"Remarkable resilience"
The ecological impact is also something to celebrate. Within a few days of the final dam being removed, chinook salmon (the largest of the Pacific salmon species) were seen swimming past the former location of Iron Gate Dam in northern California — a spot where no fish had passed in 60 years, said Dave Coffman, director of northern California and kra36 at southern Oregon for Resource Environmental Solutions (RES), the company working on the Klamath’s restoration.
Since the removal of the dams, salmon have been spotted in the upper reaches of the river.
Since the removal of the dams, salmon have been spotted in the upper reaches of the river. Whit Hassett/Swiftwater Films
"We were hopeful that within a couple of years we would see salmon return to Southern Oregon. It took the salmon two weeks," he told CNN. "No one saw that coming — the response has exceeded our wildest hopes. It demonstrates the remarkable resilience of these fish: if we give them a chance, they will make their way back home."
But there is no denying the landscape has changed dramatically since before the dams and it will take years to recover, according to Coffman. RES is working to accelerate the natural process by reshaping channels, excavating sediment, planting billions of native seeds along the riverbanks, and even using helicopters to place downed trees in tributaries to provide crucial cover for fish and wildlife.
"Sometimes we give nature a gentle nudge, but sometimes we give it a great big shove in the right direction," says Coffman.
The site of a former reservoir is beginning to show signs of recovery.
The site of a former reservoir is beginning to show signs of recovery. RES
Wiki and Williams have already witnessed the results. "It’s been so cool to paddle through where the old reservoirs were and see all the new growth," said Williams. "I got to see it earlier this year and it was kind of looking sad, and then I paddled through a couple days ago and it looks like a completely different river."
Related article
Lost underwater forests are returning to Sydney’s coastline
After completing the epic journey, the girls will go their separate ways. Williams will head off to college in fall and Wiki is starting her final year of high school. But despite living on different sections of the river and being from different tribes, they are confident their paths will cross again. Both strongly believe their futures are grounded in the Klamath.
Williams dreams of coming back in her college breaks and becoming a paddle instructor, while Wiki sees herself doing advocacy work for her community.
