Dammed Algae at Copco 1
The Copco 1 dam on the Klamath River in Northern California at twilight, its face coated in toxic algae in October 2020. Opened in 1918, this hydroelectric dam on the Klamath River was built before dams were required to accommodate migrating fish. Not only did it block salmon from returning to their spawning grounds; it also created a reservoir that promoted the growth of a toxic cyanobacteria. It is one of four dams to be removed because California tribes protested their environmental impact over decades.