The Klamath River Reborn: Salmon Return to Ancestral Waters for the First Time in Over a Century For the first time in more than 100 years, wild salmon are spawning freely in the upper reaches of the Klamath River—past the sites of every hydroelectric dam that once blocked their path. This remarkable event marks not only the rebirth of a river but the dawn of a new era in how we restore and protect our most vital ecosystems. Flowing from the high country of southern Oregon through northern Calif

OPB’s documentary “First Descent: Kayaking the Klamath” is now live on YouTube: https://youtu.be/4FuGuWeAra4?si=FjQzrHV0TtjdSsBY Join this historic journey, as OPB gets exclusive access following a group of Indigenous youth kayaking the entire Klamath River — 300 miles from source to sea — to celebrate the removal of four dams in the biggest dam removal project in history. Ranging in age from 13 to 20, the paddlers dedicated years to training for the month-long trip. But for many, it was a journ

A Chinook salmon was recorded ascending the fish ladder at Keno Dam on the upper Klamath River this week (Sept. 24) — a powerful sign of recovery since the removal of four hydroelectric dams last year. Salmon have not been in this part of the Upper Klamath Basin for more than 100 years. It’s a positive step for salmon because the majority of spawning habitat in the Oregon portion of the upper Klamath basin is above Keno Dam, Link River Dam, and Upper Klamath Lake. While salmon were observed on t