Dam Removal Deal: Siskiyou County Secures $3.5M for Copco Road Repairs

SISKIYOU COUNTY, CA – Siskiyou County and the Klamath River Renewal Corporation (KRRC) have finalized a $3.5 million agreement to repair Copco Road following the completion of major dam removal work on the Klamath River.

The agreement, signed on December 16, 2024, marks the second amendment to a 2021 memorandum of understanding that initially allocated $3 million for dam removal-related roadwork. Under the new terms, KRRC will provide immediate funding and donate up to 2,000 yards of road base material for repairs to be completed by the county’s Department of Public Works.

The latest amendment resolves a dispute from January 2024 regarding road damage at mile marker 13 of Copco Road, where slumping had occurred. It also consolidates all remaining obligations from previous agreements between the county and KRRC.

The repair work is scheduled to begin in spring 2025, following KRRC’s completion of deconstructing four dams on the Lower Klamath Project (FERC P-14803). The county will manage the repairs at its discretion and plans to issue public notifications about potential traffic impacts before construction begins.

County officials have established an email address ([email protected]) for residents to direct questions about the upcoming roadwork. The agreement stipulates that KRRC and the county will release a joint press statement about the resolution at a mutually agreed-upon time.