October 30, 2025, Vancouver, BC, Canada – Knight Piésold has received an Award of Excellence in the Environmental Stewardship category for the Klamath River Renewal Project at the 2025 ACEC National Awards. The Association of Consulting Engineering Companies (ACEC) presented the award to Craig Nistor, a specialist geoscientist at Knight Piésold Canada, at a gala reception held on October 23 at the Fairmont Château Laurier in Ottawa, Ontario.

The awards program recognizes ACEC member firms that deliver transformative projects generating long-term benefits for clients, industries, and communities. Focusing on showcasing outcomes and impacts, the program celebrates project legacies across five categories: community and social impact, environmental stewardship, commercial and economic opportunities, innovation and technical advancement, and corporate leadership and responsibility.

ACEC selected the Klamath River Renewal Project for its outstanding impact, stating:

“A landmark in ecological restoration, this project stood out for its unprecedented scale and the rapid return of salmon just months after completion. The authentic engagement with tribal nations, adaptability in the face of incomplete data, and deep integration with the surrounding ecosystem made it a model of ingenuity, collaboration, and environmental impact.”

The Klamath River Renewal Project—the largest dam removal and river restoration project in U.S. history—involved the removal of four hydroelectric dams, built between 1903 and 1962, along the Klamath River in southern Oregon and northern California.

Knight Piésold served as the lead designer for prime contractor Kiewit Infrastructure West Co. (Kiewit) under a progressive design-build contract with the owner Klamath River Renewal Corporation. Knight Piésold developed innovative solutions to safely decommission the J.C. Boyle, Copco No. 1, Copco No. 2, and Iron Gate dams, including construction access, reservoir drawdown using new or refurbished low-level outlets, staged removal of dams and ancillary facilities, on-site material disposal, and erosion protection for the restored river channel through the former dam sites.

Within weeks of final dam removal in October 2024, the first adult chinook salmon was observed to have migrated upstream for the first time in over a century. The project restored natural river flow and reconnected more than 400 river-miles, providing volitional fish passage to historic habitat and spawning grounds.

“We’re incredibly proud to have played a part in supporting the restoration of the Klamath River watershed,” Nistor said. Environmental stewardship drove every aspect of the project, from restoring biodiversity to minimizing environmental impacts during construction. The restoration has provided significant benefits to those whose lifestyles depend upon the river, including local communities and Native American tribes.

The legacy of the project extends beyond ecological restoration. “The Klamath River Renewal Project represents a major step forward for the hydroelectric industry,” Nistor added. “It demonstrates how we can responsibly manage the complete life cycle of hydroelectric assets with environmental and social goals at the forefront. This project can serve as a guide for aging hydroelectric projects worldwide that have reached the end of their useful lives, helping build a more resilient, sustainable industry.”

The Klamath River Renewal Project exemplifies Knight Piésold’s expanding portfolio of full life cycle dam services, from feasibility studies and design through to construction, monitoring, and decommissioning. Knight Piésold remains ready to support clients throughout every phase of their dam projects across Canada and internationally.

The ACEC Award of Excellence joins other recognitions for this project, including an ACEC-BC Award of Merit received by Knight Piésold and an ENR West Best Project Award in the Water/Environment category received by Kiewit.