Reconnect Klamath focuses on the shared values of Klamath Basin communities.
In order to thrive, we must reconnect our ecologies, cultures, and economies from the mouth of the Klamath River to its headwaters.
One Basin, One Community
We support efforts by the Klamath’s diverse rural communities to collaborate and communicate on solutions to common problems. If we are to survive and thrive into the future, we have to do it together.
Two Years On, the Undammed Klamath is Flourishing
In October of 2024, the Klamath River ran free for the first time in more than a century. The construction phase of dam removal was complete, and restoration work began in earnest. Since then, we have seen an unprecedented recovery of the river and of fish populations, as well as a sense of renewed hope among the people who live and work throughout the Klamath Basin. Continue Reading Two Years On, the Undammed Klamath is Flourishing
Water Quality Monitoring on the Free-Flowing Klamath River
The Klamath River returned a free-flowing condition after four dams were removed in 2024. The dams formed physical barriers that were impassable for salmon and other migrating fish. Two years later, natural sediment flows and temperature fluctuations have also been restored, and water quality in the river has dramatically improved. These changes have already made the Klamath much more hospitable for migrating fish, and the improvement in water quality is also benefiting the people up and down the river. Continue Reading Water Quality Monitoring on the Free-Flowing Klamath River
Below the Former Dam Sites, Restoration Continues at McConnell Bar
When the construction phase of Klamath dam removal wrapped up in late 2024, nobody involved treated it as a finish line. The dams were the single largest obstacle between salmon and hundreds of miles of habitat. But deconstructing them was not enough to undo the damage that the dams themselves, 20th century mining, and the destructive impacts of the 2022 McKinney Fire had on this watershed. Essential restoration work to address those impacts is happening now, reach by reach. One of the most ambitious examples is taking shape just downriver from the former dam sites. Continue Reading Below the Former Dam Sites, Restoration Continues at McConnell Bar
Clean Water is Good for Business
Whether you are a fisherman, farmer, outfitter, or business owner in a riverside community, good water quality is key to your livelihood. The Klamath River has suffered from poor water quality caused largely by the four hydroelectric dams that will be removed by the end of 2024. However, the rest of the watershed still struggles with water quality challenges. Reconnect Klamath promotes cooperative efforts led by Tribes, local governments, non-profits, and irrigation districts to improve water quality.
Water Conservation
The Klamath River once hosted prolific runs of salmon, steelhead, sturgeon, and lamprey. The Upper Basin is home to c’waam and koptu, sucker species found only in the Klamath along with trophy-sized redband trout. We support community efforts to restore habitat that in turn will support in-river and ocean fisheries, a local recreational economy, and sustainable agriculture.
Local Stewardship
Wildlife that depends on the Klamath Wildlife Refuges also needs water to survive. Reconnect Klamath promotes a basin-wide view to allocating limited water resources to support resident and migratory bird populations, native fish, and other wildlife.