Thursday July 16, 2026
KDRV —
The Yurok Tribe Fisheries Department and Condor Aviation will begin flying low-elevation helicopter missions Tuesday to map 257 miles of the Klamath River from Lake Ewauna to the estuary.
The helicopter is equipped with high-resolution remote-sensing instruments to capture bathymetric and topographic data. The information will be used to evaluate how the river changes in response to the recent removal of four dams near the California-Oregon border.
“This detailed three-dimensional map of the river corridor will provide invaluable insights into the evolution of the Klamath River ecosystem, as well as help us gain a deeper understanding of the river’s overall health,” McCovey said. “The data will also guide the development of large-scale restoration projects.”
Crews from the Yurok Tribe and Karuk Tribe will also collect data from boats. The aerial and boat-based data-collection project will run through early August.
People shouldn’t be alarmed if they see a helicopter with tail number N152S flying near the water. During this time of year, it’s common to see low-flying helicopters collecting water from the river to douse forest fires.