Iron Gate Dam and Hatchery, Klamath River, California

Aerial view of the Iron Gate Dam and Hatchery along the Klamath River near Hornbrook, California.  A series of hydroelectric facilities (JC Boyle, Copco No. 1, Copco No. 2, and Iron Gate) separate the Klamath River into upper and lower basins. The dams associated with the hydroelectric facilities block volitional fish passage and access to 420 miles of cold-water habitat in the upper basin. The presence of the dams and operation of the reservoir impoundments altered the flow and sediment transport regimes in the lower basin. Iron Gate Dam began operations in 1964 and is slated for removal in 2023 or 2024.