Reclaiming the Flow: California’s Rivers are Finally Breathing Again

 

Reclaiming the Flow: California’s Rivers are Finally Breathing Again


​At the 2026 Bioneers Conference in Berkeley there was a palpable shift from "we should do this" to "look at what we’ve done." 

​The focus? The Great Un-Damming. For decades, California’s rivers have been shackled by aging infrastructure that prioritized hydropower over habitat. This year, the stories shared by presenters—many of whom are Indigenous leaders and restoration ecologists—focused on a historic movement to return our waterways to their original, wild nature.

​The Klamath Miracle

​If there was a "superstar" of the conference, it was the Klamath River. We are currently witnessing the aftermath of the largest dam removal project in world history. With the dismantling of the Iron Gate, Copco 1, Copco 2, and J.C. Boyle dams, the Klamath has been reconnected for the first time in over a century.

​The results haven't just been fast; they’ve been transformative. Within days of the water breaking through, Chinook salmon were spotted in the upper reaches of the watershed—territory they hadn't touched in a hundred years. This isn't just about "fish counts"; it's about a "river reborn." Today, crews led by the Yurok, Karuk, and Klamath Tribes are on the ground, planting millions of native seeds to ensure the newly exposed land heals as a native ecosystem rather than an invasive one.

​A Statewide Wave of Restoration

​While the Klamath is the headline, the momentum is spreading across the state like a rising tide. The information shared at Bioneers painted a picture of a California finally ready to let its rivers run:

  • ​The Eel River: In Northern California, the movement to remove the Scott and Cape Horn dams is reaching a fever pitch. Taking these down would open up 300 miles of prime habitat, offering a massive win for biodiversity.
  • ​The Matilija Dam: Down in Ventura County, the 168-foot Matilija Dam—a massive concrete plug—is slated for removal. This project is essential for restoring natural sediment flow to the coast and revitalizing the Ventura River.
  • ​Coastal Success: We’re already seeing what happens when we step out of the way. Along the Mendocino coast, smaller-scale barrier removals have already resulted in record returns of nearly 30,000 Coho salmon.

​More Than Just Engineering

​The most moving takeaway from the conference wasn't the engineering feat of removing tons of concrete. It was the shift in philosophy. The presenters emphasized Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK)—the understanding that a river is not a "resource" to be managed, but a living relative to be respected.

​As Yurok Attorney and Bioneers speaker Amy Cordalis put it: "A fishing right is no good if there are no fish." By closing these dams and restoring the land, we aren't just fixing a map; we are restoring a relationship with the salmon.

​

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