A team of Mongolian scientists recently traveled to Northern California to detect the ecological results of the largest dam removal effort in U.S. history. Just months ago, this section of the Klamath River plunged beneath 200 feet of reservoir water—now, it flows freely once more.
Experts in aquatic ecology, engineering, chemistry, and biology made the journey as part of a knowledge-sharing enterprise hosted by the Wild Salmon Center’s International Taimen Initiative. Their focus: to discover environmentally responsible alternatives to conventional dams as Mongolia considers enlarging its hydropower capacity.
The Klamath River restoration involved eliminating four major dams, including the Iron Gate Dam, which had stood for six decades. This $500 million restoration project, launched in 2023, was the result of unrelenting advocacy from the Karuk and Yurok Tribes, reinforced by succeeding governors of California and Oregon.
At a scenic watch, the delegation viewed visible rock formations that once sat beneath the reservoir’s surface. Native plants—such as willows, lupines, oaks, and yarrow—are already taking root, repossessing the revitalized shoreline.
Toz Soto, Program Manager for the Karuk Tribe’s Fisheries Program, led the tour. Soto, who had long advocated the tribe’s efforts to remove the dams, also delivered technical guidance to the Klamath River Renewal Corporation during the complex deconstruction.
When the Klamath dams were initially built starting in 1913, the science of salmon conservation was in its beginning. Three of the dams—Iron Gate, Copco No. 1, and Copco No. 2—lacked fish ladders or bypasses, effectively cutting off salmon from critical upstream home. While some critics demanded that salmon never migrated beyond Iron Gate, tribal oral histories, archived photographs, and a 2017 genetic study refuted that narrative. Research established that Chinook salmon historically traveled hundreds of miles upstream to tributaries like the Wood and Sprague Rivers.
Dr. Avlyush, a Mongolian aquatic scientist, made clear the similarities between Klamath salmon and Mongolia’s native taimen, which are also long-range migrators reliant on on a wide variety of habitats. Mongolia hosts some of the last undisturbed taimen rivers in Eurasia, but these rivers are increasingly being considered for future hydropower projects.
She elucidated that taimen utilize a range of river systems—from small headwaters to large main channels—often seeking refuge in deep pools during the region’s harsh, frozen winters. The matches between taimen and salmon highlight the importance of prioritizing fish-friendly dam designs from the outset.
While removing the Klamath dams has reopened critical migration routes, full recovery is still a work in progress. Salmon must still steer around the Keno and Link River dams and cross Upper Klamath Lake to access their ancestral spawning grounds.
At the banks of the Wood River, Dr. Jonny Armstrong, a science advisor with the Wild Salmon Center, emphasized gravel beds ideal for breeding. He stated that a female Chinook could one day lay her eggs there again—just as her ancestors did more than a century ago.
For the Mongolian scientists, the voyage was eye-opening. Dr. Avlyush expressed her hope that Mongolia can chart a development path that safeguards its freshwater ecosystems while addressing energy needs. With more than 90% of its rivers still undammed, Mongolia has a exceptional opportunity to plan for sustainable infrastructure that avoids the ecological damage seen elsewhere.
She also stressed the necessity of including local voices in hydropower planning. In Mongolia, taimen are honored and woven into cultural traditions, much like salmon are essential to Indigenous identity in the Pacific Northwest. Decisions about energy infrastructure will affect river communities and ecosystems for generations to come.
Toward the end of the visit, Soto shared an hopeful update: video footage had caught a Chinook salmon swimming upstream past the former Iron Gate Dam site—likely the first to do so in over 80 years. Shortly after, salmon were seen migrating past all four removed dam sites and spawning in Oregon’s Spencer Creek.
This milestone offers optimism not only for the Klamath Basin but also for global efforts in river conservation. The project demonstrates that with thoughtful planning and community collaboration, river ecosystems can rebound—and that modern, fish-friendly dam technologies can help balance development with environmental preservation.
As Mongolia weighs its energy future, the lessons of the Klamath provide a treasured guide for how rivers and renewable energy can cohabit.
