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Copco No. 1 at Wards Canyon, Klamath River, California, January 25, 2024

Meridian Photo is focused on the intersection of engineered landscapes and wilderness.

From the arid Southwest to the southern cusp
of the Pacific Northwest it’s usually about water.

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  • Klamath River Project Early Summer update 2024

    Klamath River Project Early Summer update 2024

    From Upper Klamath Lake to the Removal of Iron Gate The Upper Klamath Lake of Oregon is one of the United States’ largest freshwater lakes at approximately 96 square miles of surface area (61,543 acres). Combined with its interconnected neighbor, Agency Lake, it’s over 109 square miles (70,000 acres) at about 25 miles long and…

  • Klamath River Project 2023 Update

    Klamath River Project 2023 Update

    The Klamath River is free to flow through Wards Canyon for the first time in a century. Copco 2 and its headgate were fully removed in fall of 2023. Three more dams will be removed in 2024. Slide Show – Twenty Four Photographs In Retrospect It’s been eight months since last posting. Despite the apparent…

  • Undamming the Klamath

    Undamming the Klamath

    After decades of peaceful protest, scientific study, and political wrangling, four Klamath dams are coming down. River renewal has begun. The Klamath River Renewal Project is managed by the Klamath River Renewal Corporation (KRRC) whose mission “is to remove the Klamath hydroelectric dams and restore a free-flowing river.” This is a remarkable turning point in…

