Friday August 28, 2026
Action News Now —
The Bureau of Reclamation will increase water releases below Lewiston Dam beginning Aug. 28 at 10 a.m. to help reduce the risk of disease among salmon migrating through the Klamath and Trinity rivers.
Flows below the dam will increase from approximately 450 cubic feet per second to as much as 1,200 cfs from Aug. 28 through Sept. 21. Reclamation said the planned release will not affect water supplies for agriculture or communities, or other environmental obligations.
The bureau is working with the Yurok and Hoopa Valley tribes, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other partners to address fish health concerns.
The increased flows are intended to counteract low water levels and high temperatures in the lower Klamath River. Those conditions can create environmental stress and increase the risk of rapid disease transmission among migrating adult salmon.
Chinook and Coho salmon migrate from the ocean and hold in the Lower Klamath and Trinity rivers before moving upstream to spawn.