Klamath Dam Removal With CalTrout's Curtis Knight

Fly Fishing Consultant Podcast

Curtis Knight has worked for CalTrout since 2000, he is currently their Executive Director. He has been working on removal of obsolete dams along the Klamath River which will open up fish passage to over 400 miles of potential spawning and rearing habitat. In this episode you will learn about the Klamath dams and their history and why the dams need to be removed. You will hear about Mcloud river fishing and why the trout there do not eat dries. Curtis talks about water rights for major California cities, the native tribes around Mt. Shasta, and the different strains of fish that enter the river throughout the year.

From CalTrout:Project Description

Klamath Dam removal stands out as one of the most promising salmon recovery opportunities in the history of California Trout. Since 1917, the four Klamath Dams have blocked access to hundreds of miles of salmon and steelhead productive habitat. It has diminished the productivity of the Klamath River and its tributaries, blocked spawning grounds, and blocked off cold source water. Beyond loss of habitat, Iron Gate Dam now serves as a giant heat sink that creates water quality problems, including toxic algae blooms. The decommissioning and removal of the Klamath Dams not only makes economic sense, but would greatly benefit the Klamath-origin salmon fisheries and all other Klamath Basin public resources that have been adversely affected by these dams over the past century. CalTrout is working with more than 20 conservation partners and tribes to facilitate a FERC license transfer to KRRC followed by the removal of the four dams and restoration of the river.

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Produced by Jason Reif

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