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October 6, 2024 was a quiet morning at Iron Gate. Dam removal had been completed just a few days before, but Caterpillars on river left still crawled. Beep, beep, beeping until the first quiet day on Sunday the 6th, when the birds awoke to silence and the sounds of a free flowing river. - As early as the 1920s, the dam at Iron Gate was conceived as part of the Federal Power Commission’s requirement for the California Oregon Power Company (Copco) to develop and utilize all power resources of the Klamath. Water was to be used, and if not for electric generation, certainly for irrigation. If there was "extra" water it meant the possibility of diversion to the Sacramento Valley. Complications from shifting water rights and priorities for irrigation under Oregon's 1931 Hydroelectric Act led Copco to shift resources to California where it had powerhouses in Wards Canyon and Fall Creek. Iron Gate was in a good position, but disagreements over irrigation water rights persisted and Copco postponed the building of Iron Gate indefinitely. Water politics are always complicated, and crossing state lines especially so. Physically building dams and removing them might take a year or two, but only after decades of paperwork. Iron Gate was eventually built in 1960-1962. In addition to hydroelectric power generation, Iron Gate, with no fish ladder, put a hard stop to anadromous fish migration upstream of the dam. Iron Gate blocked hundreds of miles of spawning grounds necessary for the salmonid lifecycle. Salmon are dependent on cool water, and the side streams of both upper and lower Klamath are necessary for spawning the next generation. The dams blocked access and their reservoirs stored summer heat, which not only made conditions uninhabitable above the dams, it influenced river health, creating dangerous conditions for salmon below. As conditions for salmon worsened, not just on the Klamath but around the world, the commercial fishing industry as well as Tribal communities were seeing consequences first hand. As early as the 1980s commercial fishing interests suspected the Klamath River dams were to blame for declining fish stocks. Indigenous cultures downriver from the dams, the Karuk, Yurok, and Hoopa with thousands of years of shared history, all agreed. However, dam removal would not become a topic of popular conversation until 2002 when drought forced tough decisions for water allocation. The Klamath River basin rarely has enough water for everyone who wants it let alone for those with legal rights to use it. In 2001 while in drought it came down to enough water for one or the other. An effort to supply farming with their needs to complete harvest led to an exceptionally low flow for the Klamath River. Water quality plummeted and disease spread, killing over 34,000 salmon, mostly chinook, during their 2002 fall migration. This event turned the tide where most came to agree that whether for farms or for fish, something had to change. The first big opportunity for change came as the dams came due for relicensing. Unlike the initial license to operate, the Endangered Species Act of 1973 coupled with the Federal Power Act triggered requirements to provide fish passage. As a result, PacifiCorp, the owner and operator, chose to decommission the aging infrastructure and agreed in 2016 to surrender their license to the Klamath River Renewal Corporation, whose mission was to remove the dams and restore a free flowing river. On October 2nd, 2024, the KRRC completed their mission “on time and on budget” (Mark Bransom, CEO, 10-5-2024, Yreka, California). Restoration of the exposed reservoir beds, headed by Resource Environmental Solutions (RES) has been in process for years, with another five years or more to manage regrowth: encouraging native plants while discouraging invasive ones. According to John C. Boyle and others, the threat of water being diverted to the Sacramento Valley was only prevented by unanimous agreement among Klamath Basin water users that Klamath River water was for the Klamath Basin. Diversion to the Sacramento River would have been disastrous for the Basin. The perceived value added by Boyle's dams prevented diversion, thus saving Klamath River water for the Klamath Basin rather than for California's Central Valley hundreds of miles away. The fact that Klamath water remains in the Basin is a fact that everyone in the Basin is thankful for. There’s still a tremendous amount of work to do, whether it’s fish and farms or not, it’s about food and how to sustainably feed growing populations of people while preserving the natural world that makes it possible. Sources: https://www.opb.org/article/2022/11/1... https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/waterr... John C. Boyle, 50 Years on the Klamath, 1976.
Sunrise at Iron Gate, Klamath River, October 6, 2024
Dear Salmon, We’ve been busy this year and have made a mess of your river. We’re all sorry about that but good things are coming. Klamath dam removal has often been described as a “short term pain for a long term gain.” It’s truly a messy process. I’m sure you’ve noticed the low levels of dissolved oxygen and high levels of turbidity but fear not, these troubles are passing, you’ve got this. If the going gets tough please know your next generation will have an easier time of it. But for yourself, persist, as you have for millions of years, for above Iron Gate the water’s looking great - this year, your run is heroic. You’re among the first in over a century to reclaim hundreds of miles of ancestral waterway. The Klamath runs free again, for you. Will you choose to pass the narrows of Iron Gate? How about Ward’s Canyon and Kikaceki, or the community of Copco Lake? Or maybe head for Oregon and the Upper Klamath? If that’s a bit far this year then what about the Frain Ranch? It too is among the beautiful places you once knew. To go all the way to Chiloquin, a few obstacles remain but worry not, stay to the right when reaching Keno, look for the ladder. It’s a bit small but show us you can make it and you’ll get a new one. If you choose to climb further and make it to the Link River, veer to the left. There’s a ladder there too. Don’t worry much about the people, they’re out enjoying a beautiful walk between Upper Klamath Lake and Lake Ewauna. For now these folks of Klamath Falls won’t eat you. Once you clear Pelican Cove, you’re free to go. Make it to Chiloquin and you’re famous forever. Fame can be lonely so be sure to bring friends. – Dam removal associated with the Lower Klamath Project was declared complete as of October 2, 2024. Much work remains in the restoration process but the river now flows free for anadromous fish (salmon, steelhead, and lamprey) from the rivers that feed Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon to Requa, California for the first time since 1912. Salmon, with a history of millions of years and for Indigenous cultures with over 7,000 years, the balance has been reset. Despite the controversies that surround big change, big change is happening. It is work in progress and the work is incomplete. Bridges need building and ladders need replacing for fish and for communities all along the river and former reservoir. A sea change is in motion. It’s now up to the fish to test the waters and for communities to listen - the salmon will tell us what’s next.
