Wednesday Top of the Scroll: California begins demolition of 173-foot dam as part of nation’s largest removal project
The historic dam-removal project on the Klamath River, along the remote California-Oregon border, is hitting another milestone this week as demolition of the largest of four targeted hydroelectric dams gets underway. Iron Gate Dam, a 173-foot dam in Siskiyou County, is scheduled to start being disassembled by work crews Wednesday, an endeavor that is expected to continue until September or October. The 62-year-old dam is the third so far to face the wrecking ball. The small Copco #2 Dam was removed last year, the 126-foot Copco #1 Dam is currently being taken down, and the 68-foot J.C. Boyle Dam is scheduled for dismantling starting May 13. All of the demolition work is expected to be completed this year.
Related river restoration articles:
- High Country News: Scientists are tracking ecological changes as the Klamath River dams come down
- California Trout: Blog – CalTrout visits DC and celebrates federal freshwater funding
- NOAA Fisheries Blog: Trout Unlimited Wins Award for California Partnership Uniting Landowners to Save Coho Salmon
- American Rivers: Watershed Restoration is the Cornerstone of Eagle Lake’s Fishy Business
- High Country News: The era of dam removal is here