Klamath Falls, Ore. – It’s estimated that removing four dams from the Klamath River will cost about $400 million and provide a variety of local job opportunities.
The Klamath River Renewal Corporation, or K.R.R.C., is in charge of the dam removal project.
“Estimated cost, we did an extensive analysis, and it comes in about 398 million dollars,” said Dave Meurer of the K.R.R.C. “But we have a budget of up to 450 million.”
About 30 business owners and contractors met with K.R.R.C. officials in Klamath Falls Tuesday to discuss job opportunities.
“We will be issuing a request for qualifications for the dam removal contract,” said K.R.R.C. CEO Mark Bransom. “And under that contract, we anticipate a significant number of local jobs and services.”
Christine Serrano of Koena Construction is interested in the habitat restoration effort. “We were originally contacted by one of the botanists to make the test plots for the vegetation.”
Bransom said the construction and demolition effort is expected to generate about 400 jobs. “In addition to that, we estimate there could be as many as an additional 14 to 15 hundred jobs in the service industries—hotels, laundromats, restaurants, and other things.”
If federal approval is granted, dam removal could begin in 2021.
Serrano hopes to be a part of that effort. “This would be our first larger scale on a commercial level. so I’m very excited to get our foot in the door.”
You can learn more about dam removal jobs here: www.klamathrenewal.org/jobs
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