"Three new reports funded by the California Coastal Conservancy confirm that dam removal on the Klamath River will be beneficial for salmon and water quality without incurring any increased flood risk to downstream residents.

The studies demonstrate that removing the four large dams owned by Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Corporation "will cause relatively minor negative effects in the short-run, will not require sediment removal, and will provide great benefits for the long-term health of the river and its fish," according to a joint news release today from American Rivers, a national environmental group, and the Karuk Tribe of northern California.

“These new studies add to the already impressive library of scientific and economic reports that show dam removal to be a safe, affordable, and effective way to restore struggling runs of salmon,” said Steve Rothert, Director of the California Field Office for American Rivers.

Dam removal advocates from Tribal, fishing, and conservation communities praised the findings. “The data confirm what we have been arguing for years – dam removal is the best option on the Klamath,” said Karuk Vice Chairman Leaf Hillman."

Get the Story:
Dan Bacher: How Dam Removal Can Save the Klamath River (Counterpunch 1/30)