Klamath River Dam Removal – Pilot For Multi-Billion Dollar Business Model?

 

We must never forget the truth contained in the maxim… ‘follow the money’. 

The sad truth is that our Government seems hell-bent on separating American taxpayers from their money.

With that said, let’s review the actions and clues that are emerging as we witness an evolving disaster of epic proportions on the Klamath River under the shell corporation operating as the general contractor by the name of Klamath River Renewal Corporation, or ‘KRRC’.

On February 16th, 2024, Jefferson Public Radio ran a story titled, “Water quality discussed after completion of Klamath reservoir drawdown”.

That story was written by Juliet Grable. Ms. Grable’s Facebook account is littered with clues as to her ‘pro-dam removal’ sentiments:

Juliet Grable – January 15

“Excited to share the story I wrote for NPR on the initiation of drawdown at Iron Gate reservoir. As usual, this was a collaboration with JPR News Director Erik Neumann. You can listen to his radio story at the same link (see comments).”

We begin with an analysis of her ‘story’. And that term seems apropos, since some readers might suspect that her story was ordained to support a pre-designed public narrative favoring the dam removal ‘Plan’ by the Klamath River Renewal Corporation (‘KRRC’).

And as we read her story, it quickly reveals statements that run parallel to the propaganda narratives that have been espoused by KRRC since it’s inception, as well as directly quoted KRRC messaging.

The Grable story offers no contextual counter positions to the unfolding events and possible explanations to the dire events unfolding. Therefore, one must ask, how do the producers at Jefferson Public Radio allow such obviously biased one-sided reporting to go on and on, while ignoring the full balance and accounting of counter-points that have been offered? Instead Jefferson Public Radio merely uses scant few comments countering the dam removal process at the Klamath Dams as if they were a bit of seasoning on their giant boloney sandwich.

This author has emailed the producers at Jefferson Public Radio several articles (with supporting science cited) offering public consensus counter-points to the klamath dam removal process and the flaws, and all have been ignored.

What will be the ultimate cost for the continuing myopic bias by pro-dam removal supporters to the environment and taxpayers?

One outcome of stonewalling counter points is the under-reporting of a possible solution to mitigate the ongoing damages that will surely come from the ongoing erosion and leaching of the tens of millions of cubic yards of polluted clay sediments that remain in the now exposed lake bottoms. This is a very serious issue that is being glossed-over by KRRC and now, Ms. Grable.

First, lets examine the arguable motivations driving the removal the Klamath River dams at the potential expense of public health issues, the death of billions of organisms and animals in the Klamath River and total collapse of its ecosystem, and costs that will likely top $1-billion or more in tax dollars.

What’s at stake?  

Allegedly enhancing habitat for one Fish?  

Or a burgeoning multi-billion-dollar dam-removal business model?

Dam removal can be a cookie-cutter business model given the many other dams that may be targeted for removal, and such projects makes private companies richer at the expense of American taxpayers.

Is it possible that as these projects are awarded by Government agencies that these giant dam removal contractor corporations might then share their newly acquired wealth via donations to political campaigns and selected nonprofit organizations ?

But there is a problem faced by the dam removal contractor, Klamath River Renewal Corporation (‘KRRC’) and their dam removal sub-contractor associates, McMillen, Kiewit, JR Merit and Resource Environmental Solutions — how can they maintain a good report card in the middle of what is arguably an unfolding and very costly environmental and socioeconomic disaster on multiple levels ?

During an email debate in August of 2021, in front of numerous legislators, agency officials and others, Glen Spain, a member of Klamath River Renewal Corp. (‘KRRC’) board (at that time) and fisherman’s advocate said;  “Economics Not Salmon Is the Reason PacifiCorp is Removing the Dams”

Shortly after making that public statement, Mr. Spain was no longer on the KRRC board.

It has been represented to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (‘FERC’) that the costs to remove the Klamath River dams would be $450-million dollars. In fact, KRRC has repeated that they can do it for that fixed cost over and over.  Then again, elsewhere they say this is the largest and most expensive dam removal project in the world with many unknowns.  The public witnessed the poor results with the Elwha Dam project, which essentially took twice as long as expected and cost almost twice as much as projected.

