Current:Home > NewsThings to know about the Klamath River dam removal project, the largest in US history-InfoLens
Things to know about the Klamath River dam removal project, the largest in US history
View Date:2024-12-23 16:32:56
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The largest dam removal project in United States history is underway along the California-Oregon border.
The project will remove four dams on the Klamath River. Work has already begun on removing the smallest of the four dams. The other three will come down next year.
The project is part of a larger trend across the U.S. to remove dams blocking the natural flow of rivers and streams. Some things to know as the project gets going:
WHY ARE THE DAMS BEING REMOVED?
The dams were built decades ago to generate electricity. But they also halted the natural flow of the river and disrupted the lifecycle of salmon. The fish are culturally and spiritually important to several Native American tribes in the area.
In 2002, a combination of low water levels and warm temperatures caused a bacterial outbreak that killed more than 34,000 fish. That propelled Native American tribes to campaign for removal of the dams.
After much negotiation, federal regulators approved a plan last year to remove the dams. PacifiCorp transferred the dams to a nonprofit that will oversee the project.
WHEN WILL THE DAMS BE REMOVED?
Work already has begun on removing the smallest of the four dams, known as Copco 2.
Removing the other three dams will take longer because those dams are much larger. Work is scheduled to begin in January and the dams should be removed by the end of 2024.
HOW WILL THE DAMS BE REMOVED?
There won’t be one giant explosion. Instead, workers will slowly drain the reservoirs behind the dams this spring. Once that work is done, crews will begin dismantling the dams, mostly using heavy machinery and some small explosives.
The work includes more than just demolition. Crews also will try to restore the area to the conditions before the dams were built. For years, Native American tribes have gathered seeds of native plants by hand. Those seeds were sent to nurseries, which grew more seeds to plant along the riverbanks.
HOW MUCH WILL THIS COST AND WHO WILL PAY FOR IT?
The project has a $450 million budget, with a $50 million contingency fund. The cost is split between taxpayers and ratepayers of utility company PacifiCorp.
veryGood! (3)
Related
- Tony Hinchcliffe refuses to apologize after calling Puerto Rico 'garbage' at Trump rally
- Woman and father charged with murder, incest after 3 dead infants found in cellar in Poland
- Tens of thousands march to kick off climate summit, demanding end to warming-causing fossil fuels
- 'Endless calls for help': Critics say Baltimore police mishandled mass shooting response
- Wicked Director Jon M. Chu Reveals Name of Baby Daughter After Missing Film's LA Premiere for Her Birth
- What is UAW? What to know about the union at the heart of industry-wide auto workers strike
- Shedeur Sanders sparks No. 18 Colorado to thrilling 43-35 win over Colorado State in 2 OTs
- Mood upbeat along picket lines as U.S. auto strike enters its second day
- Guns smuggled from the US are blamed for a surge in killings on more Caribbean islands
- When do bird and bat deaths from wind turbines peak? Fatalities studied to reduce harm
Ranking
- Jake Paul's only loss led him to retool the team preparing him to face Mike Tyson
- Search on for a missing Marine Corps fighter jet in South Carolina after pilot safely ejects
- Anchorage scrambles to find enough housing for the homeless before the Alaska winter sets in
- After castigating video games during riots, France’s Macron backpedals and showers them with praise
- Former West Virginia jail officer pleads guilty to civil rights violation in fatal assault on inmate
- NASCAR playoffs: Where the Cup Series drivers stand entering the second round
- Hillary Rodham Clinton talks the 2023 CGI and Pete Davidson's tattoos
- US: Mexico extradites Ovidio Guzmán López, son of Sinaloa cartel leader ‘El Chapo,’ to United States
Recommendation
-
Video shows Starlink satellite that resembled fireball breaking up over the Southwest: Watch
-
Rapper Flo Rida uses fortune, fame to boost Miami Gardens residents, area where he was raised
-
A veteran started a gun shop. When a struggling soldier asked him to store his firearms – he started saving lives.
-
UNESCO names Erfurt’s medieval Jewish buildings in Germany as a World Heritage Site
-
Bev Priestman fired as Canada women’s soccer coach after review of Olympic drone scandal
-
Iranian authorities detain Mahsa Amini's father on 1-year anniversary of her death
-
What is UAW? What to know about the union at the heart of industry-wide auto workers strike
-
First two cargo ships arrive in Ukrainian port after Russia’s exit from grain deal