In ‘momentous’ act, regulators approve demolition of four Klamath River dams
By Paul Rogers, Klamath Falls Times
Published: Thursday, February 22, 2013 at 01:46 PM.
Klamath Falls — With a “momentous” vote, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has approved plans to dismantle four dams on the Klamath River, ending the threat of flooding in the region.
The votes of the full board of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, a board that is charged with overseeing the regulation of the nation’s waterways, came at the end of a two-month, three-round process in which more than 1,000 stakeholders spoke against the proposed changes to dams on the Klamath River.
The vote on the Klamath River dams came at the end of more than a year of protests against the dams and the loss of fish, wildlife and recreation on the Klamath River.
The board of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers voted 6-4 Tuesday to approve the removal of the eight dams on the Klamath River in order to lessen the threat of flooding.
The move comes after more than 1,000 stakeholders spoke against the project when the board began hearings on the issue in late 2012 and early 2013.
The planned removal of the dams will result in the loss of fishing, scenic views, wildlife and habitat.
The vote on the dam project came in a meeting on Jan. 18, 2013.
Once the vote on the dams was completed, U.S. Sen. Mark Begich pressed Gov. Dave Heineman, D-Saratoga Springs, for the state to have a role in determining when the removal and construction of the dams will begin.
Begich noted the project may be on a path to completion, but the state still needs to determine when the removal will go forward.
Heineman said no decision has been made and that he has not seen any legal document that indicates when the removal will be completed.
The state still plans to take a significant role as early as April in determining how