However, it seems that through some interesting chicanery, KRRC and Pacific Corp. somehow got the ‘states’ of California and Oregon to essentially write blank checks to cover the lion’s share of direct costs, plus all cost overruns, and all liabilities! In other words, Oregon and California taxpayers will be footing most of the bill for the massive and likely escalating costs, as well as the mounting liabilities that are just now appearing on the horizon.

FERC Project Nos. 2082-063 and 14803-001-30   https://www.ferc.gov/media/h-1-p-2082-063

“As we explained in the June 17 Transfer Order, we continue to find that the $450 million should be sufficient, based on the independent Board of Consultants’ prior review. Additionally, PacifiCorp and the States have committed to creating an additional $45 million contingency fund, and stated that any cost overruns beyond the amount of the contingency fund would be shared equally by PacifiCorp and the States. If the States [CA & OR] and the Renewal Corporation accept the transfer and become co-licensees, they will jointly and severally share the liabilities associated with project decommissioning and be bound by the license as if they were the original licensees.”

Imagine that you’re a dam removal contractor with a resume’ that states you successfully (without issues) decommissioned dams on the world’s largest project.  Such a resume’ is a golden ticket to fabulous profits and wealth at the expense of American taxpayers given the reckless new trend to arbitrarily remove dams, with each potential target project representing hundreds of $-millions in profits. 

Of course any negative results would ruin that opportunity. And therein is the motive to spin or obfuscate any news on adverse impacts, and instead spin the news as being ‘expected’ and part of the ‘plan’, especially those that harm Americans and the ecosystem of the wild and scenic Klamath River. 

To be clear, there are no assurances whatsoever from any agency or contractor that the salmon run will be better than what had existed with the dams in place, or that the ecosystem will even recover after this ‘planned’ complete collapse. In fact, most studies suggest that once an ecosystem is totally collapsed, it never comes back the way it was intended.

New research shows that when biodiversity is lost, such as in what’s occurred in the Klamath River as a result of massive sediment poisoning and the die-off of numerous species of organisms, recovery is unlikely, or very slow at best. https://www.eawag.ch/en/info/portal/news/news-detail/the-role-of-adaptive-evolution-in-ecosystem-collapse-and-recovery/

Many people attempt to hold out the Elwha Dam project as a huge success. And given the money that is circling around the dam removal trend, everyone seems to be looking past the adverse data and costs.

For instance, the original cost projection to remove the dams on the Elwha River was $135-million. However, in less than a decade, that cost ballooned to $308-million. 

More about Elwha Dam costs here: https://www.peninsuladailynews.com/news/elwha-dam-removal-project-cost-rising-to-308-million/

Logical thinkers have to wonder; with that example, how does a price tag of $450-million for the Klamath Dams project remain valid for over a decade? Rudimentary economic indicators suggest that the real cost will likely reach $800-million or more, before the costs related to liabilities (lawsuits, etc.) that will surely come. 

Polluted Sediment is a Profit and Ecosystem Killer
Nearly two decades ago, when PacifiCorp originally began it’s investigations into surrendering their license to operate the Klamath Dams in question and decommissioning them, they were advised that the proper way to remove the dams was to remove all of the polluted sediments first, and then dewater the lakes and demolish the dams in that order.

However, the costs to remove and relocate the hazardous sediments was in the neighborhood of $400-million.  PacifiCorp had collected about $450-million from ratepayers on the their electric bills.  Greed is powerful motivator for some people and corporations, who will quickly place profitability above the wellbeing of people and the environment, and extensive historical examples fully support that statement. Is it possible that history is repeating itself?

Spending $400-million to remove the sediment was jamming the gears of profitability. So the powers behind this rapidly changing deal, decided to simply get some new ‘advice’ that said the sediment was less than the Army Corps of Engineers estimates (20-60-million metric yards), and that it was harmless and could be sent down the river to the sea. That one decision arguably created $400-million in profit, since removing the sediment was no longer a cost on the balance sheet.

Articles and science by the Bureau of Reclamation’s highest level scientist, Ethics Scientist Dr. Paul Houser, expert on ‘Scientific Integrity, was arguably fired for exposing scientific fraud by the Department of the Interior to destroy the Klamath River hydroelectric dams; See extensive list at the bottom of this article.