At the Iron Gate Narrows, October 4, 2024.
"at the Upper Klamath Basin, Oregon and California – Early Summer 2024" is a visual journey from Agency and Upper Klamath Lakes through the headwaters of the Klamath River at the Link River and Keno dams on through dam removal of the Lower Klamath Project at John C. Boyle, Copco No.1 and No. 2, and Iron Gate. For a lot more information on the Upper Klamath Basin and Lower Klamath Project please visit: https://meridianphoto.com/klamath-river-project-early-summer-update-2024/ BEHIND THE SCENES – BEYOND THE SEEN The opening sequence for "at the Upper Klamath Basin" begins at the Williamson River. It required twelve miles of paddling by kayak. I asked two people about easier access to the river, a store owner and real estate agent. Both were unhelpful. Accepting this as par for the course I entered the river at the bridge crossing the Williamson River from Modoc Point Road. Under that bridge was scribbled in black paint, "were all going to hell.” The paddle to the confluence was excellent. Waterbirds were hunting, the Canada geese were grazing with their goslings, and the blackbirds, especially the yellow-headed ones were an audio treat amongst the cattails and willows. All with the occasional leap of a trout clearing the water’s surface - providing that momentary glimpse of its silvery size. Once at the confluence I couldn't find a place to land the kayak without getting spiked by giant stinging nettles. The mosquitoes too were quite aggressive. I was really dumb not to be prepared for them. From this locale, positioned in the willow bank hindered much of the line-of-sight required for flight. Except for over the lake itself the views were disappointing and time was running out for another try. With the solstice sun nearing the horizon I had one more chance so I positioned the kayak in the middle of the river and took to the air. I had my eye on the old cottonwood tree. It reminds me of a tree at Kitty Ward’s Ranch near Wards Canyon. Always wanting more, I flew the last flight to a near empty battery. Although a common practice in good conditions, I failed to take into account the extra challenge of catch-landing while paddling a kayak. It's not easy to land in low light, over open water with wind while running out of fuel. It was terrifying. The post flight paddle home provided the perfect take-a-deep-breath moment to unwind. It was a moment made perfect by beaver escort. I must of passed a dozen of them - all splashing their tails to let me know who owns the place. Near midnight by the time I reached the car and quite exhausted I then tried spending the night at the Agency Lake Boat Ramp at Hazel Park. It was late, I was tired, and it seemed an easy way to be ready for the next day. It turns out the “no camping” rule is actually enforced and sleeping in a car is not okay. For my crime I was chased off by spotlights from three cop cars. Three? Surely not all for me? Undeterred, I returned by sunrise to photograph the first day of summer at Agency Lake. With one day down and three to go I then proceeded to the other points of interest. Although uneventful and without incident, the side-eyes from most everyone are palpable and unwelcoming. What’s that camera guy doing and who’s he working for? Perhaps this video provides an answer. - updated July 18, 2024
at the Upper Klamath Basin, Oregon and California – Early Summer 2024
As early as the 1920s, the dam at Iron Gate was conceived as part of the Federal Power Commission’s requirement for the California Oregon Power Company (Copco) to develop and utilize ALL of the power resources of the Klamath. Water was to be used, and if not for electric generation, certainly for irrigation. If there was "extra" it was fair game to be taken and used elsewhere. For the Klamath, this meant the possibility of diversion to the Sacramento Valley. Complications from shifting water rights and priories for irrigation under Oregon's Hydroelectric Act of January 22, 1931, lead Copco to shift resources to California where it had powerhouses in Ward’s Canyon and Fall Creek. Iron Gate was in a good position, but disagreements over irrigation water rights persisted and Copco postponed the building of Iron Gate indefinitely. Water politics are always complicated, and crossing state lines especially so. Physically building dams and removing them could take a year or two, but only after decades of paperwork. Iron Gate was eventually built in 1960 - 1962. In addition to hydroelectric power generation, Iron Gate, with no fish ladder, put a hard stop to anadromous fish migration upstream of the dam; salmonid lifecycles depend on cool side streams of both the upper and lower Klamath. According to John C. Boyle, the threat of water being diverted to the Sacramento Valley was only prevented by the unanimous agreement that Klamath water was for the Klamath Basin, and diversion to the Sacramento River would be disastrous for everyone. The value added by the dams built by Boyle prevented diversion, thus saving Klamath River water for the Klamath region, rather than for California's Central Valley hundreds of miles away. References Boyle, John C. 50 Years on the Klamath. Self-published 1976-1982. Pages 50-51, 57.
at Iron Gate and the Klamath River, California, May 20, 2024
