California’s Klamath River Reopens: A Milestone in U.S. Water Policy

In a powerful moment of restoration, the Klamath River, flowing through Northern California and Southern Oregon, is now fully free for the first time in more than 100 years.

After decades of advocacy led by Indigenous tribes, four hydropower dams were removed between 2023 and 2024. This historic move has allowed salmon to return to their spawning grounds, restored critical ecosystems, and reopened spiritual and cultural connections to the river for the Yurok, Hoopa, Karuk, and other tribal communities.

The effort culminated in a 310-mile kayaking journey by Native youth from across the Klamath Basin. Their expedition honored ancestral resilience and marked a new era for the river’s future.

The project also sheds light on a broader national movement: more than 2,200 dams have now been removed across the U.S., signaling a shift toward ecosystem recovery and tribal justice.