assign. Can't spread the s**t around as far.

Interesting observation. But I disagree. Somewhat.

The Elwha watershed upstream of the Elwha Canyon is located in a National Park. The habitat is as close to pristine as exists anywhere outside of Alaska. Not so on the Klamath. The habitat will once again become accessible on the Klamath, but the quality remains questionable.

The issue you raise seems to focus on harvest. And on that point, I agree. Harvest of Elwah River salmon is exceedingly complex. Harvest occurs throughout its range in the ocean, including in the Gulf of Alaska, the BC Coast and the Sekiu fishery. So if the Elwha River salmon can escape the gauntlet of fishing boats (and that’s a big if), the habitat they return to is as good as it gets.

I’m not sure if it’s possible to reduce harvest on Elwha River salmon since they cross a multitude of jurisdictional boundaries, but if so, that is the only factor that could limit their recovery.

I think the extent of "recovery" in both the Klamath and Elwha systems will disappoint, but for different reasons. Elwha Chinook and coho will never recover to historical levels for at least three reasons. The Pacific Ocean no longer supports the smolt to adult survival rates that it apparently did in the past. Too many salmon will be intercepted in Canada and Alaska. And those that do return to WA waters will be harvested down to the MSY/MSH escapement level, leaving total production significantly lower than estimates place it.

Klamath recovery will disappoint because the river basin is less productive than it was historically, and that includes the upper basin upstream of the four dams. While the dams may go away, the irrigation diversions will not. Less water in the stream channel during the summer means higher water temperatures (like the big salmon kill in 2000) and reduced juvenile rearing productivity and capacity, and diversity with respect to spring Chinook. Total production could increase above current levels, if the river is managed for increased production, meaning if the Chinook escapement goal is increased.

Tear out all the dams and fire the recovery nay sayers!!!!!!!!!!

Salmo the Yurok and the Hoopa tribes sued and won and the releases into the Klamath that keep the temps cooler are from the Trinity river,which is cold water emanating from Trinity and Lewiston reservoirs.

The water released from Copco and Iron gate has toxic algae blooms that are a hub for disease and harmful to local inhabitants of the river. While the fish recovery will likely never reach historical proportions,the water quality will improve vastly,and the 90% mortality rate on steelhead and salmon fry will drastically be reduced to to the lack of that nasty toxic algae ,and those fish returning in the fall won't taste like...it's hard to describe ,but suffice to say it isn't good. Even smoking doesn't mask that nastiness for me.

So renewed access to 300 miles of lost spawning habitat,lowered mortality rates in yoy salmon and steelhead progeny,and better water quality for the river's inhabitants to me seems like a win win. The yellow perch fishermen in those lakes may be bummed out.

I hear you though,temper the excitement with realistic expectations.

Also,I will be able to swing spoons through the lower runs without cleaning moss of my lure every damn minute or two!

What is holding down recovery is harvest. The Klamath will have fewer intractable harvest issues. It remains to be seen just what the Pacific can support but if the fish managers manage for the whole food chain, salmon have a chance.

I fished below the Keno dam a few times.
I'm guessing that it is staying because it has a ladder.

The water below Keno dam was a turbid, green-ish brown color probably due to the agricultural run-off upstream.
The fish were hungry resident trout and 3lbs was a very average size.

My recommendation for the New Klamath River would be to manage portions of it like the Lower Deschutes River with powerboat days on/off and no fishing from a floating device.