What will be the largest dam removal in history

[Peyton00]

Just when is this supposed to start. They won't take them out all at once and one at a time will take a few years and then you have to let the river heal it's self. It might happen in about 10 years.

How long has it been dams were removed on the Elwha. It's been a while and you still can't fish it.

Righting a wrong usually takes time to do it correctly. Worth the wait.

The fish in the elwha can hopefully fully recover before mankind's greed takes over.

 

[nwbobber]

The upper dam is the thing that concerns me. The sediment in that lake is runoff from cattle operations, and a lot of duck and goose shit. I am concerned that stirring up a nutrient rich silt will cause low oxygen events. Does anyone know what their plan is?

 

[RRSmith]

The upper dam is the thing that concerns me. The sediment in that lake is runoff from cattle operations, and a lot of duck and goose shit. I am concerned that stirring up a nutrient rich silt will cause low oxygen events. Does anyone know what their plan is?

The Upper Klamath Lake outlet dam (Link River Dam) and the Keno Dam will remain in place. The four dams coming out are Iron Gate, Copco 1, Copco 2 and JC Boyle Dams. The issue will be the silt from Iron Gate and Copco Reservoirs. I was on the periphery of the early planning of this project but have been retired for almost 7 years so a lot has likely changed. What I can tell you is that a lot of time has been spent developing a strategy to deal with the silt.

Quite frankly, any fish that are reintroduced into the upper Klamath Watershed above Upper Klamath/Agency Lake (Wood, Williamson and Sprague Rivers) will still have a tough go with two dams to scale. Meanwhile, the four dams that will be removed open up some relatively pristine coldwater spawning tributaries such as Jenny, Fall and Shovel Creeks (all drain out of the Cascades) and of course the mainstem Klamath.

As I think Lance mentioned above, watersheds that drain into the mid Klamath get fair amount of rain but the upper watersheds are relatively dry. It's going to take awhile (years) for the silt to transport downstream and out of the system. It won't recover as quickly as the Elwha has but it will heal over time.

 

[SurfnFish]

I've still been meaning to tackle Big Lake, now that I have a pedal drive kayak I think I better do it. I've heard incredible things!

You're right, we've got quite a bit of good water up here!

fairly stunning the first time you look down into the gin clear water and watch a flotilla of double digit bruisers casually finning by 10' below.
Wife and I used to stay at the Ahjumawi Springs Resort, now in private ownership, rent one of their skiffs for the stay and fish both the lake and the upper Fall River Green Drake hatch... good times

 

[Old Man]

Righting a wrong usually takes time to do it correctly. Worth the wait.

The fish in the elwha can hopefully fully recover before mankind's greed takes over.

Yeah, but some of you are too damn old to wait.