The John C. Boyle Dam was completed in 1958. Originally named the Big Bend Plant, the Pacific Power & Light Company renamed it as the John C. Boyle Hydroelectric Project on June 21, 1961 to honor Boyle’s 52 years of distinguished contribution to the electric utility industry. [Boyle 58] John C. Boyle was the engineer who harnessed the Klamath River for electric power generation. Not just with the building of dams at Big Bend (1956-1958) and Iron Gate (1960-1962), but beginning with Copco 1 (1911-1918) and Copco 2 (1911-1925) of Wards Canyon and upriver to Oregon at the Link River Dam (1920-21). [Boyle] The Link River Dam sits between Upper Klamath Lake and the Klamath River and regulates water for both industrial and ecological needs. It’s a tricky job, as water resources are frequently over-allocated, often putting farmers and fish at odds with each other’s survival needs. Once the planned dam removal is complete, the Klamath River will still be regulated by dams at Link River and Keno but from there the river is free to flow to the Pacific Ocean. Regardless of one’s position on the right to farm, fish, to build dams or to remove them, managing the Klamath for hydroelectric power and regional irrigation likely prevented proposed plans by the Army Corps of Engineers to divert Klamath water into the Sacramento Valley. [Boyle 48] It’s difficult to imagine the consequences for the Klamath watershed had that kind of diversion happened. The value in the power generated by the Klamath dams and an eye on future capacity quite possibly saved the Klamath Basin from an impoverished fate similar to that of the Owens Valley at the hands of the Los Angeles City Water Company. Part of that eye on the future may also have helped save the Klamath from diversion into the Central Valley of California. With the exception of the John C. Boyle and Iron Gate Dams, that “future capacity” remained undeveloped but included plans for a dam at the confluence of the Klamath and Salmon Rivers – Ishi Pishi. For those familiar with Ishi Pishi, the idea of a dam is nearly unfathomable yet remarkably similar to the Copco dams in Wards Canyon. How does one justify such a thing? For an engineer, to design a damming system is a fun and challenging project where it might become a bit easy to disregard the impact on others by thinking the greater good needs their service. Engineers may excel at applied mechanics and Newtonian physics but are not so in tune with those who endure the negative consequences. Their’s is an essential service that often aims for the greater good. But it often requires teamwork, political leadership, and government policy that helps guide opposing needs toward collaborative solutions. Despite hydroelectric’s reputation as low carbon and eco-groovy, the lower Klamath dams and their reservoirs asserted their dominion only to illustrate how “harnessing” a river requires more than an engineer’s clever reworking of water flow. Rather than build more dams as planned, a century of experience has lead the way toward removing them in order to renew a natural system that all life depends upon. Author's Note: The source for references of fact come from John C. Boyle's memoir, 50 Years On The Klamath, self published in 1976 and 1982. Additionally, the sources of opinion and sentiment are influenced by Marc Reisner's, Cadillac Desert, The American West and its Disappearing Water as well as the book Dreamt Land by Mark Ajax. Updated June 7, 2024 to correct a misstatement regarding Keno Dam.
at Topsy and the John C. Boyle Dam, Klamath River, Oregon, May 19, 2024
Harrison Ward is on record for being the original homesteader of 160 acres at the upper mouth of modern day Wards Canyon. Seven years later in 1889 his brother William homesteaded another 160 acres. This could be how Kikacéki, ancestral homeland to the Shasta Indian Nation and Modoc, came be to be known as Wards Canyon rather than Ward's Canyon. Making sense of the historic record is a challenge. Not only are misspellings common but fathers and mothers often had a son, daughter, or grandchild with same first names. The native population too had European names that came from popular culture as well as local association. Kitty Ward, one of the last owners of record prior to purchase by the Siskiyou Electric Power and Light Company, offers such an example. Kitty was a twice widowed Shasta Indian and the sole owner of 240 acres referred to as Ward's Ranch. Until recently, within the upper stretch of Wards Canyon sat the Copco No. 2 diversion dam, its conveyance system and small reservoir, as well as the 110 year old Copco No. 1 dam. There's little that remains of Copco No. 1, but it too is being carried away. Dam removal and habitat restoration are part of the Lower Klamath Project being managed by the Klamath River Renewal Corporation. KRRC is the temporary landowner in care of the transition between an environment managed for hydroelectric generation to one more compatible for the survival of keystone fish species in danger of extinction.
at Wards Canyon and Kikacéki, Copco No. 1 and Copco No. 2, May 17, 2024
California poppies (Eschscholzia californica), common fiddleneck (Amsinckia menziesii), and chick lupine (Lupinus microcarpus var densiflorus) are in their first bloom at the former Iron Gate and Copco Reservoirs. These hardy species are native to California and thrive in disturbed soils. Their special powers have been recruited to help prevent not just soil erosion but to reduce the advance of undesirable plant species such as sheet grass and star thistle. First spread by hand, successive generations will make their way to the river's edge helping secure soil while making way for shrubs and trees. A fun fact here is these poppies are only in the seed mix dispersed by hand along the reservoir's former shoreline. Helicopter reseeding of the lower reaches didn't include the poppies. Ongoing reseeding efforts are part of the Klamath River Renewal Project also known as the Lower Klamath Project (FERC No. 14083) being managed by the Klamath River Renewal Corporation. In addition to the removal of four hydroelectric dams the project involves massive restoration of the former reservoirs. Restoration is managed by RES (Resource Environmental Solutions), headquartered out of Houston Texas and self-described as "the nation's largest ecological restoration company focused on restoring a resilient earth for a modern world."
First Poppies at the Iron Gate Narrows, Klamath River, California, May 21, 2024.
At Bombay Beach on the north-eastern shore of the Salton Sea this Union Pacific train with military vehicles rolled by. Railroad cars are often adorned with graffiti - not this one.
Union Pacific with Cargo, at the Salton Sea, March 1, 2024. #train #saltonsea #culturallandscape
Salton Sea No. 2: No Borders at Salt Creek and the Union Pacific Railroad, Salton Sea, California, March 1, 2024 On the Eastern shore along the Salton Sea’s 110 mile perimeter is Salt Creek and the Union Pacific Rail Road Trestle. For more about the Salton Sea: https://wildlife.ca.gov/Regions/6/Salton-Sea-Program/Background
No Borders at Salt Creek and the Union Pacific Railroad, Salton Sea, California, March 1, 2024
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Water Trough, No1, No2, and No3, Arcata, CA, 2014.
Water Trough, No1, No2 and No3, Arcata, CA, 2014