Locals Grieve Over Loss of Copco Lake, Wildlife During California’s Klamath Dam Removal

Residents in the small lakeside community of Copco Lake, California, near the Oregon border, said they were in shock Feb. 2 after watching a 100-year-old lake drain in a matter of days. Within five days, locals in the tranquil community watched their lake disappear and fish and wildlife die off as the water drained into the Klamath River. Many of the 100 full-time homeowners who retired to live in the lakeshore cabins are finding themselves at the center of California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s quest to save the state’s salmon after decades of pressure from the Yurok Tribe in Northern California. Removing four hydroelectric dams—including two at Copco Lake—on the Klamath River is a key part of the governor’s environmental strategy, released Jan. 30....