Posted on 03/30/2020 9:21:53 AM PDT by BenLurkin
...Klamath River...
Now, plans to demolish four hydroelectric dams on the river’s lower reaches to save salmon — the largest such demolition project in U.S. history — have placed those competing interests in stark relief. Each group with a stake — tribes, farmers, ranchers, homeowners and conservationists — sees its identity in the Klamath and ties its future to the dams in deeply personal terms.
“We are saving salmon country, and we’re doing it The project, estimated at nearly $450 million, would reshape the Klamath River and empty giant reservoirs.
The proposal fits into a trend toward dam demolition in the U.S. that’s been accelerating as these infrastructure projects age and become less economically viable.
More than 1,700 dams have been dismantled around the U.S. since 2012, according to American Rivers, and the Klamath River project would be the largest by far if it proceeds.
More than 1,700 dams have been dismantled around the U.S. since 2012, according to American Rivers, and the Klamath River project would be the largest by far if it proceeds.
The structures at the center of the debate are the four southernmost dams in a string of six constructed in southern Oregon and far northern California beginning in 1918.
They were built solely for power generation.
Under the plan awaiting federal officials’ approval, $200 million for the demolition and river restoration will come from California and Oregon ratepayers, and $250 million will come from a voter-approved California water bond, with no liability for PacifiCorp and a guaranteed cap on its costs.
Voters in three counties who would be affected by dam removal voted against it in a non-binding question.
Even demolition advocates say dam removal, while critical, won’t be enough on its own to restore the salmon.
(Excerpt) Read more at ktla.com ...
“They were built solely for power generation.”
Hydroelectric.
So they’re for the New Green Deal etc...but want to destroy what they call green power.
Just dismantle more infrastructure.
Hey CA, how are those roads doing?
A good drought right about now would make this idea go away
ping
California is chronically short of power and water. What's the solution? Destroy the infrastructure that provides those nessesities. Pure insanity.
That or a rumor salmon can absorb COVID-19 into their systems and pass it along to anyone who eats them.
One day CA is going to wake up in the dark ... wait, haven’t roving blackouts already occurred?
Nuts!
Having lived in the area, and being both a fish hugger and economic conservative, all I can say is that demolition will start local shootouts. To say that emotions run high is an understatement. This is all or nothing to most locals.
“...bringing relief to a half-dozen tribes spread across hundreds of miles in southern Oregon and northern California.”
Can’t they just build casinos like good little injuns?
Did anyone really the carbon footprint on this? Oh that’s right, it only counts when the left is against something.
Perhaps more, smaller dams with low head hydro and fish ladders?
These C-suckers have no idea how many potato farmers are there south of K Falls OR.
All of them rely on the water from that system to irrigate.
Rice farmers also.
Would take just one incident and the farmers there could put the entire west coast into a blackout for a long time.
We’re probably going to have to wait until after the federal disaster relief money for next season’s scheduled massive wild fire outbreak to pay for this stuff.
“Forget it, Jake, it’s Chinatown!”
I lived in Kfalls from 2000-2002 when they shut the water to the farmers/ranchers in the basin. The emotions were certainly high at that time.
People’s Democratic Soviet Socialist Republic of Kalifornia. The PDSSRK
Those potatoes are very tasty, too!
Seems to me if the Salmon haven’t been birthed in the Klamath areas where the dams exist then they will not have the homing instinct to return to those areas. They will return only to where they were birthed.
That means to those from Rio Linda the Salmon will not return.
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