After historic dam removal, salmon return to Williamson and Sprague rivers in Southern Oregon

Think Out Loud

After historic dam removal, salmon return to Williamson and Sprague rivers in Southern Oregon

Clean

Published on Oct 31, 2025, 12:30:15 PM
Total time: 00:15:10

Episode Description

After more than 100 years, Chinook salmon have made it to areas above Upper Klamath Lake in Southern Oregon. Earlier this month, a radio-tagged adult salmon was detected in the Williamson River and others were found in tributaries on the west side of Upper Klamath Lake and in the Sprague River.

The return of salmon follows the largest river restoration project in U.S. history. The removal of four dams in Southern Oregon and Northern California was completed last year. Adult salmon swam more than 200 miles from the ocean to the Oregon side of the Klamath Basin for the first time since 1912.

The Klamath Tribes said the fish need time and protection to thrive again. We hear more from William Ray Jr., the chairman of the Klamath Tribes.

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