Over 20,000 Salmon Return After Historic Dam Removal

More than 20,000 Chinook salmon have returned to the Klamath River in the United States, reclaiming historic spawning grounds just two years after four dams were removed.

“We have an extraordinary opportunity to see whether restored connectivity can translate into a self-sustained, resilient fish population,” says Damon Goodman, lead author of the research and regional director for Cal Trout.

Completed in 2024 following decades of Indigenous-led efforts, the dam removals reopened stretches of river that had been inaccessible to migrating salmon for more than a century. Chinook salmon have since recolonised nearly 90 per cent of their former range, while coho salmon, steelhead and Pacific lamprey have also returned. Water quality has improved as former reservoirs have regained their natural flows. Although drought, water allocation disputes and two remaining dams continue to pose challenges, restoration efforts are helping rebuild the river’s ecosystem. They could support resilient fish populations over the coming decade.