Our Freeways for Fish Program restores fish habitat in the Rogue and Klamath Basins in preparation for changes in water availability due to climate change. Over the last 6 years, this program has worked to restore fish access to 1,200 river miles in the Rogue Basin and 350 river miles in the Klamath Basin.
This successful, multi-stakeholder model shows how communities can improve the connectivity of their river systems to maintain resilient floodplains in the face of a changing climate.
One of the areas of critical concern is river and floodplain development, because natural, undeveloped floodplains handle droughts and floods better than developed floodplains. Dams and other fish passage impediments are of particular concern, as they prevent native species from having access to cool water during droughts.
Rogue Basin: 761 Miles Miles of Fish Access Restored
Savage Rapids Dam Removed: This dam on the Rogue River has blocked the passage of native fish for nearly a century. It was removed in October, 2009. We provided technical support for the dam removal and are now leading the effort to restore the 3.5 mile stretch of river just above the dam site. Replanting native trees, shrubs, and other streamside plants will stabilize the bare soil and provide critical shade and habitat for returning fish. 
Gold Ray Dam Removal on Schedule: For the past four years, we have worked alongside Jackson County to determine the future of Gold Ray Dam - a 35-foot high, unused hydroelectric dam that interferes with native fish passage to 350 miles of the Rogue Basin. Now that Savage Rapids Dam has been removed, Gold Ray is the worst fish passage impediment remaining in the Rogue Basin.
The National Center has played a key role in helping Jackson County understand the liabilities associated with keeping the structure and develop dam removal plans. Studies conducted by Jackson County support our position that removing the dam provides important biological, social, and economic advantages and keeping it opens the county to potentially costly liabilities. The dam is on schedule to be removed in the summer of 2010.
Little Butte Creek Restoration on Schedule: We have completed restoration designs and raised over $650,000 to create new, high quality fish habitat in Little Butte Creek. The lower reaches of this creek, among the most important salmon producing tributaries in the Rogue Basin, were straightened in the mid-1900’s with disastrous consequences for native fish. We are working directly with Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife to reconnect this reach of Little Butte Creek with its old river channel.
Returning the channel to its meandering stream course will lengthen Little Butte Creek and dramatically improve the quality of fish habitat. It will also help reduce flooding by giving the water more room to move within the stream channel. The project is scheduled to be constructed in summer of 2010.
Klamath Basin: Landmark Agreement to Remove Four Mainstem Dams
Forty-four parties have signed two settlement agreements that chart an historic course for managing water and restoring fish populations in the Klamath Basin. The National Center played a lead science role in 
helping to negotiate these agreements and analyzing the information used to support the plan of action.
One agreement lays a path for removing four dams on the Klamath River by 2020. These dams completely block salmon access to over 350 miles of habitat.
The second agreement complements the dam removal plan by securing commitments related to water management, salmon reintroduction, and habitat and water quality restoration throughout the basin. With a draft budget of about $1 billion over 10 years, nearly half of that funding is for river restoration and salmon reintroduction efforts.
Although there are many compromises in both agreements, they offer dramatic improvement over the current situation in the Klamath Basin for native fishes—especially migratory fishes like salmon, steelhead, and lamprey. Moreover, these agreements go a long way toward establishing a cooperative spirit among traditional enemies in approaching issues of water scarcity.
While we support the two agreements in principle, we reluctantly decided not to become a signing party because this would commit us to investing significant resources over the next 10 plus years. However, we will continue to be a technical advisor as the signing parties implement these historic agreements.
