91ÊÓƵ

The American Council of Engineering Companies earlier this month gave its top award — the Grand Conceptor — to McMillen, a full-service firm based in Boise, Idaho, for its work on the Klamath River Renewal Project during the annual Engineering Excellence Awards gala in Washington, D.C. The project was an ACEC Oregon Grand Award winner earlier this year.

The world’s largest dam removal project resulted in successful restoration of more than 400 miles of habitat along the Klamath River; salmon returned to tributaries inaccessible for over a century. Four hydroelectric dams — JC Boyle, Copco No. 1, Copco No. 2, and Iron Gate — had blocked the former third-largest salmon-producing river system on the West Coast. The $504 million project was completed on time and within budget.

Within months of the final dam being removed, Chinook, Coho and Pacific Lamprey began returning in numbers not seen for generations. On Sept. 24, 2025, a Chinook salmon passed through the fish ladder at Keno Dam in southern Oregon, marking the farthest upstream salmon had reached since the dams were constructed, according to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

The project’s complexity required coordination between two states, multiple tribes, federal agencies, and numerous conservation and fishing organizations. McMillen served as owner’s representative for Klamath River Renewal Corp., the nonprofit created specifically to execute the project. The Yurok, Karuk, Hoopa, Shasta, Klamath and Modoc tribes led the effort. Kiewit was the general contractor.

McMillen, in its ACEC Oregon award submission, noted that one significant challenge involved managing 5 million cubic yards of sediment. Engineers used advanced hydraulic modeling to optimize river bypass systems at each dam and developed mechanical assistance measures to enhance sediment movement downstream. The team analyzed potential effects on the estuary and Crescent City Harbor to balance environmental protection with regulatory compliance.

McMillen’s risk analysis also led to revised dam removal sequencing. Initially, two dams were scheduled for concurrent removal, but engineers recommended removing one dam during the pre-drawdown period and the second during reservoir drawdown, reducing complexity and minimizing risk.

Judging for the ACEC awards program took place in February and was conducted by a national panel of 32 built environment leaders, along with experts from government, media, and academia. Award criteria focused on uniqueness and originality, technical innovation, social and economic value, and excitement generated toward the engineering profession.

Founded in 1906, ACEC represents more than 5,500 independent engineering firms and more than 650,000 professionals in 51 state and regional organizations.