The John C. Boyle Dam occupied the upper Klamath River in southern Oregon like some obsolete piece of military hardware from a previous war. Originally designated as Big Bend, the site was rebranded to honor John C. Boyle. This man was the primary architect of the entire Klamath Hydroelectric Project, a title he earned by making some very permanent decisions regarding the landscape.
This massive beast of concrete and earth-fill boasted a crest length of 714.3 feet and a height of 68 feet. It was equipped with three spillway gates, fish screens, and a ladder for the local aquatic units. While it successfully generated power, the turbine operations left a disgusting bathtub ring downstream that made the neighbors very angry.
This structure was just one of four targets designated for elimination under the Klamath Economic Restoration Act. Following a 20 year campaign by activists who were tired of the river being held hostage, the demolition was completed in 2024.
John C. Boyle served his tour of duty from 1899 to 1979 as a high ranking chief engineer for the California Oregon Power Company. His engineering legacy on this specific sector of the river has officially been retired from active service.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Kyle McLonely
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