Wednesday May 20, 2026
Phys —
A new study of the largest dam removal project in United States history on the Klamath River in Oregon and California is offering new insight into a long-running water conflict by finding that farmers and conservation groups share priorities that may help guide decision-making on future river restoration projects. The work is published in the journal Society & Natural Resources.
Researchers from Oregon State University found that farmers and conservation groups have a mutual understanding in four main areas: future uncertainty; a need for better collaboration and trust; an ecosystem-based approach to river restoration; and a willingness to experiment with creative management options.
“Our research shows the Klamath Basin is not just defined by conflict,” said Bryan Tilt, an anthropology professor at Oregon State and lead author of the study. “Farmers and conservation groups share important priorities, and those areas of agreement can help guide more collaborative management decisions in the basin and inform future river restoration efforts elsewhere.”
The Klamath River runs more than 250 miles along the Oregon-California border, through high desert, rainforest and redwoods to reach the Pacific Ocean. Four hydropower dams constructed between 1912 and 1963 were removed in 2023-24 to restore salmon habitat and improve water quality.