Siskiyou County — In early June 2026, biologists documented elevated mortality among juvenile Chinook salmon in the upper Klamath River, primarily between Fall Creek and the Shasta River confluence. Most of the affected fish were hatchery-origin smolts released just weeks earlier from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s (CDFW) Fall Creek Fish Hatchery in Siskiyou County.
The event has sparked discussion among agencies, tribes, scientists, and water users about what drove the losses — and what management steps might reduce similar risks in the post-dam-removal Klamath River.
