Multiparty Pacts in Northwest Set the Stage For Largest Dam Removal in U.S. History
The largest dam removal and river restoration project in U.S. history moved a step closer to reality last month as the U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Oregon, California, PacifiCorp and about 40 other groups signed agreements that will set into motion the $200-million removal of four dams on the Klamath River and the $1-billion restoration of the Klamath Basin.
The dams, owned by PacifiCorp, a subsidiary of Warren Buffet’s Mid-American Energy Holdings Inc., Des Moines, Iowa, would continue to produce power until removal begins. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission estimates their dependable capacity at 43 megawatts.