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Klamath dam removal will help but not cure salmon, research shows

Iron Gate Dam, one of four hydroelectric dams that will be removed on the Klamath River, on July 17, 2023.
Semantha Norris
/
CalMatters
Iron Gate Dam, one of four hydroelectric dams that will be removed on the Klamath River, on July 17, 2023.

Construction crews are in place, ready to begin the demolition of three dams on the Klamath River. One dam, Copco 2, is already gone. And recently published research indicates dam removal will meet one desired objective: to help the survival and growth of salmon populations currently walled off at Iron Gate Dam, the furthest dam downstream.

But the research also shows that dam removal will not solve all the issues for the migrating fish. We get into the details with Sascha Hallett, a fish parasitologist at Oregon State University, and Julie Alexander, a fish ecologist at OSU. Both are among a flock of authors on the research.

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The Jefferson Exchange is Jefferson Public Radio's daily talk show focused on news and interests across our region of Southern Oregon and Northern California. Angela Decker is the senior producer, Charlie Zimmermann is the assistant producer, and Geoffrey Riley hosts the show.