US Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley have announced a total of nearly $13.4 million was awarded to four projects in Oregon that will boost the conservation and restoration of essential aquatic ecosystems and habitat.
This federal funding from the US Department of the Interior includes efforts to upgrade fish passages, restore endangered species' habitats and reconnect floodplain wetlands.
A large portion of the investment will specifically go toward two projects to support the recovery and restoration of the Klamath River following the removal of the four lower Klamath dams -- the largest dam removal in United States history.
The federal funding comes from the Bureau of Reclamation's WaterSMART Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Program, which was made possible by the landmark Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
The funding includes $923,240 for the Freshwater Trust to complete the design and engineering of a project to restore high-functioning, resilient aquatic habitat along a 2.5-mile high-priority reach of Bear Creek along the Greenway Trail near the City of Phoenix.
The ecological enhancement treatments, which include reconnecting the floodplain and improving fish passage, will help restore native salmon and steelhead populations while also improving recreational opportunities and water delivery infrastructure for 1,600 agricultural users.
