After being absent for more than a century, salmon have been spotted in Oregon's Klamath River Basin, following a mammoth dam removal project in California.

Summary

Salmon have returned to Oregon’s Klamath River Basin for the first time in over a century following the removal of four California dams in August 2024, the largest dam removal project in U.S. history.

Once vital to Native American tribes like the Yurok, the dams had blocked fish migration and devastated salmon populations.

Biologists and tribes were surprised by the rapid return of Chinook salmon, spawning in areas previously underwater.

Tribal communities, who led the decades-long campaign for removal, view this as a major step in restoring the river’s ecosystem and cultural heritage.