The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) recently took a significant step in its initiative to restore the Klamath River’s ecosystem by releasing 500,000 juvenile salmon below the Iron Gate Dam. This release included 90,000 coho salmon, marking the first major release of this threatened species since the dam removal process began. Tribal leaders joined the event, emphasizing its importance for both the river’s health and the community’s future.
The following day, another 400,000 fall-run Chinook salmon fry were released as part of the effort to repopulate the undammed river with salmon returning from the Pacific Ocean in two to four years.
Before each release, CDFW ensured optimal river conditions and conducted tests to confirm the well-being of the young salmon. CDFW plans to release nearly 2 million fall-run Chinook salmon smolts in the upcoming months. All releases will occur below Iron Gate until dam removal is completed later this year, marking another milestone in the Klamath River’s restoration journey.
This recent effort follows a setback where hundreds of thousands of young Chinook salmon, released from a state hatchery below Iron Gate, were found dead just two days later. Despite biologists’ assurance that river conditions were suitable for the release, the unexpected die-off was attributed to pressure changes in a Klamath dam tunnel.
The event shocked and dismayed state biologists, and as prominent State News journalists with CalMatters reported following the incident, says this “ highlights the unpredictability and challenges of human efforts to restore nature and reverse environmental damage.”
