How do we know Klamath River fish will benefit from having fish passage installed?
Salmon, steelhead, and Pacific lamprey would regain over 300 miles of habitat above Iron Gate Dam for spawning, incubation, and rearing if provided with volitional fishways. Currently, without fish access, this habitat does not contribute to the production of salmon, steelhead, and Pacific lamprey. In addition to increased production, the return of anadromous fish to these areas would allow fish to use a more extensive and wider diversity of habitats than is currently available to them in the Klamath River system. This would include intermittent streams and thermal refugia, used at a variety of stages in their life cycle. Environmental diversity such as this contributes to the ability of species to thrive in variable and challenging environments by maintaining their genetic variation.
