The Klamath Indigenous Land Trust has acquired 10,000 acres along the Klamath River from PacifiCorp, returning key river lands to Indigenous stewardship for the first time in more than a century.

One year after dam removal on the Klamath River, advanced sonar, artificial intelligence, and tagging data show thousands of Chinook salmon returning to habitat closed for more than a century.

Oregon State Police Fish and Wildlife troopers have issued a criminal citation for the unlawful taking of Chinook salmon in the Klamath Basin, marking the first such case since the removal of dams on the Klamath River and the historic return of salmon to local waterways.

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife has issued several updates ahead of the holiday weekend, including two statewide free fishing days, expanded public access on the restored Klamath River, and a coastwide delay to the commercial Dungeness crab season. Recreational crabbing and clamming remain open in many areas, while winter weather may affect river site access.

Oregon officials say they recognize the urgent push for fish screens as salmon return to the Upper Klamath Basin — but warn the engineering, cost, and statewide backlog mean fast solutions are unlikely.

A sweeping new OPB documentary, First Descent: Kayaking the Klamath, follows Indigenous teens on a 310-mile river journey only made possible after the Klamath’s major dams came down. Blending adventure filmmaking with powerful cultural storytelling, the film captures a historic moment on a river reborn.