Chinook salmon have returned to the Upper Klamath Basin for the first time in over a century

Question

This claim is true. I fact-checked it through multiple sources, starting with the Klamath Tribes, I’m a member, and reviewed their official statements. I confirmed it with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW). I also reviewed coverage from other reputable news organizations reporting the same event. To go further, I watched the actual footage of the salmon posted by both the Klamath Tribes and ODFW, showing the fish navigating upstream past Keno Dam. 

Answer 1

This appears to be true, and it comes roughly a year after the last of four major hydroelectric dams on the Klamath River was demolished. The dams had blocked salmon and other fish from traveling upriver. According to the New York Times, "they were removed in 2023 and 2024, the culmination of decades of efforts by Native American groups—including the Yurok, Karuk and Klamath tribes—along with environmental organizations, anglers and others." Oregon Public Broadcasting reports that the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife confirmed radio-tagged fall Chinook salmon have made it into the Sprague River.

"The run so far this year has been incredibly exciting, and we're expanding our monitoring program on an almost daily basis to keep adapting," said Mark Hereford, ODFW Klamath fisheries reintroduction project leader. "It is incredible to be a part of this historic return and see where these salmon go and what they do."