Copco Lake was an artificial lake in Northern California, built upon what was once the Klamath River through a series of dams. In early 2024, the largest dam removal effort in U.S. history brought the Klamath back in a bid to return salmon populations to northern climates.
Over the course of a few months, residents of the area saw their homes change. In “The Last Drop,” one such resident, John Wardlaw, discusses the changes he’s seen as the lake he once knew drained before his very eyes.