More about that here: B.O.R. SCIENCE ADVISOR TERMINATED: SHOCKING REVELATION ON KLAMATH DAM REMOVAL!!! – Siskiyou News

According to Bureau of Land Management and USGS surveys, our region of Northern California and Southern Oregon are rich in naturally occurring minerals in the mountains and valleys. Some of these minerals are deadly toxins to various organisms, wildlife and humans. Fish and mollusks (filter feeders) are known to concentrate heavy metals into their bodies, rendering them toxic as potential food sources for humans or animals.

Some of the minerals that have been catalogued and measured by the U.S. Geologic Survey, include toxic heavy metals, including chromium, lead and arsenic among others. Even in tiny amounts, these heavy metals can cause serious health impacts, cancer and even death if ingested via water or plant and animal products containing these pollutants in their tissues or milk. Contact with these metals can also cause serious skin conditions.

The science of heavy metal toxicity:Toxicity, mechanism and health effects of some heavy metals

Over time, the impacts of water eroding and leaching-out minerals from naturally occurring deposits create mineral sediments, which can then be carried down streams and into our rivers, including the Klamath River. Gold miners understand this process very well. 

When the fast moving waters of a river that is transporting millions of tons of these sediments annually down-river come to place where the river widens and slows, or to a lake, the velocity of the water slows and the sediments can then settle-out of the water and go to the bottom of the lake. 

Sediment Removal Techniques for Reservoir Sustainability

When there are minimal or non-hazardous amounts of heavy metals contained in the sediments being transported and settled in a lake, as is the case in Copco and Iron Gate Lakes, over time these heavy metals can become highly concentrated in the sediments that have settled to the bottom of a lake.  Science and logic suggest that Copco Lake has been concentrating heavy metal sediments for 106-years, and Iron Gate Lake has been concentrating heavy metal sediments for about 60-years. And both of these lakes have been storing phosphorus and nitrates through the biological actions of the algae in the lakes, which was safely sequestered in the clay sediments on the lakes bottoms.

When sediments are disturbed, these concentrated pollutants become a serious consideration.

Included with these metals, are the additional concentrations of anthropogenic and natural nitrates and phosphates. Phosphates and nitrates can go into solution, meaning they will dissolve in the water. That reduces the water’s capacity to hold dissolved oxygen. Additionally, decomposing organic materials will also take a toll on dissolved oxygen in water. And finally, some heavy metals that are released back into the water from disturbed clays will also react with the available oxygen in the water, further decreasing dissolved oxygen. A simple well known example of that is iron that is converted to iron oxide. 

The U.S. Geologic Service (USGS) had conducted extensive sampling and testing of water and sediments in the Klamath River basin including below Iron Gate Dam from 2018 through 2022.

Interestingly, they did not release that report until Jan. 31, 2024, after KRRC released the sediments into the River. Coincidence? Or part of a planned cover-up?

That USGS data is found online (Excel Spreadsheet & PDF) at this link: https://www.sciencebase.gov/catalog/file/get/6585c75fd34eff134d4354d3

On Tuesday January 9th and again on January 23, 2024, millions of tons of sediments were released from the bottoms of Iron Gate and Copco lakes when the dams where breached into the Klamath River, allowing sediments to enter the Klamath River below Iron Gate dam.

According to Klamath River Renewal Corporation (‘KRRC’) CEO Mark Bransom, approximately 5-7 million cubic yards of sediments were released into the main-stem of the Klamath River below Iron Gate Dam. 

However, Mark Bransom then wins a Pinocchio award for following that statement by suggesting ‘there are no adult salmon (or steelhead, or eggs) in the river during the winter.’ 

The truth is that there are both salmon and steelhead, as well as their spawned eggs in the main-stem of the Klamath River in winter.

