Dam Design and Construction

FERC approves removal of four Klamath River dams

FERC approves removal of four Klamath River dams
(Iron Gate is one of four dams on the Klamath River slated for removal)

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has granted its final approval for a plan to remove four dams on the Klamath River in California and Oregon.

According to dam owner PacifiCorp, the order paves the way for enactment of a settlement agreement nearly 15 years in the making by California, Oregon, the Yurok and Karuk Tribes, Berkshire Hathaway Energy-owned utility PacifiCorp, fishing groups, and other stakeholders to carry out the ambitious plan to remove dams and address fish populations, river health and Tribal communities and cultures.

The dams produce less than 2% of PacifiCorp’s power generation when they are running at full capacity. But they often run at a far lower capacity because of low water in the river and other issues.

The utility would have had to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in fish ladders, fish screens and other conservation upgrades under environmental regulations that were not in place when the dams were first built. But with the deal approved November 17, the utility’s cost is capped at $200 million, with another $250 million from a California voter-approved water bond.

In August, FERC staff prepared a final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the surrender, decommissioning and removal of project works of the Lower Klamath Hydroelectric Project (P-14803).

The project occupies about 400 acres of federal land administered by the U.S. Department of Interior, Bureau of Land Management and consists of four developments: J.C. Boyle Dam, a 98 MW project with an earthfill dam built in 1958; Copco 1 Dam, a 20 MW project with a concrete dam built in 1918; Copco 2 Dam, a 27 MW project with a concrete dam built in 1925; and, Iron Gate Dam, a 18 MW project with an earthfill dam built in 1962.

Plans call for Copco No. 2 dam to be removed as soon as the summer of 2023. The removal of J.C. Boyle, Copco No. 1 and Iron Gate dams is planned for 2024.

In its ruling, FERC commissioners found “surrender of the Lower Klamath Project license and removal of the project to be in the public interest” and granted the Klamath River Renewal Corporation’s (KRRC) surrender application, “subject to terms and conditions and acceptance of the license transfer.”

The approval of the dam removal plan provides the final ruling needed for parties to fully implement the Amended Klamath Hydroelectric Settlement Agreement as signed in 2016. In June 2021, FERC approved allowing PacifiCorp to be removed from the license for the hydroelectric project and transfer it to the states of California and Oregon and the nonprofit KRRC as co-licensees to carry out removal of the dams pending final sign-off on the dam removal plan.

Klamath River Dam
The dams are located along the Klamath River in southern Oregon and northern California.

“Today’s ruling is a major achievement for everyone who developed and helped advance this historic agreement over many years. I want to wholeheartedly thank the leadership of Yurok and Karuk tribes, Governors Newsom and Brown and their predecessors, and all of our partners who remained committed to resolving this complex and difficult issue through settlement,” said PacifiCorp President and Chief Executive Officer Stefan Bird

After formal acceptance of the license transfer by the states and the KRRC, parties led by the KRRC will take pre-construction steps during 2023 to lay the groundwork to complete removal of the dams. The four dams are located in Klamath County, Ore., and Siskiyou County, Calif.

 “Today’s action culminates more than a decade of work to revitalize the Klamath River and its vital role in the tribal communities, cultures and livelihoods sustained by it. California is grateful for the partnership of Oregon, the Yurok and Karuk Tribes, Berkshire Hathaway and the many other stakeholders who came together to make this transformative effort a reality for the generations to come,” said California Governor Gavin Newsom.