The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) released over 2 million fall-run Chinook salmon smolts into the Klamath River in May 2024. The releases, consisting of 1.3 million smolts on May 15 and 800,000 on May 22, were conducted earlier than scheduled due to warming temperatures and concerns about C. Shasta disease.

The smolts were raised at the new Fall Creek Fish Hatchery, which exceeded its production goal in its first year. The removal of three dams – JC Boyle, Copco 1, and Iron Gate – is ahead of schedule and could open up hundreds of miles of new spawning and rearing habitat for returning salmon by fall 2024.

CDFW plans to release an additional 250,000 to 300,000 yearling fall-run Chinook salmon later in 2024, potentially directly into Fall Creek, which was previously inaccessible due to the Iron Gate Dam.

These efforts are part of the California Salmon Strategy for a Hotter, Drier Future, aiming to support salmon populations through dam removal, improved hatchery practices, and stronger partnerships with tribal stakeholders.