The Story Behind The Largest Dam Removal In U.S. History

The Klamath River, which runs from southern Oregon to California, used to be a top salmon run. But after a series of hydroelectric dams was installed along the river around 100 years ago, salmon populations tanked.

This is the prologue to a remarkable story of a coalition that fought to restore the river. Led by members of the Yurok Nation, who’ve lived along the river for millennia, a group of lawyers, biologists, and activists successfully lobbied for the removal of the dams. The fourth and final dam was taken down last year.

Joining Host Flora Lichtman to go behind the scenes of the dam removal and what’s happened since are Amy Bowers Cordalis, former general counsel for the Yurok Nation and author of the forthcoming book The Water Remembers: My Indigenous Family’s Fight to Save a River and a Way of Life; and Barry McCovey Jr., director of the Yurok Tribes Fisheries Department.

Read an excerpt from The Water Remembers: My Indigenous Family’s Fight to Save a River and a Way of Life.

Guests:

Amy Bowers Cordalis is an attorney, member of the Yurok Nation, and author of The Water Remembers: My Indigenous Family’s Fight To Save A River And A Way Of Life. 
Barry McCovey Jr. is the director of the Yurok Tribes Fisheries Department, based in Klamath, California.

Transcripts for each episode are available within 1-3 days at sciencefriday.com.

 

Subscribe to this podcast. Plus, to stay updated on all things science, sign up for Science Friday's newsletters.