According to the expert river fishing guides at The Fly Shop:

“The portions of the Klamath River that our guide staff concentrate on begins at the Iron Gate Dam, just north of the town of Yreka and south of the Oregon border along the Interstate-5 corridor. There are several drifts in this upper region of the Klamath that our guides focus on during the late fall and winter months, targeting both half-pounders and adult steelhead. Starting around the middle of November, Steelhead start showing in good numbers in these upper reaches of the Klamath, and they’ll keep coming until around the middle of March. These are strong, wild fish that consistently keep anglers enthralled with aerial acrobatics and long, powerful, reel-burning runs. The fish on the Klamath River are a mixture of “half-pounders” in the 16-20 inch range, and adult Steelhead that average 4-5 pounds, with fish up to 10 pounds landed each year.”

(See Bransom presentation via YouTube link below and William Simpson’s response following)

Klamath River Renewal Corporation: SISKIYOU BOARD Of SUPERVISORS February 13, 2024 SPECIAL MEETING

In the graph below, we compare the 2018 USGS heavy metals/mineral sampling results taken from just below Iron Gate Dam to a recent sample of Klamath River water taken from below Iron Gate Dam at the Klamathon Bridge. 

The sample taken from the Klamath River at the Klamath Bridge was collected on January 28, 2024, five days after dams were breached and sediments released, by residents living near the bridge.

^{(Note: the author of this article had no involvement with collection of samples or with Neilson Research Corporation’s processing of sample or payment. Author redacted name of client from sample report at the request of the resident).}

The January 28th (2024) water sample was tested by Neilson Research Corporation in Medford Oregon, and results were released directly to said residents on February 9, 2024. In the comparison (graph below) we find that since dams were breached on January 23, 2024, and a fraction of the many tens of millions of yards of sediments were released, there has been a significant spike in the levels of several toxic metals in the water of the Klamath River below Iron Gate Dam.

Bar graph courtesy Mr. Jay Martin

The January 28, 2024 Klamathon Bridge Sampling – Report via Neilson Research Corporation:

The Dead Zone:

This release of the sediments from Copco and Iron Gate dams coincides with a massive die-off of both non-native and native species of organisms in the Lakes and in the Klamath River, including microscopic organisms, insect larvae and invertebrates that form the foundation of the food-chain in the river. 

The released sediments with concentrates of heavy metals and phosphorus and nitrates added-to the existing base-line levels of heavy metals documented by the 2018 USGS tests, which logically and arguably elevated the levels of heavy metal contamination in the Klamath River below Iron Gate dam.

River gauges down-river from the breached dams showed zero (0) dissolved oxygen for days. The only organisms that arguably survived and will take full advantage of such an event are the anaerobic organisms. 

The Klamath River became a classic ‘dead zone‘ and even the heartiest creatures, such as the native Klamath River crayfish and sculpin were decimated among millions of fish killed, including trout, sucker fish, catfish, sturgeon and others in the lakes and down river. Coastal mollusks will be inundated with these toxin carrying sediments from the bottoms of Copco and Iron Gate Lakes .

For many decades, the phosphorous and nitrates coming down the Klamath River from Klamath Lake and the Klamath Basin were being mitigated by the blue-green algae living in Copco and Iron Gate lakes. And via the life-cycles of these algae, phosphorous and nitrates were sequestered in the clay-mud deposits on the lake bottoms. The release of the sediments containing concentrated phosphates and nitrates that had been sequestered in clay-mud and into the Klamath River, adversely impacted the water quality on the River. And when combined with concentrated heavy metals and epic turbidity by the clay-mud sediments, it had a catastrophic impact, creating a river of death.

All of the fish eggs in the redds from the fall run of salmon and trout in the main-stem of Klamath River below Iron gate dam and down river are now covered in clay sediments and dead. Adult salmon and steelhead trout that are currently in the Klamath River during winter are also dead. 

Mr. Bransom further misrepresented events when he claimed that only non-native fish were killed by their actions. Mr. Bransom carefully avoided discussion of native wildlife that were killed and are now dying, such as: salmon, steelhead, eagles, deer, Klamath crayfish, sculpin, sucker fish, and many more native fish and many other native animals.

Furthermore, Mr. Bransom said during his Feb. 13th presentation, that they were only introducing the equivalent of a year’s worth of sediment into the River, and that amount being 5-7-million metric yards, and that there’s only a total of 17-20-million metric yards of sediments in the lake bottoms.

