Klamath Dam Removal Celebration: Honoring the Return of Salmon to Ancestral Waters

Local community members, Tribal leaders, and environmental advocates have worked for decades to see the removal of the dams and the return of the salmon. The celebration event marks an important step in honoring the success and furthering restoration efforts.

“It took so many of us, and all of our skills, to bring the salmon home,” said Regina Chichizola, Executive Director of SCS. “It is time to not only heal our communities and work towards restoration, but also to celebrate this accomplishment.”

The Karuk and Yurok Tribes, two of the Tribes who led the dam removal efforts and are leading subsequent restoration and monitoring efforts are co-hosts of the events.

“They said it was going to take 10 years for the salmon to return to the Upper Basin,” stated Karuk Tribe Vice Chairman, Kenneth Brink. “Once the dams were out, it took 10 days.”