Iron Gate Dam
Iron Gate Dam Iron Gate Dam (California)
Country	United States
Location	Siskiyou County, California
Coordinates	41°56′02″N 122°26′07″W / 41.93389°N 122.43528°W / 41.93389; -122.43528
Opening date	1964; 60 years ago (1964)
Demolition date	2024
Dam and spillways
Type of dam	Earthfill
Impounds	Klamath River
Height	173 ft (53 m)
Length	540 ft (160 m)
Spillway type	Concrete overflow
Reservoir
Creates	Iron Gate Reservoir
Total capacity	58,000 acre⋅ft (72,000,000 m3)
Catchment area	4,630 sq mi (12,000 km2)
Surface area	1,020 acres (410 ha)
Maximum water depth	210 feet (64 m)
Power Station
Turbines	2
Installed capacity	18 MW
Annual generation	112,650,000 KWh

Iron Gate Dam is an earthfill hydroelectric dam on the Klamath River in northern California, outside Hornbrook, California, that opened in 1964. The dam blocks the Klamath River to create the Iron Gate Lake Reservoir. It is the lowermost of a series of power dams on the river, the Klamath River Hydroelectric Project, operated by PacifiCorp. It also poses the first barrier to migrating salmon in the Klamath. The Iron Gate Fish Hatchery was placed just after the dam, hatching salmon and steelhead that are released back into the river.^[1]

A movement to Un-Dam the Klamath has been ongoing for 20 years to remove the dams.^[2][3] The Iron Gate Dam (National ID CN 001223),^[4] along with the John C. Boyle Dam, are two of four on the Klamath River that would be removed under the Klamath Economic Restoration Act.^[5] As of February 2016, the states of Oregon and California, the dam owners, federal regulators, and other parties reached an agreement to remove all four dams by the year 2020, pending approval by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.^[6] On February 25, 2022, the FERC released its final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on the dam's removal.

The Iron Gate Dam is expected to be removed in 2024.^[7] On January 11, 2024, the bypass tunnel at the dam was opened to drain the reservoir, in anticipation of the dam's removal.^[8]

Iron Gate Reservoir

Iron Gate Reservoir is an artificial lake on the Klamath River in Siskiyou County, California, near the Oregon border of the United States. The lake's waters are impounded by the Iron Gate Dam and operated by PacifiCorp. It has an average depth of 70 feet (21.4 m).^[9]

The Iron Gate Reservoir is host to several recreation activities. There are several campsites on the Western side of the reservoir. Some campsites, such as Mirror Cove and Juniper Point, are open from May to October. Others, such as Camp Creek, are open year-round. All campsites are free to use.^[10] Each site has a launch point, allowing for boating, kayaking, and swimming on the reservoir. The reservoir contains yellow perch, trout, largemouth bass, catfish, and native rainbow trout, which makes it a popular fishing location.^[11]

In 2020, the state released a danger warning about harmful blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) blooms. These blooms are toxic to humans and animals, so announcements were made warning against swimming in the reservoir and eating any fish from the reservoir.^[12] There have been reports in the past, but no warnings have been made since. These algal bloom growths likely occurred due to lower water levels and increasing water temperatures.