When considering Copco Dam has been settling sediments out of the River water for the past 106-years, and Iron Gate Dam has been settling sediments for 60-years, and assuming Bransom’s claim of 5-7-millions yards per year is accurate, simple math on the low end suggests there might be as much as 500-million yards of sediments or more in the lake bottoms. We also know that the water-driven blades of the turbines that generated power, are supplied with low sediment water, less they’d be quickly eroded and disabled by sediments. The math by KRRC and Bransom doesn’t add up.

Prior estimates by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, were that the sediments in Copco and Iron Gate Lakes might be as much as 60-million metric yards. So if 5-million metric yards were dumped into the River, there’s as much as 55-million metric yards of polluted clay-mud sediments remaining, or more? 

And as time and erosion via rains continue to leach-out the deeper layers of those tens of millions of tons of polluted sediments that remain, those deeper layers, which likely contain the heaviest concentrations of toxic heavy metals will be released into the Klamath River each time it rains, for many years to come.

KRRC proposes to seed the clay mud-flat sediments using hand-thrown seeds and possibly a helicopter. This listens-well but the reality is that seeds dropped on such inhospitable habitat will have great difficulty taking hold and will be subjected to birds, insects, and intense UV exposure. Sadly they did not test seed germinability on this polluted clay under such conditions, and instead did testing on well-established riverbank soils down river from the dams in an enclosed area with partial daily sun exposure and a source of water. 

Even if some species of plants might take hold in the hundreds of acres of toxic clay-mud lake-bottom, such vegetation will not abate the ongoing annual erosion and leaching of toxins (phosphorous, nitrates, decomposing algae, and any concentrated heavy metals) from the clay-mud during fall and winter rains, which will impact any fish moving into or out-of the main-stem of the Klamath from tributaries. 

And in the summers when the heat bakes the clay to a dry dust, the toxic pollutants will become airborne dust particles that will adversely impact the health of humans and animals. 

Even now, some workers who are engaged in hand-spreading of seeds into the muddy clay have reported skin irritations and rash to the editor of Siskiyou News. Such skin irritation and rash is consistent with exposure to such toxic heavy metals as well as to the high levels of phosphates and nitrates contained in the clay-mud lake sediments.

A Call To Action!

The very real potential for the ongoing long-term pollution of the Klamath River below the dams via erosion and leaching of toxin concentrates from the remaining tens of millions of yards of clay-mud sediments, must be addressed and mitigated via the immediate removal of all remaining sediments from the lake bottoms. The removal must include relocation of these sediments, as proposed in the past, to a place suited to isolate such hazardous materials.

Removing these hazardous sediments from the ecosystem is the only genuine option to help increase the odds for a restored Klamath River ecosystem in the decades to come. And in that process, also protect the health of the citizens and wildlife living down-river. 

Additionally, residents who have water-wells in the alluvium of the Klamath River down-stream from the Iron Gate dam should be immediately advised in writing by KRRC that there is a potential for well contamination by such pollutants and that well testing seems advisable,

Additional References courtesy of Klamath Basin Crises:

VIDEO of Interview with Dr. Paul Houser  > Top Government Scientist fired for telling the truth about Klamath dam destruction, YouTube, posted to KBC 11/14/13.

Interior denies spinning Klamath science, 3/25/13, PEER.
RESPONSE – Statement of Dr. Paul R. Houser, Hydrometeorologist 3/25/13. “The DISO informed me of her decision to dismiss my February 24, 2012 allegation in a letter dated January 29, 2013. This letter made significant references to the August 2012 expert panel report, but did not actually provide the report. … This report was only made available after repeated requests made to the DISO via phone/email, a December FOIA request and several requests from Congressional committees….through a very narrow panel charge and through its own de-scoping, the important aspects of my allegation were not evaluated, and no actual investigation was done. So, it seems my allegation really has not yet been addressed .”

* Letter from House of Representatives Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings to Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar regarding Klamath River Dam science misconduct by Interior in firing whistleblower Dr. Paul Houser. Hastings requests documents regarding communications by March 15.

