The Klamath River dam removal project, near the California-Oregon border, faces a new and unexpected challenge: over 100 wild horses are damaging newly planted grasses and shrubs at the dam sites.
According to the S.F. Chronicle, managers of the Klamath River dam removal project warn that wild horses could undermine the crucial replanting effort. The problem is that horses are bringing non-native seeds and introducing weeds where crews work. Despite this, Siskiyou County’s “open range” policy allows the horses to roam freely. As the dismantling of four dams nears completion, the final step is the revegetation of 2,200 acres with billions of seeds and thousands of shrubs and trees, costing tens of millions of dollars.
To address the issue, officials are constructing 18 miles of fencing around the former Iron Gate Reservoir and 4 miles at Copco Lake, with assistance from Trout Unlimited.
