It is believed to be the biggest dam removal job in history.Historical Background and Project RationaleThe four dams– Iron Gate, Copco No. 1, Copco No. 2, and J.C. Boyle– were built in between 1918 and 1962 to generate electrical energy. Repair efforts will focus on revegetating hundreds of acres and revitalizing fish populations in what was as soon as the third most efficient river for salmon on the West Coast.Early Stages of Dam RemovalThe first dam to be gotten rid of, Copco No. 2, was likewise the tiniest; that task wrapped up in September 2023. A current analysis of Landsat and hydrological data discovered that 20th-century dam building in North America, Europe, and Asia has halved the worldwide delivery of suspended sediment from rivers to the oceans relative to pre-dam conditions.Researchers have recorded quick and lasting ecological gains following other dam removal and river restoration tasks, such as the one on the Elwha River in Washington state in the 2010s. The elimination of Copco No. 1, a concrete arch dam, began in March; Iron Gate and J.C. Boyle, both earthen dams, will be deconstructed after the spring runoff period.
It is believed to be the largest dam elimination task in history.Historical Background and Project RationaleThe 4 dams– Iron Gate, Copco No. 1, Copco No. 2, and J.C. Boyle– were built in between 1918 and 1962 to generate electrical energy. Restoration efforts will focus on revegetating hundreds of acres and reinvigorating fish populations in what was when the 3rd most productive river for salmon on the West Coast.Early Stages of Dam RemovalThe first dam to be gotten rid of, Copco No. 2, was also the tiniest; that task wrapped up in September 2023. A current analysis of Landsat and hydrological information discovered that 20th-century dam building in North America, Europe, and Asia has halved the global delivery of suspended sediment from rivers to the oceans relative to pre-dam conditions.Researchers have recorded quick and long-lasting ecological gains following other dam elimination and river remediation jobs, such as the one on the Elwha River in Washington state in the 2010s.