Reporting by Anita Hofschneider and Jake Bittle

Illustration by Jackie Fawn

How the Klamath dams came down

The Klamath River:  A lifeline 

For thousands of years, the Klamath River nourished Indigenous peoples with its abundant salmon runs. But in the early 20th century, four hydroelectric dams blocked the river, endangering fish populations and disrupting a vital food source for nations like the Klamath, Yurok, Karuk, and others.

The Copco 1 dam on the Klamath River outside Hornbrook, California.  Jeff Barnard / AP Photo

The fight begins

In 1974, a life-changing accident propelled Jeff Mitchell into leadership for the Klamath Tribes. As he recovered, he became a key advocate for the river, taking on the U.S. government and powerful corporations that ignored the tribes’ rights and the river’s declining health. The fight was just beginning.

The free-flowing Klamath River near Orleans, California, before the construction of the hydroelectric dams.  Nextrecord Archives / Getty Images

Persistence in the face of obstacles

The struggle spanned decades of legal battles, activism, and lobbying. In the 1980s, Mitchell and other tribal leaders learned of the damage the dams caused. Yet, the company behind the dams remained indifferent to concerns. Despite challenges, the tribes stayed committed, uniting with environmentalists and bringing international attention to their cause. The battle became a symbol of Indigenous resilience.

PacifiCorp executives smell a bottle of toxic algae-infused water taken from the Klamath River during a standoff with Klamath Justice Coalition activists in 2020. Courtesy of Sammy Gensaw III

 Uniting tribes and activists to demand dam removal

By the early 2000s, tribal nations and other advocates pushed for dam removal after PacifiCorp failed to honor promises to build fish ladders. In 2004, the tribes took their campaign global, confronting PacifiCorp’s parent company, ScottishPower. The move was a turning point in the fight for restoration, and led to a landmark settlement with the utility and the Bush administration.

Members of the Yurok tribe protest outside ScottishPower’s annual general meeting in Edinburgh, Scotland. The tribes sought to force the utility, which owned the dams until 2005, to install fish passage facilities that would save endangered salmon.  Maurice McDonald / PA Images / Getty Images

A historic victory and the path to recovery

In 2024, more than a century after construction began, the Klamath dams were finally dismantled. Over 1.5 million cubic yards of earth and concrete were removed, revitalizing the river and restoring its salmon runs. This victory symbolizes the power of Indigenous leadership and the protection of sacred environments for future generations.

Leaf Hillman, left, hugs his family as construction crews remove the final portion of Iron Gate Dam, the lowest dam on the Klamath River, in August 2024. The river flowed freely in 2024 for the first time in more than a century.  Carlos Avila Gonzalez / San Francisco Chronicle / Getty Images

Illustration: Jackie Fawn

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Last year, tribal nations in Oregon and California won a decades-long fight for the largest dam removal in U.S. history. This is their story.

By Anita Hofschneider and Jake Bittle

How the Klamath Dams Came Down