Monday, Apr 8 2013 3:31PM

The DOI may consider the removal of four dams along the Klamath River.

The Department of the Interior (DOI) released its Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), the results of which promote removing four privately-owned dams along the Klamath River.

The Klamath River runs southwest from Oregon to northern California, and the EIS used information from several different sources, including public meetings and talks with Native American tribes, to come to its determination to remove four dams.

The EIS represents a component of the Klamath Hydroelectric Settlement Agreement that was signed by Oregon, California, three tribes, irrigation communities, fishing communities, and non-governmental organizations. The purpose of the agreement is to explore solutions to potential water issues and ensure that sustainable water system services are available to all parties involved. 

Following the EIS assessment, Congress must now determine whether to take action regarding the dams.

"By releasing the EIS and final Overview Report, Congress, local stakeholders, and the public have a comprehensive analysis upon which to develop and enact a legislative solution to the ongoing, complex challenges in the basin," said Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar. "Once again the communities of the Klamath Basin are facing a potentially difficult water year under a status quo that everyone agrees is broken. We need a comprehensive solution addressing all of the needs of the Klamath Basin, including fisheries, agriculture, refuges, and power."

While many states, such as Utah and Nevada, are embattled in water rights disputes and lawsuits, the agreement between Oregon and California is one of the few successful working partnerships that may result in sustainable water solutions for both states.

For more information, check out this resource: The Department of the Interior