Klamath Falls- Government scientist gets fired for telling the truth, townhall.com , posted to KBC 1/20/13

I Spy Radio, “Last year, we interviewed Dr. Paul Houser, who’s become known as the “Klamath Whistleblower” for his efforts to expose how the Bureau of Reclamation was misrepresenting the science behind the effort to remove four perfectly good hydroelectric dams on the Klamath River. We wanted to get an update from him and also talk with Marcia Armstrong, a Siskiyou County Supervisor, to hear 1/26/13

Statement from Dr. Paul Houser, Klamath dams whistleblower 12/13/12 on DOI’s firing him for exposing Interior’s lack of scientific integrity: “The settlement of my wrongful firing “whistleblower” claim is very good to get behind me. I can’t say much about the settlement, but that it was a good solution for me personally and it did not result in getting my job back. My scientific misconduct allegation is being handled separately and is still under investigation. The Department of the Interior had the final outside panel report delivered back in August/September. I have repeatedly asked the Department for their findings and they indicate that statements will be issued soon.”

Fired scientist resolves whistleblower complaint with feds (regarding Klamath dam study), Capitol Press, posted to KBC 12/9/12.  “While Houser’s personnel issue was resolved, the scientific integrity issues he raised were outside the jurisdiction of the Office of Special Council, Ruch said. Kelly has said that Houser’s complaints are under investigation.”

* KLAMATH DAMS: Full Committee Oversight Hearing on “Oversight of the Actions, Independence and Accountability of the Acting Inspector General of the Dept. of the Interior.”8/2/12. Attorney General Miss Kendall questioned by California U. S. Congressman Tom McClintock regarding whistleblower Dr. Paul Houser, Bureau of Reclamation top scientist and Integrity Officer overseeing Klamath Dam science. For exposing integrity issues of the Department of the Interior he was fired by his boss, who happened to be a member of a stakeholder’s group advocating for dismantling Klamath River dams, a huge conflict of interest. Listen to the astounding audio of Kendall’s responses to McClintock. 

Klamath science-informed process needs improvement, by Dr. Paul R. Houser, Guest writer, Herald and News 7/15/12.Klamath Dam whistleblower Houser responds to USGS KBRA lead scientist Dennis Lynch: “In April 2011, I was hired as the Bureau of Reclamation’s science adviser and scientific integrity officer. After I questioned the accuracy of science reporting and summary documents related to the Klamath Secretarial Decision, I faced systematic reprisal and my job as the Bureau of Reclamation’s science advisor was terminated….”

Paul R. Houser: Dam removal holds risks, uncertainties, Redding Record Searchlight, posted to KBC June 26, 2012

Dennis Lynch, lead Klamath Dam removal scientist, blasts Houser in the media, and former top scientist in Bureau of Reclamation and science integrity officer, Dr. Houser, responds.6/16/12.

Dr. Paul R. Houser, Former Bureau of Reclamation Science Advisor and Scientific Integrity Officer, whistleblower on Klamath dam removal science misconduct, responds to Curtis Knight, California Trout’s, attack, 5/29/12

VIDEO: Dr. Paul Houser, Klamath River Basin Dam Removal Whistleblower Presentation in Yreka, Calif. Video by Robert Exter, posted 5/29/12.

***Dr. Paul Houser comes to Klamath Falls and Yreka May 6th and 7th.

Klamath KBRA scientist, Dr. Paul Houser, whistleblower letter to Siskiyou County Supervisors, posted to KBC 2/27/12

Allegation of scientific and scholarly misconduct and reprisal for a disclosure concerning the biased summarization of key scientific conclusions for the Klamath River dam removal Secretarial determination process, from Dr. Paul R. Houser, Science Advisor and Scientific Integrity Officer, Bureau of Reclamation, Washington D.C., to Office of the Executive Secretariat and Regulatory Affairs, Department of the Interior, posted to KBC 2/27/12.

Dr. Houser attachments to letter to Siskiyou Supervisors, posted to KBC 3/2/12

KBC News asked Dr. Houser his opinion of Interior’s  peer review report  and of the peer reviewers?”Dr. Paul Houser’s review of Interior’s

 Klamath Dam Removal EIS/EIR Peer-Review and Peer-Reviewers

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