The land that Jim Scala and his family have been ranching for three generations is parched and brown as far as he can see. The pond where his cattle used to drink is now a puddle, ringed with cracked mud. In other years, water pumped from the Shasta River would have periodically flooded this land, […]
Klamath River
Posted inArts + Scene
Photos: Rising Up at the Klamath Salmon Festival
The 58th annual Klamath Salmon Festival got underway on the morning of Saturday, Aug. 20, after a two-year pandemic break. The usual Fogust low clouds soon cleared and, thankfully, the only smoke in the air was coming from the salmon barbecue pit — no wildfire smoke blew in from the nearby inland fires. The Yurok […]
Posted inNews
Flooding Raises New Concerns for Spring Chinook
Nearly 300 wild spring Chinook salmon made the 85-mile trip to cool mountain waters for spawning this year, up from a mere 90 last year. While still far below, according to the Karuk Tribe and Salmon River Restoration Council, the numbers were at least moving in a positive direction. But soon after the count was […]
Posted inNews
NCJ Preview: Murals, Fire, Fish and Gyros
This week we’re craning our necks to look up at all the murals from the Eureka Street Art Festival. We’ll talk about how the festival’s artists ended up paining the pillars of the Samoa Bridge and how you can take a tour. And if you’re looking for lunch, we’re talking about the new Gyro Shop […]
Posted inNews
Karuk Tribe: McKinney Fire Slide Caused ‘Kill Zone’ in Klamath River, Suffocating Thousands of Fish
The Karuk Tribe continues to investigate the cause and breadth of a fish kill event in the Klamath River but believes a massive debris slide from the McKinney Fire turned a section of the Klamath to sludge, killing thousands of fish. Craig Tucker, a spokesperson for the tribe, said its believed the debris slide entered the […]
Posted inNews
Feds Release Klamath Dam Removal Environmental Document
The Federal Energy Regulation Commission today released the final draft of its Environmental Impact Statement on plans to remove four hydroelectric dams from the lower Klamath River dams, and proponents say the document confirms the long-touted environmental benefits. “Once again, a thorough analysis by experts reveals dam removal as key for restoring Klamath fisheries and […]
Posted inNews
NCJ Preview: Salmon, Chili Dogs and Fiscal Drama
This week’s cover story looks at the impact of the salmon population on Native communities, culturally, economically and in terms of survival. We also have a story on the Civil Grand Jury investigation of the Auditor-Controller’s Office and what the recent Board of Trustees’ letter of no-confidence means. We’re also looking back on Fortuna’s iconic […]
Posted inNews
Karuk Tribe: Spring Chinook Creeping Toward Extinction
A survey of spring Chinook salmon on the Klamath River has returned one of the lowest numbers in decades, spotting only 95 of the fish where hundreds of thousands once swam, according to the Karuk Tribe. “It’s devastating for our community,” said Karen Greenberg, restoration director for the Salmon River Restoration Council in a press […]
Posted inNews
Newsom Visits Klamath, Talks Drought, Dams and More
California Gov. Gavin Newsom spent some time in a dugout redwood canoe on the Klamath River yesterday while visiting with Yurok Tribal leaders. A Yurok Tribe press release today reports that Chair Joseph James and vice-Chair Frankie Myers took Newsom down a “singularly beautiful” stretch of the river before discussing the ongoing drought, the juvenile […]
Posted inNews
Klamath Spring Chinook Receive New State Protections
A decades-long effort to protect spring Chinook took a major step forward last week when the California Fish and Game Commission unanimously approved listing the fish as threatened under the state’s Endangered Species Act. The June 16 decision was applauded by Karuk Tribe and Salmon River Restoration Council, which jointly filed a petition to list […]
Posted inNews
Historic Klamath Dam Removal Project Takes Another Step Forward
The Federal Energy Regulatory Committee today paved the way for the four dams clogging the Klamath River to be taken down, approving a transfer of the hydroelectric license from PacifiCorp to the nonprofit Klamath River Renewal Corporation and the states of Oregon and California. “Since 2016, PacifiCorp, along with a coalition of state and federal […]
Posted inNews
Interior Secretary Pens Letter Supporting Klamath Dam Removal
Interior Secretary Deb Haaland released a letter today to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in support of Klamath dam removal. “Dam removal will restore salmonid fisheries, reestablish fish passage, improve water quality and bring new recreation and economic opportunities to the Basin,” Haaland, the nation’s first Native Interior Secretary, wrote. “Moreover, removal will advance the […]