The demolition portion of the Klamath River Dam Removal Project to restore salmon habitat in northern California and southern Oregon was completed on Oct. 2.

Work to restore 2,200 acres of formerly submerged lands along the riverbank is expected to take several years, according to California Gov. Gavin Newsom.

“This is a monumental achievement—not just for the Klamath River but for our entire state, nation, and planet,” Newsom said in an Oct. 2 statement. “By taking down these outdated dams, we are giving salmon and other species a chance to thrive once again, while also restoring an essential lifeline for tribal communities who have long depended on the health of the river.”

The removal of four dams, which blocked the river’s natural flow for more than a century, restores nearly 400 miles of habitat for salmon and other species in the river’s ecosystem, according to the governor’s office.

The project came in under budget and ahead of schedule, the governor said.

“Our áama, ancestral companions, can now return to over 400 miles of unleashed spawning grounds, renewing a bond that has nourished our people since time immemorial. The river is cleansing itself, and with time, its waters will grow purer,” said Russell “Buster” Attebery, Karuk Tribe chairman, in a statement. “The scars left by the dams will fade and balance will be restored to the land.”

The tribal-led effort to dismantle the dams “is an expression of our sacred duty to maintain balance in the world,” said Joseph James, Yurok Tribe chairman.

“That is why we fought so hard for so long to tear down the dams and bring the salmon home,” he said.

The Klamath River downriver of Happy Camp, Calif., near Clear Creek in Siskiyou County on Sept. 29, 2024. (Courtesy of Mel Fechter)

The dam removal project—the largest in U.S. history—has faced bitter controversy for decades. Environmental groups and native American tribes long blamed the dams for damaging the ecology of the river and blocking upstream spawning habitat, causing a decline in salmon populations.

Meanwhile, local Siskiyou County residents and property owners near the former manmade Iron Gate and Copco lakes say the loss of the dams has crippled tourism and recreation activities such as camping, water skiing, sport fishing, and boating and has hurt wildlife.

After the dams were breached, large amounts of sediment were stirred up and sent downstream, leading to the death of aquatic life. Other animals such as deer became stuck in the mud that was left behind. Residents said they were warned not to drink or touch the Klamath River water, and they worried the former lakebeds were toxic.

According to project officials, such sediment flows and large non-native fish die-offs were expected during the dam removal drawdowns.

Residents said they’re also concerned about increased wildfire risk, flood control, and irrigation for ranching and farming in the future.

The Klamath River Renewal Corporation (KRRC), whose board majority was appointed by the California and Oregon governors, is responsible for the dam removal and restoration project.

Construction crews remove the top of the cofferdam that was left of Iron Gate Dam allowing the Klamath River to run in its original path near Hornbrook, Calif., Aug. 28, 2024. (Carlos Avila Gonzalez/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

Siskiyou County Supervisor Ray Haupt told the Epoch Times in August that KRRC cut off communications with the county last spring over the county’s criticism of the project.

“The dams are out but water to homes hasn’t been restored and road damage hasn’t been repaired,” Haupt told the Epoch Times on Oct. 3 via text message. “Cal Trans has closed the I-5 rest area indefinitely due to polluted water.”

According to the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), water for the Randolph E. Collier Rest Area north of Yreka was drawn directly from the Klamath River. The department confirmed the rest area would be closed longterm “due to water distribution issues.”

Richard Marshall, president of the Siskiyou Water Users Association, told The Epoch Times on Oct. 3 that R-Ranch, a campground and RV park on the Klamath, has lost about half of its business since the dam demolitions began.

“Newsom is living in a different world than we are,” Marshall said. “The worst is yet to come because winter is right around the corner which will result in more sediment and debris in the river,” he said.

Marshall said he doubts salmon will come up the river under such muddy conditions.

The Klamath River downriver of Happy Camp, Calif., near Clear Creek in Siskiyou County on Sept. 29, 2024. (Courtesy of Mel Fechter)

Last year was a “major milestone year for dam removal in the U.S.,” affecting 79 other dams aside from those on the Klamath River, according to American Rivers, an environmental group that tracks dam removal trends and maintains a national dam removal database.

Since 1912, more than 2,100 dams in the U.S. have been removed, including more than 180 in California, according to American Rivers.